State and Local Climate and Energy Program
Advancing GHG Reductions through Affordable Housing
James City County, Virginia
Federal Funding: $303,828
Project Timeline: February 2010 – December 2012
Latest Update
James City County has completed a total of 19 energy efficiency retrofits. Five EarthCraft retrofit projects have been completed and additional audits are being scheduled. Additionally, 14 owner-occupied homes have completed energy efficiency retrofits, and other energy efficiency efforts are underway. James City County is using meetings and workshops to reach out to residents about the home energy audits available through the program. The County will do more outreach through their updated website and county television channel programming. Upcoming activities include completing the remaining energy audits and retrofits and starting a program evaluation.
Project Summary
Revitalizing Communities by Promoting Energy Efficiency in Residential Households
Like many communities across the country, James City County’s residential housing market is experiencing many foreclosures. To address this issue, the County is launching a program to link urban revitalization efforts with improvements in residential building energy performance. The goal of this program is to target older, low-to-moderate-income households in an area with one of the highest foreclosure rates in the county to achieve three goals:
- Retrofit, rehabilitate, and resell foreclosed homes,
- Promote energy audits and retrofits in owner-occupied homes, and
- Engage in public outreach and education.
First, the County is building on existing efforts to revitalize neighborhoods by financing energy improvements in foreclosed homes that are undergoing rehabilitation. Twelve of these homes are part of the EarthCraft Single Family Renovations Program, which aims to reduce energy use in rehabilitated homes by a minimum of 30%. The County will collect annual energy usage data from homebuyers who participate in the program.
Second, the County is promoting energy efficiency retrofits in owner-occupied homes. Homeowners can apply to obtain energy audits and energy efficiency improvement cost estimates. Up to twelve low- and moderate-income households will receive financing for the recommended retrofits.
Finally, the County will promote the program's benefits through outreach and education initiatives. Elected officials, County staff, and County public access television station broadcasts will promote the rehabilitation and financing initiatives. The County will also hold open houses at rehabilitated homes to share the energy efficiency benefits of retrofits, and opportunities to access resources. A webpage will highlight the program and other conservation efforts. The page will provide resources such as a simplified explanation of assessing home energy performance and ways to reduce GHG emissions.
The program will achieve direct GHG reductions through energy efficiency improvements, provide support to an economically stressed area of the county, and improve the housing stock. This affordable housing program is a key component of James City County's ongoing efforts to build a coalition of citizens, businesses, and local government that work together to promote energy efficiency and improve quality of life.
Community Characteristics
| Population: | 50,000 |
|---|---|
| Area: | 144 square miles |
| Government Type: | County |
| Community Type: | Suburban |
| Median Household Income: | $46,000 in targeted area |
Program Results
| Reported Results (as of September 2012) | Projected Cumulative Results | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual GHG Reductions | 20.5 mt CO2e | 180 mt CO2e |
| Annual Electricity Savings | 19 MWh | 126 MWh |
| Annual Economic Savings | $4,421 | $25,000 |
| Homes Retrofitted | 19 | 36 |
