Climate

One of the most difficult groups to engage in energy efficiency is low- and moderate-income families. Into this gap steps Renew Boston, a one-stop shop to help Boston residents and businesses get into the energy-saving game at no cost.

Written by Mariella Puerto
Tags: Climate

Massachusetts leads the nation in energy efficiency (see “Massachusetts Named Most Energy Efficient State (Again)”) because its per-capita spending on energy efficiency is higher than any other state.

With some of the oldest housing stock in the country this is money well spent. The potential for reducing energy use (and associated emissions) saving money and creating new jobs is all significant.

Indeed many are already seeing these kinds of benefits. Yet many are not. For various reasons one of the most difficult groups to engage in this work is low- and moderate-income families – even though their participation is critical if Boston and Massachusetts are to hit their aggressive targets for reducing emissions.

This is why Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino established Renew Boston which was conceived as a one-stop shop to help Boston residents and businesses get into the energy-saving game at no cost. Working with its partners NSTAR, National Grid, and MassSave, Renew Boston coordinates energy assessments it helps identify rebate and incentive programs and it also helps coordinate implementation of actual energy efficiency improvements.

Mayor Menino Renew Boston team and beneficiary family

Between August 2010 and April 2012 Renew Boston conducted energy assessments in 6500 income-eligible households (60%-120% of the state median income) – in addition to its work with city businesses. Roughly half of those receiving energy assessments implemented some or all of the recommendations using utility rebates and federal stimulus funds to pay for the upgrades.

To get a better understanding of what worked and what didn’t Barr commissioned the Cambridge-based Goodman Research Group to conduct an independent assessment. Their full report is available for download below but here are some of their key findings about progress at the end of the evaluation period in April 2012 (and we know even more households received weatherization benefits by the time the last job that used federal stimulus funds was completed in August 2012):

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