Emily Mangelsdorf

ENSC 195

10/18/12

Internship with Common Sense Energy: Scope of Work

Allan Bullis, owner of Common Sense Energy, has offered an internship for myself and other green building students. We will be working to increase energy efficiency in residential and commercial buildings around Vermont. As an intern, I will be training and working to initiate several different jobs involved with the company’s work.

Primarily, we will accompany Allan on energy audits, using an infrared gun and blower door depressurization system to identify air leakage and areas for improved insulation. Once we have determined the unsealed spaces allowing air draft we will utilize different techniques such as caulking cracks, installing weather strips, and filling spaces with insulation ranging from damp spray cellulose and dry blow cellulose to rigid foam. This will ensure an optimal thermal envelope which eliminates high energy usage and costs. In addition to the hands-on field work of this internship we will also help to educate community members about the importance of energy efficiency and the techniques involved which incorporate many simple DIY (Do-it-yourself) initiatives. In an extreme cold climate such as Vermont, it is very important to inform people (especially students) of their energy usages and how they can improve the effectiveness of their systems while significantly lowering costs.