Weatherization Program Overview

The Mission Statement that the US Department of Energy (DOE) has used for the Weatherization program is as follows:

"To reduce energy costs for low-income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities, and children, by improving the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring their health and safety."

The Mission Statement that the NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR)’s mission is as follows: 

“To make New York State a better place to live by supporting community efforts to preserve and expand affordable housing, home ownership and economic opportunities, and by providing equal access to safe, decent and affordable housing.”

 As the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Director at your agency you are part of a large community.  There are over 900 WAP agencies located in all 50 states and in NY we currently have 67 sub-grantees which will weatherize over 11,000 units each year.

 Following are some WAP facts from WapTac’s website, a good resource for Directors located at www.waptac.org   WapTac's website is maintained by Bob Adams who works with the  NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR STATE COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAMS (NASCSP)

• In 2002, 104,683 homes were weatherized with DOE funds. In 2003, an estimated 93,750 homes will be weatherized with DOE funds.

• Weatherization reduces average annual energy costs by $218 per household, at current prices.

• For every $1 invested in the Program, Weatherization creates $1.39 in energy-related benefits.

• Weatherization creates 52 direct jobs and 23 indirect jobs for every $1 million invested.

• Weatherization measures reduce national energy demand by the equivalent of 18 million barrels of oil per year.

The following information is from: Metaevaluation of National Weatherization Assistance Program Based on State Studies 1993 - 2002, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, February 2003. Full report is available at Oak Ridges Website. Weatherization saves an average of 30.8% in gas space heating. This comprises a total fuel consumption reduction of 21.9%. Net savings for each home weatherized average 29.1 mbtu/year. Reducing energy demand decreases the environmental impacts of energy production. Weatherization mitigates approximately .23 metric tons of carbon per year in a home heated primarily with natural gas. This translates into nearly one metric ton (.85) of carbon dioxide emissions avoided. For homes heated by electricity, the savings are even higher: weatherization reduces .475 metric tons of carbon annually. Weatherization also reduces emissions of methane and nitrous oxide.
Weatherization creates non-energy benefits as well, including the following, quantifiable benefits: increased property value, reduced incidence of fire, reduced arrearages, federal taxes generated from employment, income generated from indirect employment, avoided costs of unemployment benefits, environmental externalities. Taken together, for every $1 invested in the program, Weatherization returns $2.79 in energy and non-energy impacts.
Additional benefits that are difficult to quantify include: improved health and safety conditions, increased comfort for the occupants, reduction in homelessness and mobility, extended lifetime of affordable housing.
The following information is from: Winter Energy Outlook for the Poor: Low-Income Consumers Energy Bills in the Winter of 2000-2001, Economic Opportunity Studies, December 20, 2000.

Over 5 million homes have been weatherized since the inception of the program. The avoided energy costs to these households during the winter of 2000-2001 totaled approximately $1 billion.

As you can see the WAP program plays an important role.

Click Here for Ex Summary of WAP program from WapTac's Website

Click Here for information on Weatherization Plus (where the future of Weatherization is headed) WapTac's website

Click Here for Ex Summary of WAP program from WapTac's Website - Good Historical Data

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