Neighborhood Weatherization: Going Green Together to Save Some Green

My Idea

• A community-led effort to pursue a neighborhood weatherization project in a team effort to conserve energy and reduce energy costs to home-owners.

How it Works

• ACTion Alexandria encourages Alexandria neighborhood families to sign up as a group to undergo a weatherization process of their homes together.

• With ACTion Alexandria assistance, local auditors (e.g., a non-profit service organization) assesses the work to be done.

• ACTion Alexandria requests/challenges are sent out and 3-5 local business responses are received and down-selected; the best company for the job is selected.

• ACTion Alexandria presents the best option to participating neighborhood homeowners.

• As a group, neighborhood home-owners receive a discount on weatherization improvements.

• Neighborhoods become more energy efficient and participating home-owners’ energy bills are reduced.

What it Takes

• Organization & Leadership ( ACTion Alexandria may be well-suited)

• Neighborhood home-owners

• Local Weatherization companies

Kinds of Weatherization Improvements

    To keep warm air in house in winter, and cold air in house in summer:

• Filling cracks in walls
• Filling cracks in ceilings
• Upgrading attic insulation

Estimated Savings & Costs

• Each family will likely have a different set of improvements completed on their homes.

• Estimated average total cost per household is $3,000.
• Group will likely pay about 15% less for their improvements with a group discount and they will likely save an average of 15%-25% on their energy bill after the weatherization.

Other Benefits

• Builds community spirit when neighborhood families accomplish weatherization as a group.

• Potentially bigger impact for Alexandria, because weatherization occurs on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis.