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Morrison County

Weatherization: It ain't just for single family home owners

August 2024

Story by Joel Haskard
Central, MN

Tri County Community Action Partnership (TCCAP) successfully weatherized a 12-unit apartment building in Morrison County! This project was possible thanks to a collaborative effort with Central Minnesota Housing Partnership, who owns the building, and the Minnesota Department of Commerce, who assisted in modeling and approving the building for weatherization.

Brick apartment building.

TCCAP is an anti-poverty agency providing safety net resources and child development services to qualifying families in Crow Wing, Morrison, and Todd counties. Jason Foy, housing and weatherization director with TCCAP, broke down the weatherization project for us.

First audit day

The journey began with an initial audit of the building! A weatherization audit, also known as an energy audit, assesses a building to identify ways to save energy and improve its health and safety.

On the day of the audit, the entire TCCAP staff was present as well as field monitors from the Department of Commerce to assist with testing and to interact with the residents. TCCAP provided lunch for all the residents, fostering a sense of community and support. Additionally, staff took the opportunity to sign up residents for various beneficial programs such as Energy Assistance, SNAP, and other services offered by TCCAP.

TCC staff

TCCAP staff.

The Project

The initial audit subsequently moved the project to the priority list. Then, the comprehensive audit was led by Charles Redetzke. Charles dedicated significant time to communicating and working directly with the Minnesota Department of Commerce to get the project approved. The project moved forward and he also spent a large amount of time working with contractors and ensuring every detail was meticulously addressed. With the project improvements, residents are expected to save on heating and cooling costs, which is especially important for this all-electric building.

KEY IMPROVEMENTS:

  • Ventilation: Identified inadequate ventilation and installed 12 continuous running bath fans to ensure proper ventilation for each unit.
  • Compartmentalization: Completed air sealing to improve the air barrier between units, sealed off old shared kitchen exhaust ventilation, and had the owner contribute to recirculating kitchen fans.
  • Electrical Upgrades: Utilized Weatherization Readiness funds to address high health and safety costs, upgraded the electrical system for new bath fans, and converted old 220-volt AC to 120-volt AC.
  • Insulation: Air-sealed the attic and insulated it to R-60.

Impact and community support

This project not only enhanced the energy efficiency of the building but also provided residents with access to valuable resources and support. By improving the living conditions and reducing energy costs, TCCAP continues to fulfill its mission of helping people and communities thrive.

The successful completion of this project in Morrison County is a model for future endeavors and highlights the power of collaboration and community engagement. TCCAP has a 21-unit and a 16-unit building within Todd county they will be targeting this year for weatherization.

What’s next?

TCCAP is exploring options for solar in future projects. Central Minnesota Housing Partnership owns a multi-family building that may allow for installation of a solar system. This would benefit the residents of the 16-unit building. TCCAP is also planning to harness Minnesota Power's low-income solar grant to save on costs.

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