The U.S. Department of Energy has declared October 30, 2003 to be a national day of recognition for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The Weatherization Program is the oldest, largest, most comprehensive, and most effective residential energy conservation program in America. The mission of the program is to provide sophisticated energy conservation and efficiency services to low-income households across the United States thus insuring lower energy bills and safer, healthier, and more affordable housing. Households with elderly and/or handicapped residents, and families with children are given priority. Listed below is Weatherization program facts that show the impact of the program and certainly support the fact that “Weatherization Works”.
- Weatherization (WX) operates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and among Native American Tribes. Services are delivered to every county and City in the nation by approximately 970 local agencies.
- WX expects to provide energy efficiency services to more than 95,000 homes in 2003 and since its inception; the program has weatherized nearly 5 million homes.
- Basic services include blower door directed air sealing, heating system efficiency and safety inspections, heating system repair and/or replacement, duct system diagnostics and repair, pressure testing, complete insulation services, carbon monoxide testing, indoor air quality measures, energy education, and in some cases – low-flow water device installation and energy efficient lighting applications.
- For every $1 invested in the Program, WX creates $1.78 in energy related benefits and an additional $1.88 in non-energy related benefits that include reduced environmental and health costs. So for every dollar invested there is a total of $3.66 returned.
- WX reduces average annual energy costs by $218 per household, at current energy prices.
- WX reduces energy demand and decreases the environmental impacts of energy production. WX services reduces carbon dioxide emissions by one metric ton, on average, in every weatherized home. Other harmful greenhouse gas emissions such as methane and nitrous oxide are also reduced.
- Weatherization saves lives on a daily basis. Heating system safety inspections, chimney inspections, carbon monoxide testing, insulation services, blower door directed air sealing, and household pressure testing are responsible for saving lives and reducing health problems and costs – every day across the country.
OCTOBER IS ENERGY AWARENESS MONTH
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has established October as Energy Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Energy Efficiency: Good for you. Good for the country.” DOE is encouraging all individuals to practice conservation and efficiency in their homes and in their daily lives. This effort will lead to increased energy supply and improve our national energy security.
THE VIRGINIA WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL YEAR
The Virginia Weatherization Program, which is administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, weatherized 1,474 homes between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2003. Services are provided by 22 local agencies around the state. Of the 1,474 homes weatherized – 700 contained elderly individuals, 811 contained handicapped, and 940 were occupied by families with children.
LOCAL AGENCY WINS NATIONAL WARD
The New River Center for Energy Research and Training (NRCERT) was presented the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2003 National Recognition Award at the national DOE conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The award was presented to NRCERT “for creating innovative approaches to Weatherization training that brings instruction to the local level where it builds professional capacity and promotes peer-to-peer exchange”.
NRCERT is located in Christiansburg, VA and is a component of Community Housing Partners Corporation, who also provide weatherization services in Southwest and Northern Virginia. NRCERT has provided comprehensive weatherization training services throughout Virginia and is also now providing training services to Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas and will soon be involved in Tennessee and Alabama.
Bill Beachy is manager of NRCERT and is assisted in training services by Anthony Cox, Lil Weston, and John Langford.