Weatherization

The Weatherization program provides safe energy-efficient homes to low-income members of our community.

If you are interested in joining our team, and have experience in residential construction or energy efficiency, apply here for our Energy Advisor II position.

Services

Weatherization services are comprehensive and include insulating walls, floors, perimeters, and attics; furnace work, including replacing existing low-efficiency furnaces or cleaning and tuning higher-efficiency furnaces; and air sealing. Light-emitting diode (LED)  lights are installed and primary refrigerators can be replaced if our testing shows the replacement to be cost effective. All gas combustion appliances are tested for safety of operation and emissions from flue gasses. The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission Weatherization Specialists ensure that all homes weatherized meet ASHRAE (American Society of Heath, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) whole-house ventilation standards.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Weatherization program, the applicant’s total household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level or have a household member who receives Social Security Income (SSI). Weatherization can be performed on any home occupied by an eligible applicant, including apartments, manufactured homes, and privately owned single-family homes. The service is free to qualified applicants.

Benefits of Weatherization

All improvements made must be determined to be cost-effective by State of Illinois Weatherization software, which is a computerized energy audit performed on each home. All work is completed by the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission’s list of qualified contractors. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity estimates that completed homes save an average of 20-30% per year in home energy costs. The benefits of the program extend beyond the savings to the client and the improved safety of the home. Negative impacts on the environment are reduced, natural resources are conserved, and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.

Weatherization by the Numbers (2016-17)

• Homes receiving Weatherization services from the RPC: 46
• Average material cost per home: $6,747.40
• Total number of individuals impacted by services: 76
• Elderly or disabled persons in families impacted by services: 36
• Children under six-years-old in families impacted by services: 9
• Households with income under 75% of poverty:19
• Households with income 75%-100% of poverty: 11
• Households with income 100%-125% of poverty: 5
• Households with income 126%-150% of poverty: 7
• Households with income 151%-200% of poverty: 4