State and Local Climate and Energy Program

Energy Smart Homes

Greenfield, Massachusetts

Federal Funding: $160,915
Project Timeline: February 2011 – February 2014

Latest Update
Project Summary
Community Characteristics
Program Results
Project Website
Media Coverage

Latest Update

The Town of Greenfield has continued to focus on organizing and conducting outreach for the Energy Smart Homes program. The project coordinator performed a follow-up with those who attended an informational house party in June 2012 at a residence that received upgrades from the weatherization program. The event has provided a template for subsequent house parties in the remaining eight precincts in the town, including one scheduled for November 2012 in Precinct 6. Additionally, in September 2012, five canvassers were hired and trained to conduct outreach during the fall canvassing campaign using lessons learned from previous experiences. To facilitate participation from multi-family properties, the staff has continued to discuss effective outreach strategies to inform landlords about the Energy Smart Homes program and how to communicate the benefits of the program to their tenants. In the coming months, Greenfield plans on conducting further landlord and tenant outreach, and developing its working relationship with local utilities to synchronize energy efficiency efforts in the town. It is also currently analyzing data collected through the course of the Energy Smart Homes program.

Project Summary

Raising Awareness through Weatherization Opportunities for Town Residents

Greenfield, Massachusetts, has cold New England winters, below average median income, and an aging housing stock in poor condition. The Energy Smart Homes Program will help counteract these conditions by educating residents about the benefits of retrofitting their homes. This multi-pronged program will decrease greenhouse gas emissions and help residents heat their homes by teaching residents that retrofits are available for renters as well as homeowners and do not require large upfront expenditures. Conducted over three years, the program will focus on a different area of Greenfield each year. The first year is focused on downtown Greenfield, where renters occupy over 73% of the households. The second year will focus on non-central neighborhoods, followed by a third year focus on homes on the outskirts of town. The program will alert residents to the importance of weatherization and provide an easy-to-understand guide to existing resources and funding opportunities available to Greenfield residents.

To raise awareness about the ease and benefits of retrofitting, the program will use door-to-door canvassing to target residents who could gain the greatest benefit from available weatherization programs. The program will also distribute education and outreach materials, offer one-on-one counseling to target populations, and hold workshops for landlords and citizens to educate them about available resources. The program will also take thermal photographs of downtown homes to target those most in need of retrofits, to motivate residents to take action, and to collect data on energy use and costs to promote the potential financial savings.

The Energy Smart Homes Program will create jobs for weatherization graduates from Greenfield Community College and Franklin County, and it will help forge strong partnerships between the Town and local schools, utilities, and non-profit organizations. The program coordinator will also create a “How To” kit for distribution to other communities who are interested in promoting home energy retrofits. The program will help Greenfield meet its energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals and, above all, will help end confusion about home weatherization options.