The Upgrade

The Upgrade is coming!  A Pilot Project is the first step.

December 5, 2011

Our GHI mission statement directs us to provide quality cooperative housing, in perpetuity. In order to make sure we can meet that goal, the time to think about the future of GHI is right now. What will members expect of their homes in the future? What do we need to do now to make sure our homes are viable in the future?

Beginning in 2015, many of the major components of our homes will be at the end of their useful life, and in need of replacement. The baseboard heaters and windows which were installed 30 years ago will begin costing us more to maintain, and will burden staff with problems and maintenance requests. Likewise, many of the original doors in our homes will be due for an upgrade to improve protection against the weather. The frame homes also need to replace their vinyl siding and waste water pipes beginning in 2015, to avoid larger problems in the future. Doing nothing, and allowing our homes to age and deteriorate, is not a realistic option.

As you can see, there will be a lot of work necessary to keep our homes in viable shape. We're calling this 2015 project the Community Upgrade to signify its importance and its goal. Fortunately, GHI has a few years to prepare for this process, and has healthy reserves to cover the cost of basic replacements. The basics might not be enough, however. According to member surveys, many of us are uncomfortable in our homes in summer and winter, and we're not happy about the costs for heating and cooling our homes.

The GHI Board of Directors, our staff, and our many volunteer members are committed to finding ways for members to be more comfortable in their homes, and to reduce the cost of heating their homes in winter. In the past three and half years, GHI (through the Buildings Committee) has been working with experts to determine what other improvements would be beneficial to members, in order to reduce energy costs and increase comfort. For instance, we could add insulation to our crawlspaces, attics, and walls, and/or we could switch to a different heating system that also provides air conditioning in the summer. Combined with new windows, doors, and heating systems, the reports we have received so far show that the additional cost of insulation or more efficient heating systems would be offset in part by the increased savings on energy bills for most members.

Computer models and expert reports cannot tell us the whole story, which is why the Buildings Committee and the Board began a Pilot Program in 2010 to test several good options for insulation, exterior siding, and heating. The Pilot Program, implemented on 28 units, can tell us if the energy savings projected by the models are achievable. It can help us figure out which heaters work best and cheapest. The Pilot Program will also help us answer questions specific to GHI, like:

• · How much work will it be to add insulation, if members' attics are full?
• · For how many days would members be disrupted during the upgrade?  
• · How should we handle additions when completing the big Upgrade?
• · And how much is all of this going to cost?

These are questions that we know we need answers for, before beginning to tackle the actual upgrade program.  (The Pilot Program is described in more detail under the “Pilot Program” link on the Buildings Committee website (at http://www.ghi.coop/content/pilot-program.) 

The Buildings Committee is sponsoring a “Be Warmer This Winter” workshop on Saturday, January 7, 2012 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the multipurpose room (room 201) of the Community Center.  The workshop will provide opportunities for GHI members to see demonstrations and obtain information on inexpensive ways of keeping warmer in your home in the upcoming months.  At the workshop you will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the Pilot Program and the Upgrade.

For more information about the Community Upgrade and the Pilot Program, please contact:

• Bill Jones, Board of Directors liaison to the Buildings Committee: bylljones@gmail.com
• Tom Sporney, Director, Technical Services and staff liaison to the Buildings Committee: 301-474-4161, extension 142, tsporney@ghi.coop 
• Jim Cohen, Chair of the Buildings Committee: 301-345-0472, jimcohen@umd.edu

Thank you for your careful consideration of this very important project for the future of GHI. Please help us spread the word by talking to your neighbors and friends in the community. If you have ideas for the Board or the Buildings Committee, please contact the people listed above.