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FAQs – National Evaluation

 
  1. Who is conducting the evaluation?
    Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is leading the Evaluation and is joined by a team of independent evaluators, let by APPRISE, the Energy Center of Wisconsin, Dalhoff & Associates, and Blasnik & Associates. Questions about the National Evaluation not addressed below can be directed to Bruce Tonn, ORNL, at 865-574-4041, bet@ornl.gov.
     
  2. When are evaluations anticipated to be completed?
    It is anticipated that data collection will begin in Spring 2010, pending OMB approval. Most of the major elements to be produced through the National Evaluation will be available in late 2010 and 2011. These include the impact assessment of energy savings, cost-benefit analysis, process assessment, and analysis of non-energy impacts.
     
  3. How can my state participate and receive state data?
    Each state and local agency will have some role in the national evaluation and a subset of approximately 400 local agencies, with at least one in each state, will be asked to provide detailed information and access to data to perform the billing and process analyses. The results of the evaluation will be provided nationally and by major climate zone but will not provide state-specific data.
     
  4. Is this evaluation mandatory?
    Yes, all elements of the Weatherization network will be required to participate in the evaluation to some degree. It is the only way to produce meaningful and accurate national results that are the key to supporting the program within the administration, on the Hill, and within DOE.
     
  5. How will this evaluation impact the local level?
    Most agencies will be asked to complete questionnaires that should take only a few hours of staff time. Those involved in the subsample will be asked to provide much more information regarding the homes they weatherized and how this work was performed.
     
  6. Can my state evaluation be piggybacked with the national?
    Some states have asked to piggyback on the national evaluation and have asked that the supplemental cost of doing so be provided to them. States interested in piggybacking on the National Evaluation should contact David Carroll of APPRISE at 609-252-8010, david-carroll@appriseinc.org.
     
  7. What data will be required at the state level? The local?
    A vast array of data on household characteristics, both housing and demographic, weatherization measures applied, energy bills from before and after weatherization, client education, audit procedures, and crew training, to name just a few, will be gathered as part of the evaluation. The purpose is to both to assess program results and to understand the underlying causes of differing levels of performance.

    Those interested in a fuller understanding of the scope and scale of the questions are advised to examine the National Evaluation Plan on the ORNL web site: http://weatherization.ornl.gov.
     
  8. What should I do to plan or prepare for this evaluation?
    In the past, state and local agencies have been asked to secure client waivers to enable access to billing records required for the evaluation. This process should continue in PY 2009, 2010, and 2011 to facilitate evaluation of national energy savings in those years.
     


Sample State Evaluations

 

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