O ctober 30, 2016 marked the 40-year anniversary of the Department of Energy( DOE) years of service in the administration of the Weatherization Assistance Program. The program was first established in 1976 as a response to offset a nationwide energy crisis by providing cost effective, energy efficient home improvements to low income households. It was found that those low income households consisted of elderly, children, those with physical disadvantages and others were hit the hardest by increasing utility cost with 14 percent of their annual income being used to meet their energy usage. The Weatherization Assistance Program aims to lower utility bills and improve comfort while ensuring improved health and safety of homes serviced through the program. Since its implementation, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. has positively impacted thousands of households in the City of St. Louis. This is all made possible in part by passionate seasoned staff including administration, home energy auditors, construction crews and contractors, as well as agency partners such as the Department of Energy, Laclede Gas, and Ameren.
An underlying mission of the staff of the Weatherization Department is to thoroughly educate clients on energy conservation measures that clients can then implement into their daily living routines. Clients are educated every step of the way from the intake and application process, during the home energy audit, through infiltration and HVAC work, concluding with post Weatherization and follow up services. The Urban League believes there is a greater return for clients by taking the time to invest in educating clients coupled with the benefits of the Weatherization Assistance Program.
The Urban League Weatherization Program is continuously looking for innovative ways to enrich the program with educational opportunities to engage the community into thinking about energy conservation and a healthier home. Nelson Mandela said,“ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” With that in mind, the weatherization department expanded its vision to find a way to educate children about the importance of energy conservation. From the creative minds of the weatherization staff, Dr. Energy, an energy savings super hero was born. Through the development of a short family friendly animation featuring Dr. Energy, this tool can now be used to aid in educating children on how to help their parents lower the energy being used in their homes.
On October 28, the Urban League hosted the Weatherization Day Celebration! The day was filled with lots of activities including a contractors and crew meeting which included a guest presenter providing information on how to grow a small business, the reading of the Governors Weatherization Day Proclamation, face painting and coloring for children, energy savings tips and so much more.
The event provided an opportunity to hear client testimonials. Lisa Ross shared,“ The weatherization staff was great. They were courteous throughout the entire process. I noticed a huge savings in my energy bill from over $ 300 a month to $ 120.” Erica Reed also gave a testimony as a client who is currently going through the weatherization process. Ms. Reed shared that with only the infiltration work completed on her home, which included insulation and air sealing, she has experienced a tremendous savings on her utility bill already. Ms. Reed has been so impressed with the process that she’ s now an advocate for Weatherization services. She’ s passed out applications to her neighbors and friends because she desires for them to experience what she’ s experiencing in the program. This is a great testament to services that are provided by the Urban League’ s Weatherization Program. Clients attending the event who were previously weatherized had an opportunity to go through a Post Weatherization Workshop. Additional training was provided on how to properly operate programmable thermostats, how to maintain HVAC equipment including live demonstrations on changing and cleaning filters as well as learning other energy savings tips for everyday living. Those tips included the best ways and time to operate appliances and understanding your home energy profile.
A host of St. Louis City landlords CONTINUED >
By: Kesha Chatman, Weatherization Director