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Efficiency Navigator
We are thrilled to have joined the Climate Forward press conference with the City of Madison, which included the announcement of the WI Office of Energy Innovation grant to support the work Elevate and Sustain Dane have been doing in Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing. See the full press release and Climate Forward agenda here, or read the excerpt below.
“With a new $250,000 grant from the Wisconsin Public Service Commission’s Office of Energy Innovation, the City is partnering with Sustain Dane, Elevate, and the Northside Planning Council to make energy efficiency improvements to “naturally-occurring affordable housing” or NOAH. NOAH refers to rental housing that is not subsidized, but is considered affordable based on rents charged, and is in areas where half the population earns at or below 80% of area median income. The grant will allow Sustain Dane and Elevate to complete energy upgrades to small- and medium-sized apartment buildings in Southwest Madison, and seek new projects for energy audits and upgrades on Madison’s Northside with support from the Northside Planning Council. In total, we hope to upgrade over 100 units of rental housing with this grant, and reduce energy use by an anticipated 20%.
‘Existing affordable housing uses on average 33% more energy than market rate housing because it is generally older,’ said Sustain Dane Executive Director Claire Oleksiak. ‘We also have an affordable housing shortage. Reducing operating expenses can keep units affordable and improve resident comfort in their homes.'”
Upcoming Programs
Sustainability Stories
Watch the 2020 Accelerate Sustainability Showcase video featuring five organizations. Our Accelerate Sustainability Workshop is a half-day professional development opportunity designed to help people start sustainability initiatives at their organizations, whether they’re brand new to the subject or well versed. In 2020, more than 30 organizations participated in our workshop.
Watch the 2020 Live Forward Awards nominee video that premiered live at our Summit! The awards recognize local changemakers dedicated to creating a community based on holistic sustainability: a healthy environment, a just economy, and equity & social wellbeing for all.
Congratulations! Community Shares of Wisconsin (CSW) recognized Mark Richardson, President at Unfinished Business, CEO at GigBlender, and Sustain Dane board member, with the 2020 Liesel Blockstein Community Leadership Award. Joie Zhang, Architectural Associate at Flad Architects and Sustain Dane intern, received a CSW Backyard Hero Award.