City of Chicago Announces Residential Energy Efficiency Partnership with CNT Energy, ComEd, Peoples Gas, and Others
The City of Chicago has launched a new partnership with CNT Energy, utility companies, and city government programs to help will accelerate the number of retrofits being completed in single family homes and multifamily apartment buildings, which account for half of the city’s energy consumption.
CNT Energy Director, Anne Evens, talks about CNT Energy's new partnership that will accelerate the number of retrofits being completed in single family homes and multifamily apartment buildings like this one at 7549 S. Essex.
“Retrofit Chicago will impact communities that need help the most, and nearly 8,000 homes and apartments will soon be able to realize hundreds of dollars in annual savings,” said Mayor Emanuel. “This would not be possible without a broad, important partnership of city government, utility companies and community organizations.”
The partnership includes ComEd, Peoples Gas, CNT Energy, Community Investment Corporation, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association, and the City of Chicago.
Many owners find energy efficiency improvements cost prohibitive and confusing and simply do not know where to start making improvements. The City’s initiative, the Chicago Retrofit Residential Partnership, aims to help owners easily and affordably retrofit their homes and buildings by accelerating the success of the Energy Savers program, with targeted outreach in 12 designated energy zones in the city of Chicago. The partnership will also enhance outreach efforts for Energy Impact Illinois, the regional energy efficiency initiative covering the seven-county Chicago region and Rockford, Illinois.
The 12 zones that are the focus of the partnership are: Auburn Gresham, Austin, Avalon Park, Beverly, Chatham, Edgewater, Lincoln Square, Logan Square, Mount Greenwood, Rogers Park, South Shore, and West Ridge. Community areas were selected based on having a high concentration of apartments or single family homes and a substantial opportunity to improve energy efficiency.
Single family and multifamily building owners can call one phone number (855-9-IMPACT) to learn about and apply for available programs and financing opportunities.
“Improving the energy efficiency of the region’s building stock makes sense on so many levels—it saves people money, creates jobs, improves the comfort level in homes, and protects the environment,” said Anne Evens, CEO of CNT Energy, which co-administers Energy Savers with Community Investment Corporation.
Since its inception in 2008, Energy Savers has:
- Retrofitted 269 buildings, or more than 9,000 apartment units
- Saved multifamily building owners $10,000 on average annually on utility bills.
- Created 362 jobs in the construction industry, which has been hard-hit by the recession
- Reduced the need for more than 2.1 million gas therms and 5.9 million kilowatt hours of electricity
Owners can learn more about money saving energy efficiency programs available to them and can request an energy assessment by calling 855-9-IMPACT.
CNT Energy, an affiliate of CNT, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide economic and environmental benefits to households, building owners, and communities through energy efficiency and conservation.
