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DURHAM — About 20 people sit around a long table. The mood is excited. A projector flashes pictures every few minutes, showing men and women making the houses of friends and neighbors more energy-efficient. In front of the projector are 10 framed certificates.
The event is the recent graduation of 10 super trainers, who will now begin to help Durham neighborhoods become more energy-efficient. The super trainers are part of the nonprofit organization Clean Energy Durham.
Clean Energy Durham, in its fourth year, is dedicated to teaching neighborhoods through numerous programs how to become more energy-efficient.
The system works like this: Anyone wishing to make their house’s carbon footprint smaller should gather a group of neighbors and contact Clean Energy Durham, which will then send out a representative trained in the teaching of energy-efficiency. These representatives are the super trainers.
The super trainer guides the group of neighbors through simple energy-saving programs, such as learning to fix drafty windows by caulking them or using weather strips. It’s a free service.
Neighborhoods not only get involved with the programs; they also can create projects of their own.
Judy Kincaid, executive director of Clean Energy Durham, said that there have been neighborhoods who have put on their own energy fairs and have had energy-saving competitions.
“The goal is to support efforts to build neighborhoods, save energy, and save money in the process,” said Donald Baker, a board member of Clean Energy Durham. Baker also said that throughout the year he has been with the organization, it has almost tripled in size.
“More organizations are interested in funding us, and there has been more interest in volunteering. That equals growth,” Baker explained.
“It’s been a lot of fun!” said graduating super trainer, John Dagenhart. “I’ve enjoyed meeting people. Social communities and energy; the perfect blend!”
This is the largest amount of graduating super trainers in Clean Energy Durham’s history. All of the super trainers had to go through five three-hour classes where they learned how to teach energy-saving programs, but before they could get to these classes, all of the super trainer candidates had to apply for their position.
“We go through a very rigorous process to select our super trainers,” said Tom Higgins, energy education director of Clean Energy Durham. “We check their background to see who will be a good representative of Clean Energy Durham.”
Higgins and Diana Peronis, a volunteer dubbed “the first super trainer,” taught the super trainers. One by one Higgins called up graduates at last week’s ceremony at Bennett Pointe Grill, presented them with a framed diploma and talked about why he was excited to work with each of them.
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Want to know more?
On the Clean Energy Durham website — www.cleanenergydurham.org — view a blog detailing the many activities that have taken place in a wide variety of areas that Clean Energy Durham has helped with energy-efficiency. The neighborhoods profiled include Fayetteville Street, Lakewood Park, Parkwood, Woodcroft, Colonial Village, Morehead Hill, Hope Valley, Duke Park and Trinity Park among others.
