By: Lauresha Xhihani
WATERBURY — An energy conservation program has had great success with city residents.
That’s according to energy companies and city officials who helped sign up residents for energy audits over the summer and fall which translated into energy upgrades to hundreds of city homes.
The program, called Energize Waterbury, is part of a larger Energize Connecticut program administered by the state’s largest utilities Connecticut Light & Power and Yankee Gas. The program is supported by local municipalities and the state and offers energy audits to residents at a deep discount.
It was the first time a large city had participated in the program and city officials are pleased with the results.
“This was a great partnership in the city,” said Senior Advisor to Mayor Neil M. O’Leary Kevin Delgobbo. Delgobbo is a former commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control, who said he helped implement the program.
The campaign, which kicked off in May, has resulted in 3,445 Home Energy Solutions services in city homes, according to CL&P. Those services translated into 568 heating and air conditioning upgrades, eight natural gas conversions and 90 insulation upgrades, according to the announcement.
The city did not have an active clean energy task force in the past. But city officials helped to promote this program and will continue to help promote similar programs, Delgobbo said.
Energize Waterbury included dozens of workshops with information for residents including a workshop for children and parents and the city’s first housing expo in May that combined information on energy audits and home loans as well as other services to homeowners.
DelGobbo said the city itself has engaged in energy saving in many of its buildings.
Though the promotion period for Energize Waterbury ended on Oct. 31, residents can continue to take advantage of energy audits.
For information go to http://www.energizect.com/communities/programs/Energize-Waterbury.