State and Local Climate and Energy Program
Cold Climate Community Solutions – Duluth Energy Efficiency Program
Duluth, Minnesota
Federal Funding: $500,000
Project Timeline: February 2011 – January 2014
Latest Update
The Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) continues to increase residential energy efficiency through home retrofit projects. DEEP completed energy efficiency upgrades for 145 homes, took the first steps in retrofitting multifamily buildings, and is developing the Duluth One-Stop Energy Shop. At the One-Stop Energy Shop, homeowners can get energy scores, sign up for audits, obtain referrals to other community energy programs, receive financial and technical counseling, get assistance on bidding out home energy improvements, borrow energy testing equipment, and attend community education classes. The City has also continued the DEEP media campaign using bus signs, billboards, magazine and newspaper ads, and radio segments. The City launched a retailer education and partnership program in which staff members of stores selling home improvement materials and appliances were trained on energy efficiency. The DEEP Program was also able to apply its project management system to federal disaster response for flooding that occurred in June 2012. Duluth is working with another EPA Climate Showcase Community, the Clinton Climate Initiative of Arkansas, to explore the potential of replicating their HEAL (Home Energy Affordable Loan) program.
Project Summary
Making Energy Affordable for All Duluth Residents
The City of Duluth developed the Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP) to create jobs, lessen the energy affordability gap faced by Duluth families, retain energy dollars currently exported from the city, and reduce Duluth's carbon footprint. DEEP focuses on residential energy efficiency, and is developing best practices for community behavior change and the installation of energy efficiency measures. DEEP is working to improve housing affordability and reduce energy costs through four "pathways," each focusing on a different residential circumstances, including single-family, multi-family (5+ units), do-it-yourself, and low-income advanced energy retrofits. The program recognizes the different barriers to energy efficiency faced in each of these circumstances, and has developed pathway-specific resources for each.
For single-family households, DEEP provides energy counseling that takes participants through audits, actual improvements, and quality assurance. All improvements are installed by Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified contractors. The multi-family pathway, on the other hand, provides options for both landlords and tenants to save on their energy bills. Tenants receive low- or no-cost measures to reduce electrical and water usage, and landlords are encouraged to help organize tenant workshops to maximize participation and landlord audit subsidies. For individuals who would rather do their own improvements, the Do-It-Yourself pathway provides access to a specialized workshop and a BPI technician that conducts blower door testing, scope development, one day of side-by-side assistance, and follow-up quality assurance. Finally, the low-income pathway of the program rehabilitates blighted, foreclosed, and condemned structures. These structures serve as training sites for current state inmates, supervised by trained carpenters. All rehabilitated buildings will have a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rating over 70. Building purchasers will then attend DEEP workshops to receive information on behavioral change energy reductions.
For all pathways, DEEP conducts outreach to find participants, assists with a Home Energy Rating, maintains a database of all clients, and offers workshops and demonstrations tailored to client's needs, as well as tailored financing assistance, home performance audits, and quality assurance follow-up once improvements are made. In addition to reducing energy use, energy costs, and greenhouse gases, the program will create awareness of lead and radon testing, improve indoor air quality, create jobs, and develop affordable housing.
Community Characteristics
| Population | 84,463 |
|---|---|
| Area | 68 square miles |
| Government Type | City |
| Community Type | Urban |
| Median Household Income | $39,602 |
Program Results
| Reported Results (as of September 2012) | Projected Cumulative Results | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual GHG Reductions | 1,887 mt CO2e | 7,012 mt CO2e |
| Annual Electricity Savings | 0 MWh | 5,000 MWh |
| Green Jobs Created | 6.4 | 10 |
| Annual Energy Cost Savings | $311,091 | $680,000 |
