Improving Energy Efficiency and Creating Jobs Through Weatherization

Since 2009, the Energy Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program has helped improve the energy efficiency, comfort and health of hundreds of thousands of homes across the nation. With the support of Recovery Act funding as well as annual appropriations – matched by over $200 million each year from utilities, private investors and state and local government – this program has also helped train and employ thousands of weatherization professionals.

As a result of this work, these low-income households are now saving $250-$500 a year on their energy bills. More broadly, since 2009, the Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program, its Building Technologies Office, and our partners at the Department of Housing and Urban Development have provided energy efficiency improvements to over 1.6 million homes. These cumulative upgrades will save nearly $16.4 billion in energy costs over the life of these measures and avoid more than 85 million tons of carbon emissions – equivalent to taking 17.7 million cars off the road – according to estimates from the Energy Department’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Today, I’m attending an event hosted by the White House, in collaboration with the National Association of State Community Services Programs (NASCSP), to highlight how the weatherization industry is creating skilled jobs and technology innovation and helping to reach the President’s goal of doubling U.S. energy productivity by 2030. State, local and business leaders from across the country will join me and my colleagues in the federal government to discuss how weatherization has made a positive impact in the lives of American families while supporting American businesses.

You can watch the event live from 2 PM to 4 PM EST today at obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/live and read more on the Energy Department’s Weatherization Assistance Program on Energy.gov. 

David Danielson is the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy