State and Local Climate and Energy Program
Reenergizing our Urban Community Efficiently: Crosland Park
Aiken, South Carolina
Federal Funding: $320,000
Project Timeline: February 2011 – February 2014
Project Summary
Revitalizing and Re-Energizing A Low-Income Community
The Crosland Park Initiative is part of a larger initiative, the Northside Development Plan, to improve the housing stock and infrastructure, and encourage private investment, in the urban neighborhoods in the Northside of Aiken. As part of the Crosland Park Initiative, the City of Aiken will complete 24 to 30 comprehensive energy efficient renovations over the next three years in the low-income neighborhood of Crosland Park. The City will complete energy audits before and after each renovation to monitor the effectiveness of the initiative. The City will also weatherize 40 additional homes in Crosland Park each year through a summer job corps program. In order to achieve a further, lasting impact, the City will offer a minimum of three educational workshops each year to educate community members on reducing home energy consumption and, as a result, lower their utility bills and greenhouse gas emissions.
The renovations included in the Crosland Park Initiative will include the following strategies:
- installing ENERGY STAR lighting fixtures and appliances, energy-efficient furnaces or heat pumps with programmable thermostats, radiant barrier roofing materials, and tankless and/or solar water heaters,
- sealing the building envelope, and
- installing whole house energy consumption displays to educate homeowners about energy conservation and to promote long-term energy conservation habits.
Overall, the initiative will lower residents' energy bills, improve indoor air quality, create amenities and improve the quality of life in a low-income neighborhood, engage local youth and businesses, and increase employment training opportunities for residents. These renovation and weatherization activities, in addition to reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, will also spark economic development in the City's aging, suffering communities by improving the housing stock and environmental quality in the areas, creating jobs, and increasing educational opportunities.
Community Characteristics
| Population: | 28,884 |
|---|---|
| Area: | 16 square miles |
| Government Type: | City |
| Community Type: | Small Urban |
| Median Household Income: | $52,601 |
Program Results/Estimated Results
| Expected GHG Reductions: | 93 metric tons CO2e annually |
|---|---|
| Actual GHG Reductions (as of September 2011): | 51.3 metric tons CO2e annually |
| Expected Homes Retrofitted: | 8-10 homes annually |
| Actual Homes with Retrofitting Complete (as of September 2011): | 4 homes |
| Expected Homes Weatherized: | 40 homes annually |
| Actual Homes Weatherized (as of September 2011): | 64 homes |
Media Coverage
- Weatherization Program Now Underway
, 07/25/2011 - City Seeks Applicants for Crosland Weatherizing
, 06/15/2011
