You may have heard by now that Sustainable Works is coming to Edmonds (and Lynnwood). It’s true! What does this mean to residents of Edmonds and Lynnwood? It means that this is the time to do your part to reduce your energy consumption, and create jobs, without having to spend too much up front to make it worthwhile.
The program is best described on the Sustainable Works website. You can also sign up for the program directly on their website. For those of us who are time-challenged, here is a quick description. It is a four step process:
1. Pre-Audit. Sustainable Works interviews homeowner to ensure that this program will work for them. That is, the process will only proceed if your house shows good promise for benefitting from a retrofit, based on your utility bills.
2. Audit. Two auditors work in the home for about 2-4 hours: finding leaks, measuring insulation, inspecting light fixtures, doors, and windows, etc… Based on audit findings, a list of proposed retrofits, costs, and expected benefits, are prepared by Sustainable Works contractors. Audit is subsidized to a cost of $95, or free for low income homeowners. Audits will start in mid October.
3. Consulation. With the audit report in hand, Sustainable Works rep sits with homeowner to discuss proposed retrofits. The homeowner decides which to pursue, and how to finance the project.
4. Retrofit. Sustainable Works provides contractors to perform the retrofit jobs. Independent inspectors will conduct checks of work performed to ensure it is up to standard.
Then, the savings roll in. If the math works out (which it should, as Sustainable Works has already done this work successfully in several other WA cities), then the savings far outweigh the costs of the retrofit. Visit their website for more background info on past projects. Or visit our Save Energy Now blog to see how homes and businesses in Edmonds are proving that retrofits work here.
Why retrofit now? While home energy retrofits are always a good investment with a short payback period, the Sustainable Works project is especially attractive as it is supported by federal funds, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). These are the stimulus funds you’ve heard about in the news. If we don’t use these funds to subsidize our energy audits and retrofit work, the funds will roll in to the next city’s project. So let’s sign up, help all of our Edmonds residents reduce their energy use, and create some good jobs in the process!
Sign up directly on the Sustainable Works website, or contact Sustainable Edmonds to get a hold of a hardcopy application.
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