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The Norwalk Energy Challenge is a program organized by Live Green CT! and the Mayor's Energy and Environment Task Force, of which Kydes is the chair. The program allows homeowners to have a home energy assessment performed on their house to identify ways they can make their homes more energy efficient and save money on their energy bills.
"Every CL&P customer in Norwalk is paying into this program," Kydes said. The program is offered through Energize CT, and is subsidized by rates that CL&P and UI customers pay on their monthly utility bills. "The Mayor's Energy and Environment Task Force is trying to get the word out and having Norwalk homeowners take advantage of the home energy assessment."
The home energy assessment costs $99. Collin Babbage of New England Smart Energy, the company that performed the home energy assessment on Kydes's house, said that it usually takes between three and four hours, and that steps taken include air sealing, weather stripping, duct blasting tests and changing out existing light bulbs with more energy efficient ones. They then sit down with the homeowner and discuss any other opportunities identified to make the home more energy efficient.
"This is a program all Norwalkers can take advantage of and hopefully save some money and at the same time reducing their carbon footprint and making their homes a little greener, being responsible citizens of our community and our globe and our environment," said Mayor Harry Rilling.
State Sen. Bob Duff said that the state is working to reduce both residents' home energy costs and their carbon footprint. He said that programs like the Norwalk Energy Challenge can alert residents to problems such as phantom energy load, where devices such as appliances and cellphone chargers are plugged in and not being used, but still drawing power from the house.
"It also becomes a tool for sellers when they're looking at selling their property. They can tell buyers they've had energy audits done, they've made their home more energy efficient," Duff said.
"It took three hours and I noticed about a 20 percent savings on my bill and my home was much cozier this past winter," Daphne Dixon of Live Green CT! said about her own home energy assessment.
For every person who has a home energy assessment, $50 will be donated to the Mayor's Energy and Environment Task Force for green projects in Norwalk. Visit the Live Green CT! website for more information on how you can have a home energy assessment performed. Live Green CT! will also be holding an event on Sept. 13 and 14 at Taylor Farm Park in Norwalk where they will share information about green living.
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