Only one month left in the Neighborhood Energy Challenge
It’s a close competition with four teams neck and neck for the $2,000 grand prize. Forest Park, Longbranch Sligo, BF Gilbert and Old Town Resident teams all have over 200 points. However, it’s still anyone’s game. Light Green Certifications are easy to achieve and are worth 10 points each. Medium Green Certifications take a bit more effort to achieve, but are worth 40 points, and Dark Green Certifications are worth 100 points each. That means with even just one more home earning a Dark Green Certification, the standings could change substantially.
Green Home Certification applications are due by March 31 in order to earn points for the energy challenge. If you have been putting off your Green Home Certification because you are stuck on an action in the checklist, let the sustainability manager know; substitutions are allowed. If you need a new application, you can download one from tinyurl.com/ tkpkenergychallenge, or you can pick up a printed copy from Public Works at 31 Oswego Ave.
For the past year, 18 neighborhood teams and more than 700 households have been competing to get the biggest reductions in energy use. Residents participate by taking actions in their houses and apartments to save energy. To earn points, residents complete a Green Home Certification checklist and mark off all the actions they’ve taken to save energy at home. Residents can earn Light, Medium, or Dark Green certifications for their efforts. To help, the City has been offering energy coaching, rebates and meetings throughout the past year. The challenge is helping the City in its efforts to win the overall $5 Million Georgetown University Energy Prize Competition for the community that reduces its energy use the most. Currently, Takoma Park is ranked #25 out of 50 in the competition.
If you have questions about the Neighborhood Energy Challenge, would like free energy coaching or a second opinion on your energy audit, contact Sustainability Manager Gina Mathias at ginam@takomaparkmd.gov. Don’t forget to turn in your applications by March 31!
This article appeared in the March 2016 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.
