SPRINGFIELD — The city of Springfield is one of two communities in Massachusetts chosen to participate in a pilot initiative that aims to help underserved residents lower their energy bills by connecting them with energy efficient upgrades and clean energy solutions.
A support service called the Home Modernization Navigator was recently launched in Springfield and Lowell to assist residents in those communities with accessing programs, services and incentives for clean energy, energy efficiency, home electrification and sustainable transportation.
The program, which was launched by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, is part of a statewide initiative led by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Climate Team to make building decarbonization more accessible and equitable, according to the state.
“Our administration is deeply committed to ensuring that every resident in Massachusetts can enjoy lower bills and comfortable homes,” said Gov. Maura Healey. “The Home Modernization Navigator is a key step in helping families improve their homes, lower their energy costs, and participate in Massachusetts’ transition to a clean energy future.
Meg Howard, the program director for high-performance buildings at MassCEC, said in an interview that although the state has a “really robust” set of incentives for people to make clean energy improvements in their homes, past studies have shown that there has been less adoption of these improvements among low-income communities and communities with a high percentage of renters.
With that in mind, MassCEC, which launched the program in the two communities, is hopeful that this new Home Modernization Navigator will bring more attention to these statewide incentives by providing greater support and accessibility for residents that seek a clean energy solution for their home.
“We feel like the [Home Modernization Navigator] is something people can benefit from; having that support to make sure everyone understands ‘what options are there out there for me, how do they all work together, and am I making the smart choice for my situation in my home,’” Howard said.
In a nutshell, the Home Modernization Navigator is “a no-cost, easy-to-use service available to renters, homeowners and landlords of one- to four-unit rental properties,” according to MassCEC.
Through this support service, people will receive personalized guidance from MassCEC experts via phone, email or a scheduled video conference, on the different technologies and services, whether that be energy bill savings, clean electricity, appliances and yard equipment, weatherization to prevent energy loss, heating and cooling, solar electrical upgrades and transportation.
Experts will help customers identify their goals, access available incentives and financing, and provide technical guidance on clean energy appliances and systems.
“The conversation is really dictated by the needs of that resident,” said Howard. “We definitely want to meet people where they are.”
Howard said MassCEC has a goal of offering everyone who reaches out through the navigator the option of creating their own comprehensive plan that maps out how their home will become more energy efficient.
Some people, however, may not be ready for that level of engagement, according to Howard, and that is perfectly fine, too. She said MassCEC offers other support options through the navigator, like an “energy bill checkup,” for example, where a MassCEC expert will work with a resident to make sure they have the best option available regarding their energy bill.
“The navigator can connect you with resources for that immediate question and then also help you think through longer term [plans], like moving towards energy efficiency and having lower energy costs in your home,” Howard said.
MassCEC and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs settled on Springfield and Lowell as the two participants in this pilot program because both communities have higher percentages of low- and moderate-income homeowners and renters.
On top of that, Howard mentioned that the communities already had existing partnerships with Mass Save and MassCEC, so it was natural to build upon these relationships to help promote the new service.
“We’re really designing it and piloting it in these two communities to see what we can learn,” Howard said. “And then from there, we’ll think about how we can scale it to serve more residents of the commonwealth.”
In a statement about the new program, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said that the navigation service supports his administration’s efforts to enhance the city’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan and its Community Choice Energy Program.
“I want to thank all of our partners and stakeholders for making this innovative partnership possible,” Sarno said. “This Home Modernization Navigator Program, a Massachusetts Clean Energy Center initiative, will serve as a helpful and free tool for residents to navigate and explore the various clean energy resources, incentives and programs that are available.”
He added that the support system will allow residents to have access to all the resources and information that is available.
To learn more about the Home Modernization Navigator, readers can visit goclean.masscec.com/home-modernization-navigator. The program will conduct outreach and engage with customers in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Khmer, reflecting the most spoken languages in Lowell and Springfield.
