Sonoma County residents who prefer to shop at independently owned home improvement stores have another reason to spend their dough at Friedman’s: the three-store local chain employs a “Greener Choice Coordinator” to help customers go green.
The coordinator, Rebecca Bautista, works out of the Santa Rosa store but spends time in the chain’s Sonoma store as well (the third store is up in Ukiah).
In particular, Bautista says she’s charged with helping customers understand more about the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program, or SCEIP (pronounced “skype). The program was launched in 2009 and set aside a total of $100 million in grants to help homeowners finance energy-efficient improvements.
According Bautista, Sonoma residents can use the money for projects that fall into the categories of energy savers and water savers. Specific projects covered under the program include:
· Tankless water heaters
· Attic fans
· Duct and home sealing
· High-efficiency toilets
· “Smart” irrigation controllers
· Low-flow shower heads
“Most eco-friendly improvement projects are covered under this program,” she said. “It’s a great way to get people excited about making their homes more energy efficient.”
Terms of the SCEIP program are specific. The county essentially pays the up-front costs of approved projects. The county then places an assessment lien on the property, essentially formalizing the agreement as a loan that appears an assessment on the bi-annual tax bill. Loans are available for repayment in 5, 10 or 20 years.
The minimum loan amount is $5,000; the maximum is $500,000 (though larger loans are available, they simply require approval from the SCEIP board or supervisors). All interest rates are competitive and fixed.
While Bautista isn’t authorized to help customers with their applications, she is available to answer questions and provide advice for outlining projects successfully. She also authored an informative pamphlet that customers can take with them to answer frequently asked, top-level questions.
Of course Bautista also provides general insight on green products, independent of the SCEIP program. Her favorite subjects: low-flow toilets and smart irrigation controls.
“There’s never a dull moment in this job,” she says. “It’s fulfilling to know that we’re always helping people be more responsible about the choices they make regarding their footprint on the local community.”
