Mission and Operation
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (Weatherization) reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensuring their health and safety. The Program provides energy efficiency services to more than 100,000 homes every year. These services reduce average annual energy costs by $218 per household.

The Program prioritizes services to the elderly, people with disabilities, and families with children. These low-income households are often on fixed incomes or rely on income assistance programs and are most vulnerable to volatile changes in energy markets. High energy users or households with a high energy burden may also receive priority.

DOE works in partnerships with state and local-level agencies to implement the Program. DOE Regional Offices award grants to state-level agencies, which then contract with local agencies. Weatherization programs operate in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and among Native American tribes. Approximately 970 local agencies deliver weatherization services to eligible residents in every county in the nation. Since the inception of the Program in 1976, over five million households have received Weatherization services.

• Weatherization returns $1.39 in energy-related benefits for every $1 invested in the Program. This cost-effective approach ensures the proper investment of taxpayer resources.
  
• For every $1 invested by DOE, the Program leverages $1.54 in other federal, state, utility and private resources. Agencies use leveraged resources to weatherize more low-income homes and to deliver more services while in the home.

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Program History
The Weatherization Assistance Program was created in 1976 to assist low-income families who lacked the resources to invest in energy efficiency. Most Americans were dramatically affected by the 1973 oil crisis. Spiraling home heating bills were a heavy burden on household budgets, sinking many families into debt. Low-income families in cold-climate states suffered the most severe consequences. In Maine, state officials and community action agencies worked with homeowners and renters to seal air leaks in homes. These measures cut energy bills and saved oil. Out of this effort, the nation’s first weatherization program was born. Congress created the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program in 1976 under Title IV of the Energy Conservation and Production Act.

In this early phase, volunteers and job trainees installed low-cost conservation measures, such as covering windows with plastic sheeting, caulking, and weather-stripping, to reduce home heating bills. By the 1980s, the Program focused on more permanent and cost-effective measures, such as adding insulation and improving efficiency in heating systems.

In the 1990s, the trend toward emphasizing more cost-effective measures continued with the widespread adoption of advanced energy audits and diagnostic equipment. The use of computerized energy audits improved the cost effectiveness of the Program. Blower door directed air sealing has enabled agencies to more accurately diagnose and solve infiltration problems. The integration of advanced diagnostic equipment has also improved the identification of energy-related health and safety problems, such as carbon monoxide and combustion safety.

Cooling efficiency measures were integrated in the Program in 1994, including air conditioner replacement, ventilation equipment, and screening and shading devices. These measures have made a big impact in warm climates, where cooling costs are often higher than heating costs.

By 1996, the Program’s performance had improved significantly because of the implementation of many of the recommendations of the National Evaluation and of other DOE-sponsored research. Despite funding reductions during this period, technical advances produced almost 70% higher energy savings per dwelling. This was achieved through improved training, auditing tools, and management practices.

Additional regulatory and legislative changes in the late 1990s increased flexibility for states. The average cost per home was raised and the requirement that 40% of Program funds be spent on materials was removed, in response to the nationwide integration of advanced energy audits. Electric base load measures were approved and incorporated in 2000.

Weatherization has evolved into a sophisticated program, which addresses whole-house energy efficiency and promotes a whole-community approach. Weatherization is the nation’s largest residential energy efficiency program. More than 5 million homes have been weatherized since the inception of the Program.

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Eligible Households
Energy consumption in America has almost tripled since 1950 – from 34.6 quadrillion BTUs (Quads) to 97.4 Quads per year – and household energy use comprises 22% of total energy consumption. Americans spend $156 billion each year on home energy. Low-income households pay a disproportionate share of this energy bill.

• Low-income households typically spend 14% of their total annual income on energy, compared with 3.5% for other households.
• The average expenditure in low-income households is nearly $1,267 annually. Low-income families must often cut back on other necessities, such as groceries or medicine, to pay their energy bills.

Over 28 million households are currently eligible for Weatherization services. Any household at or below 125% of poverty is considered low-income. A state may elect to use the HHS LIHEAP criteria of 150% of poverty or 60% of state-median income. Some eligible households may require repairs, rehabilitation, or services that are beyond the scope of the Weatherization Program. About 15 million of all eligible households are good candidates for weatherization services.

• Over 90% of low-income households have an annual income under $15,000.
• Two-thirds have an annual income under $8,000.
• More than 13% have an annual income under $2,000.

Technical Approach
Professionally trained weatherization crews use computerized energy audits and advanced diagnostic equipment, such as a blower door, manometer, or infrared camera, to determine the most cost-effective measures appropriate for each home. Typical measures may include: installing insulation; sealing ducts; tuning and repairing heating and cooling systems; mitigating air infiltration; and reducing electric base load consumption.

• Weatherization crews use advanced technologies to address whole-house energy use.
• Services are delivered to single-family homes, multi-family dwellings, and manufactured homes.
• Weatherization agencies have established a professionally trained delivery system to provide quality energy efficiency services and materials.
• The integration of advanced technologies and techniques has increased the Program’s impact.

Weatherization measures achieve greater energy and dollar savings. The energy savings achieved through weatherization increased by almost 70% between 1989 and 2002.

Weatherization crews also perform health and safety tests that may include: testing heating units and appliances for combustion safety, carbon monoxide, and gas leaks; assessing moisture damage; checking electrical system safety; replacing unsafe heating and cooling systems; and installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

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Impact on Low-Income Americans
Weatherization alleviates the heavy energy burden on low-income households and helps them become self-sufficient. Weatherization measures:

• Create average energy savings of $218 per year.
• Reduce a household’s annual gas heating consumption by 31%.
• Are “locked” into the home and continue to save money and energy every year.
• Improve health and safety by eliminating energy-related hazards.
• Avoided $1 billion in energy costs during winter 2000 for all households weatherized.

Impact on Communities
Weatherization helps revitalize communities by spurring economic growth and reducing environmental impacts. For every $1 invested, Weatherization returns $2.79 in energy and non-energy related benefits. By reducing energy consumption in low-income homes, Weatherization:

• Reduces the export of local energy dollars and keeps more money in the community.
• Improves energy affordability, making housing more affordable. This reduces cases of homelessness and frequent forced mobility, and lowers demand for public assistance.
• Decreases electricity generation and resulting pollution. This improves local air quality and reduces adverse health effects, particularly asthma.
• Avoids residential and power plant emissions of carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas. Weatherization measures reduce carbon dioxide emissions by one metric ton per weatherized home, or one-third the average emissions of an automobile.
• Supports almost 12,000 direct jobs nationwide.
• Reduces demand for imported oil. Decreases national energy consumption by the equivalent of 18 million barrels of oil annually.