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Energy Matchmakers

Forming Partnerships to make the homes of low-income people more affordable through weatherization

Background
The Energy Matchmakers Program increases resources for low-income home weatherization by leveraging local matching dollars and resources from utilities, rental owners and other sources.  Washington communities receive Energy Matchmakers funds when they provide a dollar-for-dollar match.

The Energy Matchmakers Program was created in 1987 to allocate over $13 million in oil overcharge settlement funds over a period of several years. The oil overcharge funds have since been depleted.  However, the Legislature has authorized the use of a minimum of $8 million in state capital funds each biennia since 1991.  

Services
This program has helped to form lasting partnerships between local weatherizing agencies, utilities and other match providers. Weatherization services provided under this program include the application of energy efficiency measures to a home.  Measures include: ceiling, wall, floor and duct insulation; diagnostically driven air sealing (such as caulking, weather-stripping and broken window replacement) to close gaps where the home's heat can escape; and heating system efficiency modifications. All this is done according to established technical specifications and applicable building codes.
 
Performance Measures
The dollar-for-dollar match requirement of the program doubles the value of the state capital funds spent on low-income weatherization.  In addition to the positive economic impact on local communities inherent in the business of weatherization, home energy use is reduced, on average, 25% in the homes weatherized under this program
 
Results
By June 30, 2005 the Energy Matchmakers program weatherized over 55,000 homes, using a total of $83 million of Matchmakers funds combined with a dollar-for-dollar match from public and private utilities, rental owners, and local governments.

For more information:

Contact Lynn Rostvold, (360) 725-2891

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