If your city is focused on GHG reduction, here is what you will need to know in order to complete the loan form:

1. PG&E: If you don't want to assemble your hardcopy PG&E bills for the past two years, you can receive your annual PG&E use online at www.pge.com. Click on "My Account." If you are already signed up for online billing simply enter your login name and password; if you are not already registered, click on Signup and provide the information requested. Once you are logged in, click on Billing; in the left-hand column, click on Usage History. Be sure to select therms and kilowatt hours as the measurement criteria for your annual energy report. Print out a copy for your records. Your energy use information can then be filled in to the application form.
2. Water: Most water utilities in the Sonoma County area have online billing programs that allow you to access your billing history via the Internet. Otherwise, your water use history may be obtained from past water bills or by calling your water provider. Your water bill information can be filled in to the application form. Some participating cities will require your water information, but some cities will not.
3. Audit: Once you have filled in the application form, a quick analysis will be done on that information. Assuming there is a significant potential energy savings for your home, you will be asked to schedule an energy audit for your home with a HERS II auditor. You may also be invited to schedule an outdoor water-use audit with the Sonoma County Water Agency, if your water bill indicates your home may benefit from water-saving irrigation or drought-tolerant landscaping. A list of approved auditors appears on this site. Once the auditor has completed the on-site analysis of your home, a [Report] will be emailed to you, showing the improvements that are recommended for your home, and the utility bill savings that can be expected after those improvements are made. {Note that the GEL Report only recommends approval for use of AB811 financing when the projected utility bill savings are at least equal to the total cost of the loan.
4. Loan approval: The HERS II auditor will send a copy of the Report to GEL and to the [City]. The Report will show which improvements can be made cost effectively, and the total estimated cost of those improvements. You will be given a loan approval from the City, based upon the amount shown in the HERS II audit Report. You will then need to make an appointment at the [City] to go in and sign the loan agreement, which you can print out and/or review on this site.
5. Contractor selection: After you receive loan approval, and have signed the loan agreement, you can select an approved contractor from the list provided on this site. Contractors on this site should agree to perform the work, including all materials and equipment, specified in the Report at a price within +/- 5% of the estimate in the audit Report. After the contractor you select has completed the work, he will submit a Statement of Completion to GEL and the [City].
6. Home performance audit: Upon receipt of the Statement of Completion, the HERS II auditor will then go back and test the home for energy performance. If the home performs at the level needed for the energy savings to pay off the loan costs, then the auditor will issue a Verification of Performance and notify you, the [City] and GEL. If the home does not perform at the expected level, the auditor will contact the contractor.
7. Payment: On receipt of the auditor's Verification of Performance, the funds needed to pay the contractor will be wired to your account. The HERS II auditor, GEL, and the [City] will be paid directly from the loan proceeds and you will receive a final Statement showing the total loan amount and the exact distribution of those funds.

New Carbon Footprint Confirmation

The energy savings you achieve with your energy efficiency retrofit will be calculated from your pre- and post-retrofit utility bills and used to document local progress toward the goal of lowering annual countywide greenhouse gas emissions to 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2015.

Show the Neighborhood How It's Done

When the successful completion of your energy efficiency retrofit has been confirmed, your lender will give you a colorful sticker to display in your window proclaiming your home as a Green Energy Loan Eco-House.

If your city is focused on employment, here is what you will need to know in order to complete the loan form:

1. PG&E: If you don't want to assemble your hardcopy PG&E bills for the past two years, you can receive your annual PG&E use online at www.pge.com. Click on "My Account." If you are already signed up for online billing simply enter your login name and password; if you are not already registered, click on Signup and provide the information requested. Once you are logged in, click on Billing; in the left-hand column, click on Usage History. Be sure to select therms and kilowatt hours as the measurement criteria for your annual energy report. Print out a copy for your records. Your energy use information can then be filled in to the application form.

Show the Neighborhood How It's Done

When the successful completion of your energy efficiency retrofit has been confirmed, your lender will give you a colorful sticker to display in your window proclaiming your home as a Green Energy Loan Eco-House.

If your city is focused on a combination of GHG reduction and employment, here is what you will need to know in order to complete the loan form:

1. PG&E: If you don't want to assemble your hardcopy PG&E bills for the past two years, you can receive your annual PG&E use online at www.pge.com. Click on "My Account." If you are already signed up for online billing simply enter your login name and password; if you are not already registered, click on Signup and provide the information requested. Once you are logged in, click on Billing; in the left-hand column, click on Usage History. Be sure to select therms and kilowatt hours as the measurement criteria for your annual energy report. Print out a copy for your records. Your energy use information can then be filled in to the application form.
2. Contractor selection: After you provide the basic information on the loan application, you will need to select an approved contractor from the list provided on this site. You may get bids from approved contractors, specifying the work they recommend doing and the total estimated cost. After you select the contractor you should come back to this web site and indicate your choice on the "Choose Contractor" page. That will connect the contractor to your loan application, and the contractor will fill in the balance of the information needed to complete the application.
3. Once the application is completed by the contractor, you will be notified by email and you will be provided with a copy of the proposed loan agreement The City will also be provided a copy of the agreement, and they will review it. Once both you and the city have indicated that the loan agreement is acceptable, you can set an appointment to go in to the city office and sign the agreement.
4. The city will notify GEL when the agreement has been signed. Funds will then be set aside, and all parties will be paid directly, upon completion of their work.

Show the Neighborhood How It's Done

When the successful completion of your energy efficiency retrofit has been confirmed, your lender will give you a colorful sticker to display in your window proclaiming your home as a Green Energy Loan Eco-House.