The
program provides technical assistance and analysis to
help decision makers in state and local governments examine
which renewable‑energy and energy‑efficiency
technologies is best fit their area of jurisdiction.
By
reducing the energy bills of low‑income families
instead of offering aid, weatherization reduces dependency
on governmental assistance and liberates household funds
for spending on more pressing family needs. On average,
weatherization reduces heating bills by 31 percent and
overall energy bills by $358 per year at current prices.
This
spending, in turn, spurs job growth and economic development.
This year, the DOE plans to weatherize approximately 70,000
homes nationwide.
For
every dollar spent, weatherization returns $1.53 in energy
savings over the life of implemented measures. The DOE’s
program performs energy audits to identify the most cost‑effective
measures for each home, which typically includes adding
insulation, reducing outside air infiltration, servicing
of heating and cooling systems, and providing health and
safety diagnostic services.
Other
benefits of weatherization include increased housing affordability,
increased property values, job creation, lower owner and
renter turnover, and reduced fire risks. In 2006, DOE
funding helped weatherize more than 96,000 homes.
On
average, Americans spend 5 percent of their income paying
energy bills, but for lower‑income households the
costs average 16 percent. These costs include heating
and cooling their homes, as well as running the lights,
computers and other electrical appliances.
This
year $204.5 million will be used to support weatherization.
Of that amount, a total of $88 million in awards were
announced for 19 other states whose weatherization year
begins July 1; $112 million was made available in the
spring to the remaining 30 states where weatherization
programs began in April; and $4.5 million will be used
for technical assistance and training in support of the
program.
DOE’s
weatherization program grants are distributed by state
energy offices through more than 900 agencies. Every state,
the District of Columbia, the Navajo Nation and the Inter‑Tribal
Council of Arizona will receive grants this year.
The
Weatherization Assistance Program is the country's longest
running, and perhaps most successful, energy‑efficiency
program. Since 1977, the program has provided weatherization
services to more than 5.5 million low‑income families.
