For cities, school districts, households, and businesses looking to stay a bit warmer this winter and save on energy costs, weatherization techniques such as air sealing, weather-stripping, and insulation of walls and/or roofs could be effective solutions.
Other benefits of weatherization include the following:
- Lower utility costs due to less energy being wasted
- Increased comfort
- Insulation against heat in the warmer months
As the cooler days of late autumn approach, we are focusing on Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) projects that utilized weatherization tactics to save energy and money for their communities. With the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding, over 52 projects completed throughout Minnesota included weatherization components.
Of these projects, 30 included replacing windows or doors. Statewide, over 880 single-pane windows were replaced with energy efficient double-paned windows. Additionally, almost 30 doors were replaced in city, school, and county buildings. One of the lowest-cost, highest-gain energy efficiency measures, programmable thermostats were installed in at least 11 different buildings.
Many of the buildings receiving attention from the EECBG funding were historic, older buildings that were in need of upgrades because of drafty windows and doors, cracks in walls and floors, and poorly insulated attics and basements.
Weatherization techniques such as installation of programmable thermostats, spray foam insulation, air sealing, weather stripping, insulation of walls and roofs, and replacement of windows and doors provide relatively low-cost energy efficiency upgrades.
Be sure to keep up with our EECBG weatherization series and keep these projects in mind when thinking about how to best make use of the energy produced in your own workplace or home!
Did you know that Minnesota is a national leader in weatherization programs? So much to be proud of! See all of the weatherization stories in the series below.
Local Government Energy Action Weatherization Stories:
- Apartment upgrades in Windom, Harmony, and Buffalo offer savings for residents
- Weatherization at Westbrook-Walnut Grove High School conserves heat in winter
- Curiosity and continuous improvement pay off: Weatherization fixes cut waste in Itasca County
- Bringing a building back to life: Clear Waters Life Center in Gonvick, MN
- Rushford-Peterson School Locks in Savings with Programmable Thermostats & Behavior Change
About the Local Government Energy Action Series:
This year-long effort tells the stories of nearly 50 Minnesota municipalities, counties, and schools and the tangible results of their energy-saving efforts to inspire others to take their own actions.
Local Government Energy Action is brought to you by the Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources.
