The Montpelier Energy Advisory Committee has been working to collect resources to support residents and businesses rebuild smart, increase the resilience of their buildings and infrastructure, and plan for the future. This is a moment that calls for creative solutions, so that we don't see the same level of destruction from future flooding.

Resilience Resources

Resilient Design Institute

Alex Wilson, founder of the Resilient Design Institute based in Brattleboro, has put together a number of resources around rebuilding in flood zones.
Fundamentals of Resilient Design: Dry Floodproofing

Fundamentals of Resilient Design: Wet Floodproofing

 

Climate Resilience Toolkit

Permanent Flood Barriers: Levees & Floodwalls
Permanent Flood Barriers: Passive Barriers
Temporary Flood Barriers
Equipment Elevation & Anchoring
Create a Bioswale
Dry Floodproofing: Flood Shields
Dry Floodproofing: Polished Concrete Floor
Dry Floodproofing: Sealants & Impermeable Membranes
Batteries for Energy Storage
Sump Pump/Internal Drainage System

 

Lessons from the Floods

As we start to recover from the flood, what does infrastructure resilience look like? This concise report from the Lake Champlain Committee summarizes 8 basic lessons learned from Tropical Storm Irene, which we can apply to our rebuilding work in Montpelier.
 

Storm Smart

Storm Smart is a FREE program that provides education and technical assistance to homes to promote green stormwater infrastructure and other stormwater solutions for our watershed and wildlife. The Storm Smart program is built around actions that you can take on your own property to slow down, spread out, and sink in stormwater. How can you figure out what those actions are? The answer is simple, schedule a Storm Smart assessment. The Friends of the Winooski will work with you to trace the path water takes through your property. After the in-person assessment, you will receive individualized recommendations for your property and hands-on assistance to make your property Storm Smart! Fill out a request form.
 

Urban Resilience Project

In 2022, contributors to the Island Press Urban Resilience Project (URP) dug into the details, devising concrete plans for collective action to build a greener, fairer future. Those ideas—originally published as articles, op-eds, and interviews—have now been collected in the latest edition of an e-book series Resilience Matters (free download).

Efficiency Vermont Resources

As Vermonters begin to recover from this summer's devastating floods, Efficiency Vermont is working to help them rebuild with health and energy efficiency in mind.

Flood Recovery Resources page

https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/flood


Efficiency Vermont grants for renters, homeowners, and business owners impacted by flooding

Help is available to replace home heating systems, water heating systems, and other home appliances. Qualifying low- and moderate-income Vermont homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $10,000 per household. These flood recovery rebates can apply to multiple products. In addition, up to $5,000 back on heat pump water heaters and up to $9,500 on weatherization projects is available. Damage must have occurred between July 10 – July 31, 2023. In addition to rebates, these projects are eligible for no-interest (0% APR) financing, up to $30,000.

Learn more at https://www.efficiencyvermont.com/floodrebate.

Other Resources

Building Electrification

If you're faced with replacing key heating, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems due to flooding, NOW is the time to plan for getting rid of those fossil fuel tanks and moving towards electrification. The Inflation Reduction Act includes lots of new incentives and tax credits to make electrification more affordable, including: up to $14,000 for low- and moderate-income households in upfront discounts to switch over to electric appliances (available late 2023). Learn more in the NY Times Guide to the IRA and take a deep dive into electrification tips at Rewiring America.

Electric Upgrades: If you're replacing your electric panel, consider moving it above flood level and upgrading to a larger panel to accommodate heat pumps and EV charging in the future. Up to $4,000 in rebates will be available to cover the cost to upgrade your panel. If you pair the panel upgrade with an efficiency upgrade like heat pumps or a heat pump hot water heater, you will also be eligible for a 30% tax credit.

Energy efficiency upgrades: A tax credit can cover 30 percent of the cost of certain appliances that meet energy certification requirements, up to $600 per item. It can also cover other home efficiency upgrades, up to a maximum of $1,200 for insulation, $500 for doors and $600 for windows and skylights. There’s an annual limit of $1,200 (which includes the $150 credit you can claim for a home energy assessment), so consider planning your upgrades in phases.

Heat pumps and heat pump hot water heaters: A tax credit covers 30 percent of the costs of purchase and installation, up to $2,000 per year. (This is in addition to the $1,200 available in tax credits for other energy-saving renovations and appliances.) Your savings will also depend on your tax bill. The credits can lower the amount you owe in federal taxes, but they won’t get you a refund if you don’t owe anything.

Multi-family buildings: If 50 percent or more of the building is occupied by low- and middle-income households, building owners should be able to utilize the rebates up to $14,000 per eligible unit.

FEMA Technical Bulletins

Technical Bulletin 2, Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements
Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the required use of flood-damage-resistant construction materials for building components located below the Base Flood Elevation in Special Flood Hazard Areas (both A and V zones).

Technical Bulletin 7, Wet Floodproofing Requirements and Limitations
Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning wet floodproofing of certain types of structures located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.

Technical Bulletin 11, Crawlspace Construction for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas
Provides interim guidance on minimum NFIP requirements as well as best practices for crawlspace construction in the Special Flood Hazard Area.