The Problem? High Energy Burdens
37,187 (42.5%) renter households and 25,139 (18.4%) of owner households in Montgomery County are housing cost burdened, paying more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
A significant piece of housing burdens is energy burdens (percent of income spent on energy). More than 30,000 households in Dayton with incomes below 200% Federal Poverty Level have an average energy burden of 12.7%.
High energy burdens among low-income households are due to structural inefficiencies rather than inefficient behaviors.
The Solution? Energy Retrofits
Since high energy burdens are driven by inefficient housing for low-income households, investing in energy retrofits can reduce energy costs, improve indoor air quality, reduce emissions, and create local jobs.
These whole-home retrofits include:
Health and Safety measures include toxic chemical abatement, roof repair, wiring repair, indoor ventilation, which is necessary for habitable, safe households.
Weatherization and Energy Efficiency measures include building envelope improvements like insulation and air leak sealing leading to a reduction in energy use.
Appliance Electrification measures replace fossil fuel appliances, like gas stoves and furnaces, with efficient, electric alternatives, like induction stoves and heat pumps. These measures eliminate air pollution, reduce GHG emissions, and can save costs.
Energy Assistance can include limits on energy burdens, utility bill assistance, or rooftop/community solar and is necessary to ensure households have access to affordable, renewable electricity.
Our Process, a One-Stop-Shop for Residential Repairs and Retrofits
The ‘One-Stop-Shop' model creates a single point of contact, us, to help households get connected to multiple programs that provide whole-home retrofits.
Through the program, households can expect to receive home assessments, help submitting program applications, continuous support through project implementation, and follow-up monitoring to make sure they receive the expected benefits.