Vermont Home Energy Challenge: celebrating success

The year-long Vermont Home Energy Challenge (VHEC) wrapped up with a celebration at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier on March 28th. More than 75 guests attended, including representatives from town energy committees, regional support organizations, and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractors.

The first statewide Challenge of its kind in the country, VHEC was a yearlong effort that tested the potential of local community organizations to raise awareness of energy efficiency and increase completion in the number of comprehensive home energy efficiency improvements.  Eight Vermont towns were presented with grants to undertake efficiency improvements in municipal/school operations and buildings in honor of their VHEC achievements.

The results are in!

A final report on the complete results of the Vermont Home Energy Challenge is available, but I want to share some of the key findings here:

• There was a slight increase in the proportion of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® projects completed in VHEC towns in 2013, as compared to 2010, 2011, and 2012,
• The impact of VHEC was greatest in towns with already-active local energy groups,
• and VHEC appears to have provided an effective mechanism for increasing public awareness of home energy efficiency.

What an honor it was to work with all the community members and organizations throughout the Vermont Home Energy Challenge! 

As always, thanks so much for all you do. Leave us a comment and tell us your thoughts on the Vermont Home Energy Challenge.

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