The Arlington Energy Masters, the corps of volunteers who make energy and water saving improvements in low-income apartments, will be featured in the May issue of Washingtonian magazine as one of the winners of the publication’s Green Giant awards. The awards recognize groups and individuals in the Washington, DC area who are making significant contributions to addressing environmental issues.
               The Energy Masters program was started in 2011 by Virginia Cooperative Extension, Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, and Arlingtonians Meetings Emergency Needs. Since its inception, the partners have trained 56 volunteers who have made energy and water improvements in 201 apartments, with the goal of completing at least 50 more by the end of the fiscal year in June. In each apartment teams of volunteers replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, install outlet gaskets, low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and power strips, caulk leaks, and clean refrigerator coils. The goal of the program is to help low-income residents reduce their utility bills while also reducing the greenhouse gas emissions released from multi-family properties. The energy and water-saving improvements have already started to pay off, with one building where the volunteers worked last May reporting a 5% average decrease in residents’ utility bills.
               If you are interested in learning more about this program or becoming an Energy Master, contact Jennifer at jabel@vt.edu. The next training for volunteers will be held in the fall of 2013.