Connecticut's Home Energy Action Campaign Update

On Tuesday, June 14, Clean Water Action attended an event at Waterbury City Hall to promote the Waterbury Home Energy Campaign. We were accompanied by Kevin Taylor, Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Waterbury. Stationed at a table in front of City Hall, we shared information about this cost-saving, energy-reducing program to Waterbury residents passing by. This energy efficiency program allows residents to save money on their home energy bills and utility costs by weatherizing their homes. This might mean sealing leaks to prevent air conditioning or heat from escaping, adding water-saving showerheads and faucet aerators to one’s home, replacing windows, or upgrading heating and cooling equipment.

 

After hearing about the program, multiple residents signed up with us on the spot! Residents remarked how easy it was to sign up, as the process took under ten minutes and involved answering straightforward questions pertaining to the type of home the resident lives in and the goals they have for their home. Residents’ goals and values ranged from comfortability to saving money to helping the environment. In addition to this program, many residents even expressed their interest in additional environmental home improvements, such as solar panels, in order to decrease fuel consumption and reduce costs in the long run.

 

Not only did we share information about the Waterbury Home Energy Campaign to residents, but we also heard residents’ concerns regarding their home energy bills. It was important to many residents that they save as much money as they could, and thus, the program’s low to zero cost options were important factors. Many residents were also happy to hear about the program’s flexible appointment options, which were essential to accommodating residents’ busy work schedules and personal lives.

 

Throughout the day, we met interested residents from parents to retirees to aspiring business owners, as this program offers benefits to people in any position or from any walk of life. Whether an interested resident had no prior knowledge of energy efficient upgrades or had extensively weatherized and remodeled their own home in the past, this campaign provided valuable information to help them make the best decision for them in the future. 

 

Working with community leaders such as Kevin Taylor also allowed us at Clean Water Action to better learn about the history and culture of the communities we work with. It is the foremost goal of this campaign to meet the residents of Waterbury in order to better understand and address the specific needs, concerns, and aspirations of those living in the community. Residents can sign up here and learn more here.