Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Government, Homeowners Conserve to Fight Energy Crisis
Aired May 03, 2001 - 11:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with presidential action on the energy front, action that follows some intense pressure on George W. Bush to assist California in its electricity crisis.
To the White House now and CNN's Kelly Wallace.
Kelly, good morning. This president action amounts to some energy-saving measures we've been hearing about this morning. But are these measures going to be rolled out nationwide?
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a good point, Leon. White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer telling reporters a short time ago this directive that the president will Announce today will not cover all federal buildings all across the country. It will cover federal buildings in California and also in other places that could be very hard hit at times of increased demand for energy while facing at the same time diminishing supply.
The president will Announce some steps that the White House says he is taking to help California cope with what the White House considers somewhat of an energy crisis. And it will include having federal buildings raise up the thermostats to sometimes as high as 78 degrees during some peak energy periods as well as turning off other equipment such as escalators and overall asking federal buildings to do what they can to conserve.
The president will be meeting with some of his energy advisers later this afternoon, including Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham, who will be flying to California on Friday to brief state and local officials about the president's new directive and just how the White House can help the local and state agencies implement this new plan, Leon.
HARRIS: Well, Kelly, what is this in response -- this has got to be in response to something because it seems like just last week we were hearing the Vice President Dick Cheney out there saying things like conservation itself not the answer here.
WALLACE: Exactly. We certainly heard the vice president in those comments earlier this week saying the U.S. can't ration itself out of what the White House considers an energy crisis. Still, though, Ari Fleischer telling reporters that this movement is not in response to any criticism of the administration when it comes to relying too much on production and not enough on conservation. Also, one reporter asking if the White House was feeling criticism from some California lawmakers, especially Republicans, who believe the White House may not have been doing enough to help California. Still, though, White House saying this has been in the worst four of series of weeks. But you do get the sense the White House wanting to put the spotlight the efforts the U.S. is taking, the administration taking to conserve, just about two weeks before we get the recommendations for the president's energy task force, which are likely to rely quite a bit on increasing domestic production of oil and natural gas and coal, Leon.
HARRIS: Government workers might be relying on some air fresheners as well. Thank you so much, Kelly Wallace. We'll talk with you later on -- Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, that was a very good tip, Leon. Turns out we have some others.
There are several things you can do to reduce your power consumption and save money this year. Joining us now with more on that, our Ann Kellan, who looks like she broke into someone's house here in the Atlanta area to make her point -- Ann, good morning.
ANN KELLAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're tearing things apart and everything. But we want to figure out how to lower our energy bills. And this is one of the tests that we're doing. This house was just sold. And the new homeowner wants to test it out.
Mike Andreyuk is with Southface. This is your job basically to test houses out for leakage, right?
MIKE ANDREYUK, SOUTHFACE ENERGY: Give people advice on how to save energy in their home. This is one way we do it. This is an air leakage test. We suck all the air out of the house. We crank up the fans. And we can tell the homeowner how much air is leaking out. And we can actually show them where the air is leaking out by going around and feeling the air leaks.
KELLAN: OK, we've cranked it up. And the air is being sucked out of the house as we're watching. OK.
ANDREYUK: You can go around and see where the air is leaking out.
KELLAN: What places?
ANDREYUK: Well, common places, around electrical outlets.
KELLAN: You can actually feel the air. Yeah, you can.
ANDREYUK: Even an interior wall. Most people don't think there's leakage on interior walls. But there's connections up into the attic. Other places that air leakage can occur are mostly in the ceiling. So around attic accesses, you can feel it. Can you feel that air coming in?
KELLAN: Yeah.
ANDREYUK: That's a lot of air. That's money basically being wasted.
KELLAN: OK.
ANDREYUK: Through the attic.
KELLAN: I would think windows would be another place you would check as well.
ANDREYUK: Actually, windows and doors aren't as leaky as people would think. Most of it is coming in the ceiling. Or one of the biggest holes in a house is often the fireplace. We can actually see some of the cobwebs moving. And I like to do my little demonstration here and show the homeowner that their dollars are basically being...
KELLAN: Sucked up the chimney.
ANDREYUK: ... sucked up the chimney, that's right.
KELLAN: We have the homeowner here to break the bad news to him. Robert Reed, thank you for letting us come into your new home.
ROBERT REED, HOMEOWNER: Thank you.
KELLAN: Are you going to take some advice? And what would you be doing?
REED: I would definitely be sealing all the leaks. When the home energy rating comes in, it's very easy to find the leaks. And they show me where everything is coming out. And I'm looking forward to sealing those up. Just get some foam. That's what they tell me I can use. And it will be a very simple process and save a lot is what I'm told.
KELLAN: How much a month are you spending average let's say in the summer air conditioning, for example?
REED: Air conditioning in the summer, the folks who had it before told me it was over $200 a month in the peak months of the summer. So I expect that to really drop significantly.
KELLAN: Now, Mike, how much do you think he can save on that?
ANDREYUK: Robert, just with some simple things, air ceiling and insulating the attic, drop his energy bills by 15 or 20 percent without spending a lot.
KELLAN: How much would he have to spend?
ANDREYUK: I mean, air leakage, less than $100. So just caulk and foam. That's all it is.
KELLAN: Caulk and foam. And you can save about how much a month? ANDREYUK: Ten or 15 percent.
KELLAN: That's pretty good. You're going to do it, huh?
REED: That will be about $40 a month. It will pay for itself in one summer. And I'll get those savings from there on out.
KELLAN: OK, any other last-minute bits of advice for people on?
ANDREYUK: Well, people also want to check their heating and cooling system. That often uses the most energy in the house. And if your system is really old, then you might want to get that replaced and look for more efficient units.
KELLAN: All right, very good. Thanks a lot. And there's some tips for you. This is Ann Kellan reporting.
KAGAN: Ann, before we let you go, did you ask Mike what does it cost to have somebody like him come out and do that service at your house?
KELLAN: How much does it cost to get you out here to check out our own?
ANDREYUK: Well, the national average for a home energy rating is about $300. And that includes the blower door test, a test on the duct system, and a computation of the floor area and volume of the house, and a nice recommended easy list of things to do that can save you money in your home.
KELLAN: Some places, though, like the power companies will actually do the service for free as well, right?
ANDREYUK: Depending on who your local utility is.
KELLAN: Free to $300.
KAGAN: Very good. Well, anybody who has faced natural gas prices this winter or electricity like in California, that would pay for itself very quickly as well. Ann Kellan, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
