‘Weatherize Upper Valley’ hosts Springfield area event

A free public Springfield and Chester Weatherize Kick-Off event is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at Springfield First Congregational Church.


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Live in Springfield or Chester?
Join us for a fun and informative kick-off event.

– Learn about Weatherize Upper Valley
– Meet your volunteer team
– Meet your team’s three partner contractors
– Learn about costs, benefits, financing, incentives
– Chat with neighbors who have been through this before

Everything you need in one place – you don’t want to miss it!
Refreshments provided. Free and open to the public.

Check VitalCommunities.org/Weatherize or call Sarah Brock at 207-624-2012
 

Vital Communities partners with local towns for Weatherize Upper Valley | January 17, 2018 Vital Communities and volunteers in 11 Vermont and New Hampshire towns, including Cornish, Plainfield and Springfield and Chester, Vermont, will launch a second round of Weatherize Upper Valley this month to encourage more homeowners to invest in energy efficiency projects. The 11 towns — organized into five unique Weatherize campaigns — will host public kick-off events later this month. Interested residents are encouraged to attend to learn more about home energy efficiency and the Weatherize process, meet their community’s certified weatherization contractors, and talk with neighbors who have completed home energy efficiency projects. Orford, Piermont, Lyme, Lebanon, Plainfield, and Cornish, New Hampshire, and Springfield, Chester, Woodstock, Pomfret and Bridgewater, Vermont, are participating in the program this January through May. Weatherize Upper Valley teams up community volunteers with certified weatherization contractors to provide professional home energy assessments, proposals and quotes. Before March 31, participants in Vermont can request free comprehensive home energy walk-throughs and New Hampshire residents can request their $100 energy audit from their weatherize partner contractors. Homeowners who sign weatherization contracts by May 31 will be entered into drawings for cash prizes up to $500 toward the cost of their energy improvements. “It can typically cost homeowners $400 or more just to get a project proposal and quote. Providing free or reduced-cost energy assessments is a significant way to help more homeowners explore the idea of energy improvements,” said Sarah Brock, energy program manager at Vital Communities, who worked with a variety of stakeholders to develop the Weatherize Upper Valley concept. “Energy efficiency projects — focused on air sealing and insulation — are the best-kept secret in home improvement: the average cost for these projects in our region ranges between $6,000 and $8,000, resulting in average energy savings of 20 percent to 26 percent annually. With generous rebates in both Vermont and New Hampshire, plus the benefit of increased comfort, it’s an easy decision for many homeowners to make if we can just help them take the first step,” Brock said. “Weatherize Upper Valley does just that, with a goal of doubling the number of home energy projects completed in the participating towns each year.” The Plainfield and Cornish Weatherize Kick-Off will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, in the Music Room at Plainfield Elementary School. The snow date is at 7 p.m. Jan. 30. To confirm, call (207) 624-2012. The Springfield and Chester Weatherize Kick-Off will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Springfield First Congregational Church. The snow date is at 6 p.m. Feb. 1. Call (207) 624-2012 to confirm. Residents in participating towns don’t have to wait until their community’s kick-off event to get started. More information and instructions for participation can be found at VitalCommunities.org/Weatherize. This second round of Weatherize Upper Valley follows a successful pilot round in 2017 through which more than 100 homeowners across the region completed home energy upgrades.