[Durham INC] Durham Receives EPA Grant for Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov

 

For Immediate Release:  March 1, 2010

 

 

Durham Awarded $500,000 EPA Grant for Neighborhood Energy Retrofit
Program

Grant Expands Program Scope to Include More Neighborhoods; New
Application Deadline Is March 15

 

DURHAM, N.C. - 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 recently learned that it 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.  Durham is just one of 20 communities selected from hundreds
that applied nationwide to receive a grant through this federal program.
According to EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Durham, along with the
other selected communities, were awarded this grant because of their
proactive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  "These
communities see the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change
and are working with EPA to fight back," Jackson said.

 

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.   

 

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.

 

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.  Neighborhoods do not have to follow traditional
neighborhood association boundaries and can be located in either the
city or county of Durham.

 

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 specific homeowners for the retrofits provided by this program
as well as 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 size and characteristics of 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.  

 

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 at 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.

 

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