Home Energy Savings (HES) Team

Reducing carbon emissions while saving money — a classic “win-win” opportunity

Our Goals

• Encourage Needham residents to get a Mass Save® no-cost energy assessment.  (Note: Looking to learn more how you  can save money and energy in your  home, including getting a no-cost energy assessment?  Go to our Energy at Home page.)
• Increase the number of people who have follow-up work done after their home energy audit, such as air sealing (no cost), and insulation (75% of the cost paid by Mass Save® )
• Educate residents about larger energy-saving undertakings such as boiler replacements and the use of newer technologies to achieve additional energy savings in their homes.
• Organize educational programs to inform Needham residents about ways to save energy, helping Needham reduce the output of carbon from the use of fossil fuels.
• Encourage residents to conserve energy – check out some tips on how.
• Encourage residents to choose a “green” source for their electricity – learn more about this topic on our  Greening Your Electricity  page.

Our Initiatives

• Working with our Mass Save® partner, HomeWorks Energy, launching the “Needham Saves” program, with a goal of getting a targeted number or residents (actual target TBD) to get a no-cost energy assessment.  Neighboring towns have had similar programs, with great success!  More info to follow soon on this.
• Organizing educational presentations on energy efficiency and energy conservation (possibly on options for “green” cars).
• Thinking of creative ways to use local and social media to share successes and encourage friends and neighbors to take advantage of energy efficiency programs.
• Exploring the possibility of promoting Mass Save’s “Direct Install” energy efficiency program for small and midsize Needham businesses. The program offers free energy assessments and incentive and financing options. With rebates, covering up to 70 percent of costs, most projects pay for themselves within one year or less, according to Eversource.
• Look into a new state program, just rolled out in a “pilot phase,” to promote energy efficiency, the HeatSmart Mass program

Home Energy Assessments and Follow-Up Work Stats:

What you can do:

Green Needham’s Home Energy Savings Team, (HEST) encourages Needham residents to get their no-cost energy assessment.  Join your neighbors who have already done this, and are now saving money and energy every month on their electric bills.  Not only are energy-efficiency measures provided during the assessments, so that residents can start saving energy and money immediately, but much of the cost of follow-up measures recommended by the assessment is paid for by the Mass Save program!

Get Involved With Our Team!

Green Needham’s Home Energy Savings Team welcomes new ideas and energy as we help Needham take home energy savings to the next level.  Activities include helping organize educational events, attending local events to solicit signups for no-cost energy assessments, writing and editing publicity materials, using social media to share successes and encourage friends and neighbors, doing outreach to businesses, and thinking of creative ways to reach more Needham residents. If you would like to get involved or want more information, contact Maureen Commane.

Accomplishments

Resources

Documents

• GNC Energy Tips
• Greening Your Electricity presentation slides 3/2/15
• HEW flyer 217-04-26 Home Energy Workshop

Links on the Web

	American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's SmarterHouse project American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's SmarterHouse project
	Commonwealth of Mass - Energy Efficiency Information Commonwealth of Mass - Energy Efficiency Division
	Dept. of Energy - Energy Efficiency Dept. of Energy - Energy Efficiency
	Energy Star Office Equipment Energy Star Office Equipment
	HomeWorks Energy - Needham Saves - signup for a no-cost home energy assessment signup for a no-cost home energy assessment
	Mass Save Mass Save, the state agency that oversees the Home Energy Efficiency programs
	NRDC - The Stealthy Energy Saver NRDC - The Stealthy Energy Saver
	U.S. Dept of Energy - Energy Efficient Computers & Electronics U.S. Dept of Energy - Energy Efficient Computers & Electronics
	US Dept. of Energy - Energy Saver Tips Dept. of Energy - Energy Saver
	US Energy Star - Energy Efficiency Information Energy Star - Energy Efficiency