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D.I.Y. Energy Education Workshops to Lower Energy Costs

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D.I.Y. Energy Education Workshops to Lower Energy Costs

Sustainable Westchester is hosting a series of “Do-It-Yourself” (D.I.Y.) Energy Education Workshops for homeowners and renters to learn about simple, do-it-yourself actions to lower their utility bills. Keep reading to learn more about what these workshops will cover, and how to organize one for your community members!

What’s included in these D.I.Y. Energy Education Workshops?

Participants will receive a tutorial on how to use their free D.I.Y. Energy Kit, containing materials to help them stop leaks, reduce drafts, and lower their energy usage. The workshops also cover cost-saving programs like HEAP, EAP, EmPower+, and Community Solar, and information on funding available for bigger home energy upgrades. 

Included in the D.I.Y. Energy Kit:

  • Weatherstripping
  • Door sweep
  • Window insulation kit
  • Foam outlet and switch gasket
  • Foam tape for windows/doors​ 
  • Power strip 
  • 2 LED light bulbs

When and Where? 

Workshops will be held throughout Westchester County from November 2024 through January 2025. We hosted our first workshop with the Fairview Empower Group on Sunday, October 13th, 12pm – 1:30pm at the Theodore D. Young Community Center.

Stay Up to Date on the Workshop Schedule

Contact [email protected] for more information.

Are you a Community-Based Organization looking to book a D.I.Y. Energy Education Workshop with our team? We can work with Seniors Groups, PTAs, Lion’s Club, Community Health Centers, Neighborhood Associations and most any community group! 

Call 914-242-4725 ext.5 or email [email protected]

Taller de Ahorros Electricos

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Taller de Ahorros ElÉctricos

El 26 de junio del 2024, en colaboración con la aldea y el pueblo de Ossining y Neighbors Link, Sustainable Westchester llevó a cabo su primer taller de ahorro de energía en español en la Biblioteca Pública de Ossining. El taller educó a los miembros de la comunidad local sobre el cambio climático y oportunidades de ahorros energéticos.

¡Participar en los programas de Sustainable Westchester es una forma sencilla de ayudar a combatir el cambio climático y, al mismo tiempo, ahorrar dinero en electricidad! Por ejemplo, nuestro programa Community Solar ofrece una suscripción gratuita a un proyecto solar. Cada suscriptor recibe ahorros garantizados en sus facturas de electricidad, mientras que el proyecto solar entrega energía limpia y renovable a nuestra red eléctrica. Esto da como resultado una red más estable, menos dependencia de los combustibles fósiles y una mejor calidad del aire para nuestras comunidades.

El taller incluyó una sesión de inscripción donde los participantes pudieron inscribirse en los programas y recibir asistencia en persona. Estamos encantados con el éxito de este evento, y Sustainable Westchester espera expandir los eventos de alcance en español para servir mejor al condado de Westchester.

El taller ofreció los siguientes programas de ahorro:

  • Community Solar ahorro garantizado en tu factura de la luz. ¡Suscríbase a un proyecto solar y reciba los beneficios de la energía renovable sin instalar paneles solares en su hogar!
  • GridRewards es una aplicación gratuita que puede ayudarte a reducir tu huella de carbono y ahorrar dinero. Tome medidas sencillas de energía durante las horas de mayor demanda y obtenga un reembolso en efectivo de Con Edison al final del año.
  • Empower+ programa estatal que proporciona fondos a los hogares elegibles para mejoras energéticas en el hogar.
  • HEAP (Programa de Asistencia de Energía para el Hogar) ayuda a residentes del estado de Nueva York elegibles con soluciones de calefacción y refrigeración en su hogar.

Celebrating the Second Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act!

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Celebrating the Second Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act!

State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Pelham Homeowner, Sustainable Westchester, Local Contractors, and Advocates Celebrate Second Anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act With Front Porch Ribbon Cutting Event

Pelham, NY – On Friday, August 16, 2024, State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Rewiring America, Sustainable Westchester, the League of Conservation Voters, local advocates, and HVAC and solar experts gathered at the home of Pelham resident Greg Spock to host a “front porch ribbon cutting” celebrating his home energy-efficiency upgrades made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  

The event celebrated Spock’s commitment to home electrification and marked the second anniversary of the IRA, a landmark federal law that has played a pivotal role in making energy-efficiency and electrification upgrades affordable to Americans nationwide.

Michael Hernandez, New York Policy Director for Rewiring America, applauded the IRA for enabling nearly 185,000 New Yorkers to invest in high-efficiency electric appliances and/or rooftop solar. Spock credited the legislation’s electrification tax credits for making it possible for him to install high-efficiency heat pump and water heater systems, and soon rooftop solar, lowering his monthly energy bills and increasing the comfort of his home. 

Local climate advocates and energy specialists urged residents to learn more about how they can take advantage of the tax credits and other local incentives to upgrade their own homes and lower their energy bills. After the ribbon cutting, community members and neighbors were invited to “test drive” electric lawn care equipment and other high-efficiency appliances to learn more about how they work. 

“With the support of the Inflation Reduction Act, we were able to install an air source heat pump, a heat pump hot water heater, lease that beautiful and fast Emerald Lake Lyriq in the driveway, and charge it, with the home charger we installed, said the Pelham Homeowner. “Since making these upgrades, we’ve noticed several benefits. Not only am I contributing to a healthier environment, but our home is quieter, more evenly heated and cooled, and I’ve reduced our utility bills significantly. I expect an even bigger reduction with the solar installation imminently occurring. These changes have made our home more comfortable and efficient, and I feel proud to be part of a growing movement towards 100% clean energy.”  

“The Inflation Reduction Act represents the largest climate investment in U.S. history, allocating funds to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy and addressing climate change across multiple sectors,” said State Senator Nathalia Fernandez. “By making transitions to technologies like air source heat pumps, electric cars and electric landscaping equipment, we are taking steps to protect our environment, to live healthier lives and save money. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act these projects are more affordable.” 

“The Inflation Reduction Act is paving the way for a cleaner, more resilient future, and it demonstrates that environmental policy can be a win-win for both our wallets and the environment we live in,” said Melissa Eustace, Board Member of Westchester Chapter of The League of Conservation Voters.  

“Today, we’re here to celebrate the impact the Inflation Reduction Act has had right at our kitchen tables. This law has been a game-changer for homeowners like Greg, establishing incentives to help every American household transition to cleaner, more efficient, and more affordable electric appliances,” said Michael Hernandez, New York Policy Director for Rewiring America.  “It’s thanks to these historic tax credits that millions of households across the country now have the power to fight the climate crisis, lower their energy bills, and increase the comfort of their homes. “

“In the past few years, the Village began electrification projects such as purchasing electric landscaping equipment, installing charging infrastructure, preparing a fleet electrification study, and constructing a new, all-electric municipal center, which will be completed by the end of the year. And in the past two years, numerous residents have reduced their energy consumption and costs through Inflation Reduction Act incentives for electric technologies,” said Yenna Chan, Co-chair, The Village of Pelham Sustainability Advisory Board.  “I am thrilled that Rewiring America has created this opportunity for neighbors and community members to hear from industry experts and try out electric equipment in person.” 

“With the implementation of the IRA and specific guidance from contractors like myself, homeowners are educated to invest in a highly efficient electric mechanical system and the end result is a superbly comfortable home, even temperatures, more comfortable sleeping, and a happy family. All of these are accomplished because you made an educated choice for your home and your wallet,” said Bryan Smith, Innovative Air. “Electrifying is really about choosing highly efficient, high-performance mechanical systems to provide the comfort you deserve. With careful planning, sound recommendations, and overall impeccable execution of installation, you too can move toward the electrification of your home!”  

“Sustainable Westchester is happy to celebrate the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act! As a member of NYSERDA’s Regional Clean Energy Hub, we are part of a statewide network of local organizations providing clean energy solutions to Westchester municipalities, businesses and residents. Our energy advisors can help our neighbors throughout the County access NYSERDA programs. discuss technologies, connect with contractors and navigate rebates and incentives,” said Lauren Brois, Director, EnergySmart Homes at Sustainable Westchester. “We have seen how the IRA’s tax credits have made it easier for homeowners to install energy-efficient appliances, like heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, solar panels, and electric vehicles, significantly reducing project costs and environmental impact. Through IRA tax credits, homeowners can access tax credits up to $1,200 for insulation, $2,000 tax credit for ASHP and 30 percent tax credit for geothermal projects.” 

To find out what federal incentives they might qualify for, New York residents can visit Rewiring America’s Savings Calculator. Residents will only need to input a few details about their households to immediately see all federal electrification and energy-efficiency incentives they qualify for.

The Front Porch Ribbon Cutting series, spearheaded by Rewiring America and Citizens’ Climate Lobby, is a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the benefits of energy-efficient solutions and the financial incentives available through the Inflation Reduction Act.

About Rewiring America

Rewiring America is the leading electrification nonprofit, focused on electrifying our homes, businesses, and communities. We develop accessible, actionable data and tools. Rewiring America helps Americans save money, tackle nationwide emissions goals, improve health, and build the next generation of the clean energy workforce. We believe in an abundant, flourishing, climate-safe future, and know that, together, we can realize one

About the New York League of Conservation Voters

The New York League of Conservation Voters is the only non-partisan, statewide environmental organization in New York that takes a pragmatic approach to fight for clean water, healthy air, renewable energy, and open space. For over thirty years, NYLCV has worked to lobby state and local governments on environmental policy, provide objective information to the public, and hold elected officials accountable. For more information, visit www.nylcv.org. 

About Sustainable Westchester

Sustainable Westchester is Westchester County’s leading advocate for local municipalities striving to make their communities safer and more resilient against the threats posed by climate change. It plays a critical role in helping members achieve the goals of New York’s landmark Climate Act by supplying large-scale renewable electricity, implementing innovative clean energy solutions, increasing energy efficiency, saving taxpayers money, and promoting equity and environmental justice. Its diverse hub of popular and high-effective programs developed for municipalities includes Westchester Power, Community Solar, EnergySmart Homes, Commercial Clean Heating & Cooling, GridRewards Demand Response, Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure, Zero Waste Recycling, and Sustainable Landscaping. 

Visit our website.

2024 Earth Day & GridRewards Recognition at Westchester County Executive George Latimer’s Weekly Address

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2024 Earth Day & GridRewards Recognition at Westchester County Executive George Latimer’s Weekly Address

April 22, 2024 

GridRewards Energy Savings Program Pays Consumers, Improves Environmental Impact, and Helps the Electric Grid When it Matters the Most 

(our feature begins a quarter way through the recording, at minute 12:30)

GridRewards is a free program administered by Sustainable Westchester, the county’s leading advocate for community resilience and provider of renewable energy, that pays consumers to lower their energy consumption during periods of extremely hot weather when people typically crank their air conditioners and electricity demand spikes.

The easy-to-use GridRewards app, powered by Logical Buildings is part of Con Edison’s Smart Usage Rewards program. More than 3,500 residents and businesses in Westchester County have signed up for GridRewards to date, and on average, each residential user received a direct cash payment of $80, with the top commercial users earning more than $20,000. During the summer of 2022, users’ combined efforts reduced energy consumption by 7MW, enough electricity to instantaneously power 25,000 homes.

The benefits of participating in GridRewards are two-fold: in addition to saving money, the program reduces the regional energy grid’s reliance on “peaker plants,” a reserve network of antiquated fossil-fuel power plants. These facilities are believed by many to be responsible for planet-warming carbon emissions and health problems that disproportionately impact low-income communities of color where the plants operate. Peaker plants exist in neighborhoods like the South Bronx and sections of Brooklyn and Queens where asthma rates remain among the highest in the state. In New York City, 78% of people living within one mile of a peaker plant are low-income or people of color.

“New York’s ability to achieve its ambitious environmental goals depends on innovative and community-led programs like GridRewards,” said Jim Kuster, Interim Executive Director at Sustainable Westchester. “During a time when most household finances are tight and people are reminded daily about the looming threats posed by climate change, GridRewards offers an easy-to-follow path for saving money and reducing their environmental impact.”

“I first downloaded the GridRewards app in 2021, and I was amazed how easy it was to begin earning cash and protecting the environment. You simply enter your ConEd account number, respond to alerts through the app, and get paid. Easiest money I ever made,” said Gregory Spock, Pelham resident.

The GridRewards program has been supported by a broad and diverse range of County residents, businesses, renewable energy advocates, municipalities, schools and elected officials. During Earth Week, Westchester County Executive George Latimer held a press conference promoting the program. Members of the New Rochelle High School community were present at the event to share their experiences with GridRewards. Carmen Glenn, AP Environmental Science and Biology Teacher at New Rochelle High School explained how the Green Schools Committee worked with their Facilities Director Keith Watkins to implement the program.

Keyera Gordon, senior at New Rochelle, who serves at the Co-President of New Rochelle High School’s Green Club and is a Student Representative on the Ecology & Natural Resources Advisory Committee within the city of New Rochelle remarked “ on this beautiful Earth Day, I am delighted to speak about the GridRewards Initiative. Our Green Club board has been promoting the GridRewards mobile app in which people can link their utility account and once signed up with their energy provider login details, they can track their electricity and gas usage over time.. Advocating for this initiative, I and the rest of our Green Club board hope to increase awareness of energy usage, educating others about how they can personally benefit from decreased electricity use. We can provide a way for people to save money while also lowering their carbon footprint. This is the first step in the direction of increased sustainability and environmental awareness on a community-wide scale.”

The mayors of several Westchester towns including Hastings-on Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Ardsley, Tarrytown, Elmsford, and Sleepy Hollow urged residents to sign up. Con Edison-serviced municipalities, businesses, and residents are all eligible to participate in GridRewards and can sign up through Sustainable Westchester’s website or by downloading the GridRewards app in the App Store. New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) customers can also sign up to receive notifications when GridRewards is available in their areas.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Sustainable Westchester & Local Municipal Leaders Address Earth Day and Discuss GridRewards™ Program

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Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Sustainable Westchester & Local Municipal Leaders Address Earth Day and Discuss GridRewards™ Program

April 19, 2023

Local speakers discuss how Westchester residents and businesses can receive cash rewards for lowering their energy consumption this summer

See the full press release from Westchester County here 

During Earth Week, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Sustainable Westchester & Local Municipal Leaders held a press conference to discuss Sustainable Westchester’s GridRewards™ Program and other current initiatives residents can participate in to improve the County’s environmental impact. Speakers included local leaders driving the charge to lower the region’s carbon footprint, including Jim Kuster, Interim Executive Director of Sustainable Westchester, David Klatt, COO of Logical Buildings and Alex Von Braun, Board Member of 175 Huguenot in New Rochelle, along with Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor, Nicola Armacost.

Latimer said: “Demand response programs, empower Westchester residents and businesses to take control of their energy usage to earn cash back and reduce pollution. By lowering electricity usage at key times, we can collectively reduce the need for the utility to bring peaker plants. I am proud to partner with Sustainable Westchester to encourage residents to enroll in this program – similar to what your County Government is doing with our buildings.”

The event discussed how residents and businesses can participate in GridRewards™, a platform created by Logical Buildings and promoted through Sustainable Westchester. When high energy demand is forecasted, GridRewards™ provides users the opportunity to earn cash by reducing energy use at peak times. This can be achieved through simple actions including waiting to perform energy-intensive tasks such as running dishwashers, laundry machines and air-conditioning until the demand response event has passed.

Sustainable Westchester Interim Executive Director Jim Kuster said: “In 2020, Sustainable Westchester launched the first residential demand response program in the County, GridRewards, in partnership with Logical Buildings. This was made possible once ConEd had deployed smart meter infrastructure across its service area. In the subsequent three years, Sustainable Westchester has focused on raising awareness of the benets of the demand response program to residents and municipalities, and to grid infrastructure and the local environment. As a non-prot, Sustainable Westchester remains dedicated to maximizing the benets to our municipal members and their residents.”

In honor of Earth month, Mayors from Hastings to Sleepy Hollow have engaged in an annual competition by urging residents to sign up for GridRewards™ by April 28 to illustrate the importance of synchronicity when it comes to reducing energy consumption. Last summer, single family homeowners, apartment dwellers and commercial businesses utilized Logical Buildings and Sustainable Westchester’s GridRewards™ program.

Through their participation, these users created a combined load reduction of 7MW, up from an estimated 3.5- 4MW in 2021, enough electricity to instantaneously power 25,000 homes. The same program is now available for Westchester residents to participate in for the 2023 peak energy season.

In a similar program, the County partners with NuEnergen to administer a Demand Response program on many Westchester County buildings. On days of peak energy usage in the area, the County powers down certain properties in order to earn real dollars, offsetting both energy use and taxpayer funds.

About GridRewards™

 GridRewards™ was developed in 2019 by Logical Buildings, an AI technology solutions leader in sustainability, smart building and virtual power plant software and a solutions provider for the built world. The rm’s revolutionary technologies combat climate change by empowering residential, commercial, and industrial energy users to earn money, enhance building health and reduce carbon footprints through user-friendly, award-winning mobile apps. GridRewards™ was initially introduced as a digital program in 2019. It was launched as a free app in spring 2021 and is downloadable via the Apple Store and Google Play. Logical Buildings, which was founded in 2012 as a smart building technology software developer, IoT and DER systems integrator, and smart building services provider, currently operates in major national urban markets, including New York, Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Camden, Chicago, and Miami, and more. To learn more, visit logicalbuildings.com and follow Logical Buildings on LinkedIn.

About Sustainable Westchester

 Sustainable Westchester is a nonprofit consortium of Westchester County local municipalities facilitating effective collaboration resulting in sustainability initiatives and cutting-edge innovation.  Our goal is to bring socially responsible, environmentally sound, and economically viable solutions that create resilient, healthy, vibrant, sustainable communities.

County Executive George Latimer, Sustainable Westchester and Local Leaders Team Up to Promote GridRewards

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County Executive George Latimer, Sustainable Westchester and Local Leaders Team Up to Promote GridRewards

April 12, 2022 

App Helps Con Edison Customers in Westchester Manage Energy Use, Earn Cash and Reduce Utility Bills

 

With electricity costs on the rise and Westchester residents looking to lessen their carbon footprint, thousands of Con Edison customers are realizing the many benefits of using the free GridRewards app to manage their daily energy use, including cash rewards and lower monthly utility bills. County Executive George Latimer is teaming up with Sustainable Westchester, Logical Buildings & local municipal leaders to tout this new app which sends out easy-to-follow prompts that inform subscribers when to raise their air-conditioner settings by a few degrees, run appliances like washing machines and dishwashers and also sends out reminders to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms, among other tips – all while helping the user accrue cash rewards.

Latimer said: “A majority of GridRewards users have already received cash rewards for tracking and reducing energy use, while lowering utility bills and reducing electric load on the grid. Saving money, earning rewards and taking steps to lessen our impact on the environment is a true win-win-win.”

The GridRewards app sends out notifications that help users make energy management decisions in real-time. They are also prompted as they accrue and when the rewards can be collected through PayPal for instant cash or by a paper check mailed to the subscriber’s address.

The creator of the app and operator of the program, Logical Buildings, anticipates increased subscribership in upcoming months, largely in response to escalating energy rates. Sustainable Westchester, a nonprofit municipal membership organization that counts forty-five Westchester municipalities as members, began its collaboration with Logical Buildings in 2020.

Sustainable Westchester Executive Director Nina Orville said: “Sustainable Westchester chose to partner with Logical Buildings to promote GridRewards because we immediately saw how empowering it was for Westchester residents and small businesses to take more control of their energy usage and while doing so, to earn money and reduce strain on our electric grid. Reducing usage during times of peak demand also has an important environmental justice impact as those are the times that the utility puts the dirtiest power generating plants into service. Reducing environmental impact while providing other benefits to our communities is core to our mission and approach.”

In the nearly two years since the program was rolled out, the GridRewards “community” has prevented more than 200 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere. This reduction of carbon is equivalent to taking more than 11,000 homes completely off the grid during high electric load events, 15,000 cars off the road for one day, or offsetting more than 500,000 miles driven. In New York City, alone, the reduced load this past summer drastically decreased the use of pollution-producing peaker plants.

County Director of Energy & Sustainability Peter McCartt said: “Westchester County Government enrolled in a few Demand Response Programs and are on pace to earn almost $1,000,000 over these four years while at the same time reducing the load on the grid during those extreme heat events of July and August. Now with this GridRewards program, residents and small businesses – while getting paid – can also help to reduce the chance for black-outs and to eliminate the need to build or operate expensive fossil fuel ‘Peaker Plants’ as we transition to renewable energy resources like solar, hydro, and the massive wind farms being built out in the Atlantic.”

The free GridRewards app can be downloaded to any smartphone from either the App Store or Google Play and does not require Wi-Fi, a computer, or technical expertise to set up and use.

Logical Buildings CEO Jeff Hendler said: “With the completion of this year’s first payment cycle in January, we were able to distribute cash rewards to thousands of GridRewards subscribers in Westchester and also shared access to information that enabled them to make smart decisions to reduce their monthly utility bills.”

About Westchester County

Westchester County, located in the heart of the historic Hudson Valley, covers 500 square miles and has a population of just over one million.  Originally home to Native Americans, who were members of the Lenape tribe, it is today a rich mix of many cultures and landscapes.  The County is a blend of bustling cities, quaint villages and picturesque towns as well as open spaces and a network of beautiful parks. Westchester is made up of 6 cities, 19 towns and 20 villages.  Westchester County is known for top-notch public schools, and a high quality of life.  The County is also an intellectual capital, boasting a highly educated workforce, competitive colleges and universities, Fortune 500 companies, world changing non-profits, and cutting-edge research centers.  Westchester is led by County Executive George Latimer, who took office in January 2018 as the ninth County Executive. Using inclusion and openness as a foreground, Latimer is fighting to make Westchester a destination for all people to live, work and enjoy. Learn more about Westchester County by visiting www.westchestergov.com