City Partners with USGBC and SCCAP to Offer Free Home Energy Assessments to Bloomington Residents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 1, 2010

For more information, please contact:
Jared Schlemmer, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349.3406, schlemmj@bloomington.in.gov
Jacqui Bauer, Sustainability Coordinator, City of Bloomington, 349.3837, bauerj@bloomington.in.gov




Bloomington, IN -- Mayor Mark Kruzan announced today that several local agencies will partner together to offer free energy assessments to any homeowner who asks - regardless of income - during the "Beat the Meter Blitz" week, Dec. 6 - 10.

After deciding that they want to make home energy efficiency investments, many homeowners struggle knowing where to start. Home energy assessments can help prioritize projects, but their price tag of $300 or more can be a barrier to homeowners who are interested in making improvements. To help address this challenge, the City Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) and Economic and Sustainable Development (ESD) Departments will partner with the local chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP) to complete as many audits as possible to owner-occupied homes free of charge.

"This partnership will help people make decide which improvements they would like to make to their homes," said Kruzan. "'Beat the Meter Blitz' will help identify ways to live better, greener and more affordably. It's a great event, and one more way the City is trying to help people improve their quality of life."

The initiative is focused on reducing the energy consumption of residential buildings, which account for a large proportion of our environmental footprint. According to the EPA, residential buildings use about 20 percent of all energy consumed in the United States, and roughly 54 percent of that total is for space heating and air conditioning.

"Without a list of priorities, it's hard to know whether you should start by insulating the attic, getting a new water heater, installing weatherstripping around the front door, or any other number of improvements," said Jacqui Bauer, City Sustainability Coordinator. "These free assessments will give homeowners from all over the city free access to an expert's opinion, in exchange for a pledge that they'll implement some of the suggestions."

Staff members from HAND, ESD and SCCAP, and volunteers from IU and the USGBC will conduct the assessments. Homeowners interested in signing up or getting more information should contact HAND at 349-3420 before Nov. 16. Appointments are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

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