DURHAM — Neighborhoods interested in saving money on their energy bills now have a second chance to apply to the City of Durham’s Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program.
The city has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Communities Showcase grant program to expand its Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program.
The Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program, overseen by the Durham City-County Sustainability Office, works to increase energy efficiency, which saves homeowners on their energy bills and reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The funds will be used to help more households in selected Durham neighborhoods their improve energy efficiency by at least 20 percent.
The Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program is now accepting neighborhood applications for this second phase. Because this program targets neighborhoods, not just individual homes, a neighborhood group must submit an application stating that it has at least 100 homes meeting the criteria of being 2,000 square feet or less; single story; free of unvented gas appliances in the living space; and not have other hazardous features.
In addition, neighborhoods interested in applying should also have at least 80 percent of the eligible homes as being owner-occupied as well as a minimum of four committed neighborhood volunteers who will help sign up homeowners for the retrofits and teach other neighbors basic, no-cost, and low-cost energy saving techniques.
The retrofits have a market value between $800 and $1,500 depending on the house. Participating property owners will be asked to pay $300 to cover some of the cost of the retrofits, and must allow access to their energy bills so energy savings can be calculated.
According to Tobin Freid, sustainability manager for the City-County Sustainability Office, the grant will help Durham make progress toward reaching greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals since it enables the program to help more homes become energy efficient.
“This phase of the Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program will result in a reduction of 1,800 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year through targeted retrofits and education. At least 340 homes in the city and county will receive retrofits now, including sealing air leaks in heating and air conditioning ductwork; installing programmable thermostats; sealing air leaks in attics and crawlspaces; and installing attic insulation,” Freid said.
The City and County of Durham adopted a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan in 2007, which calls for a 30 percent reduction in emissions from residences, businesses, and institutions by 2030. In addition to the retrofits, residents will participate in workshops on do-it-yourself energy efficiency projects, receive information about additional grants, rebates, and tax credits available to pay for more upgrades. “This program is designed to get neighbors talking to each other about energy efficiency and helping one another to reduce energy use even after the grant money is gone,” Freid said.
A panel of representatives from the Durham City-County Sustainability Office, the City’s Department of Community Development, the City’s Department of Neighborhood Improvement Services, and Clean Energy Durham will select the neighborhoods to participate in the program.
This Climate Communities Showcase grant is funding the second phase of the Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program. The first phase, announced in January 2010, is being financed through funds from the City of Durham’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program and applied only to city neighborhoods. Clean Energy Durham, a local non-profit, is managing the neighborhood outreach efforts on behalf of the City.
The application deadline for this phase of the program is Monday, March 15, 2010. For more information on the program or to request a neighborhood application, visit www.greenerdurham.net, e-mail energy@durhamnc.gov, or pick up an application at the Durham County Engineering Office, located at 120 E. Parrish St., 1st Floor, in downtown Durham, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Interested neighborhoods may also contact Freid at (919) 560-7999 for more information.
