[WLT_Announcements] Seeking "pioneer" homeowners for energy conservation project

[Jennifer Rose/Waltham Land Trust]

News of interest from the Waltham Land Trust

 

The Waltham Recycling Department is seeking "pioneer" homeowners to
participate in a residential conservation/audit research program as a part
of their Climate Change Protection project.

 

An initial infrared scan of each home would help to identify and make
recommendations for energy conservation measures for each homeowner. After
some or all recommendations are implemented by the homeowner, the scan would
be repeated, in order to determine if the measures have, in fact,
sufficiently tightened up the house to save energy and  costs. The follow-up
scan, which is not currently being used in this part of the country, is
crucial in order to determine the effectiveness of conservation actions
taken. It would help to identify if implemented energy conservation actions
have tightened up the house - where the house is tight, and where it's not.
Essentially, this is a research project to nail down what does/doesn't work.
Typically this kind of follow-up is not being done in the East, which is
unfortunate. We hope final results will produce model homes that will help
us to promote this program.

 

The homeowner would pay $200 for one scan.  The other scan and
administrative costs would be covered by the grant. The homeowner would also
pay to implement conservation recommendations to their home, which will be
major projects like insulating walls or ceilings, or both.

 

All data, including homeowners' energy bills, would be tracked by an
employee who is paid by the Newton Green Decade Coalition's Kyoto Project.

 

The Recycling Department is applying for a Mass DEP Climate Change
Protection grant, due by the end of this month of August. We hope to find at
least 10 "pioneer" homeowners in Waltham and 10 in Newton who, pending
approval of our funding, would be willing to participate. A list of Waltham
pioneer homeowner volunteers would help our chances for the grant, which
also includes an inventory of municipal energy use, as well that of the
City.

 

We need to complete our list of homeowner pioneers for the grant application
by August 24. The sooner the better.

 

If you know of other Waltham homeowners who would be interested, please
forward this e-mail to them.

 

If you want to be a pioneer homeowner and take advantage of this opportunity
to participate in a subsidized energy conservation program, please contact
me as soon as possible:

Eileen Zubrowski

Waltham Recycling Coordinator

781-314-3391

ezubrowski at city.waltham.ma.us

 

Many thanks.

 

Eileen Z

_______________

Jennifer Rose
Interim Program Manager
Waltham Land Trust
www.walthamlandtrust.org
781.893.3355