ReEnergize Pgh Ambassador Program 2013
Program Area: ReEnergize
Topic: Community Engagement, Education, Energy Efficiency
Year: 2013
Neighborhood: Bloomfield, Hazelwood, Homestead, Homewood, Larimer, Lawrenceville, Marshall-Shadeland, Millvale, Mt. Lebanon, Mt. Washington, Oakland, Scott Township, Squirrel Hill, Wilkinsburg
Background
Roughly 39% of total energy used in this country is used to power our buildings. In Pittsburgh only 7% of buildings are in good or excellent condition, which means there is a lot of opportunity to save energy and improve indoor air quality by upgrading the inside of nearly 163,000 houses.
Overview
In December 2012 we began a pilot program, which involved selecting motivated and active residents from 14 diverse communities throughout Allegheny County. Those selected were tasked with attending educational sessions centered around energy efficiency, and performing strategic community outreach. Our belief is that residents are much more receptive to valuable energy efficiency information from trusted community members.
Project Goals & Activities
- Improve the quality of life and reduce energy costs for homeowners
- Improve local air quality by reducing the amount of energy used by communities
- Create employment opportunities by increasing demand for services
- Create a peer to peer network centered around energy reduction
Impacts & Outcomes
We’ve educated 16 ambassadors from 14 communities in Pittsburgh and surrounding municipalities about energy efficiency and community outreach. Empowering them to perform outreach has allowed ReEnergize Pgh to reach over 4,000 community members in Allegheny County with information about energy efficiency and how it relates to a safe and healthy household. Through partnerships with organizations like PennFuture, our ambassadors have helped mitigate over 500 tons of CO2 from reaching our atmosphere!
