Repost from the All in Energy Blog on 9/17:
The City of Cambridge has partnered with All In Energy, a Boston-based nonprofit, to increase and enhance energy efficiency outreach to renters and landlords living in 1-4 unit buildings. All In Energy’s outreach model focuses on underserved populations – including renters, moderate-income households, non-native English speakers, and people of color – to help them save money on their utility bills by connecting them with energy efficiency resources and renewable energy programs. The organization also serves as a talent pipeline for workforce development in the sector, expanding clean energy job opportunities for individuals in underrepresented groups through a paid, hands-on training program.
Through the partnership with the City, All In Energy and its partner Neeeco, a Mass Save home performance contractor, will offer dedicated access to a Rental Property Energy Advisor for Cambridge renters. Earlier this month, All In Energy hired Cambridge resident Jean Alofan for the role. Alofan, who recently completed the Cambridge Community Learning Center’s Bridge to College Program, emigrated to Cambridge from West Africa and is fluent in seven languages, including English, Portuguese, and French. Through All In Energy’s workforce development program, Alofan will become certified as a Building Performance Institute Home Energy Auditor, enabling him to seek employment with other companies in the clean energy industry.
Alofan will connect renters with no-cost home energy assessments, including instant savings measures like LED light bulbs and programmable thermostats, as well as a customized list of actions to help residents save energy and money. The partnership between the City and All In Energy aims to support hundreds of Cambridge renters in accessing energy-saving services.
“All In Energy’s program model aligns with many of the City’s goals. In addition to furthering our efforts to reduce Cambridge’s carbon footprint, both of our organizations aim to promote social equity through our programs and support workforce development,” said Iram Farooq, Assistant City Manager for Community Development. “We look forward to working with their team to advance both these goals and support Cambridge renters, who represent over 60% of the city’s population.” “Massachusetts has nation-leading public energy-savings programs which we pay for on utility bills. Unfortunately, renters are often not aware that they are also eligible to receive no-cost home energy assessments,” said All In Energy Co-Founder Gabe Shapiro. “We are thrilled to work with the City of Cambridge, who has received nationwide recognition for their clean energy efforts, to demonstrate that we can simultaneously ensure renters benefit from energy-saving programs and create new pathways into clean energy jobs.”
All In Energy’s outreach focuses on face-to-face interactions, tabling at local events, and community presentations to reach residents who may be unaware of energy-savings programs or have not had the time to take advantage of them. This approach ensures that each resident gets support to take advantage of energy efficiency opportunities to reduce their utility bills and make their homes more comfortable.
The partnership will build on a variety of City programs and resources that help Cambridge households save money and become more energy efficient, including the Multi-Family Energy Program, which provides no-cost energy efficiency assessments and solar assessments to owners of multi-family buildings with 5 or more, and the Cambridge Community Electricity Program, which connects residents to affordable and local renewable electricity. To learn more about the City’s energy efficiency resources, visit https://cambridgeenergyalliance.org/ All In Energy specializes in driving adoption of clean energy technologies and services in underserved communities. The nonprofit organization recruits, hires, and trains members of communities underrepresented in the clean energy workforce, providing them with the skills and experience necessary for clean energy careers. To learn more about All In Energy’s no-cost home assessments or to get in contact, visit awww.allinenergy.org/cambridge