Cool Solutions for Urban Row Homes

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Rebuild America program sponsored the 'Philadelphia Cooling Workshop' this spring to educate row homeowners about lowering their utility bills through energy efficiency measures. The workshops are part of Rebuild America's strategy to increase energy efficiency in up to 35 percent of row homes across the country.

Summer Heat Troublesome for Row Homes

The Philadelphia Cooling Workshop offered row homeowners timely energy-saving solutions to the excessive heat that many urban dwellers face. Concrete surfaces, steel buildings, and tall glass buildings in cities create an 'urban heat island' effect by locking in heat and adding as much as ten degrees to already hot and humid summer temperatures. A half million of Philadelphia's venerable row homes date from the 1860s to the 1920s. The older design of the homes tends to trap heat, creating a significant health threat for many residents. The problem lies in the fact that the homes' original cooling conventions are no longer practical. For example, older row homes are designed to promote cross-ventilation and to enable the opening of basement windows to help bring in cooler air. Unfortunately, security concerns have led many homeowners to keep windows closed and locked, even when temperatures soar.

Affordability: The Operations and Maintenance Factor

In addition to being a health threat, the heat island surrounding urban row homes increases energy consumption and raises utility bills. Low- and moderate-income row homeowners are the most affected by increasing energy costs. In 2000, low-income residential consumers spent 19 percent of their household income on energy, up from 14 percent in 1999. Row homeowners often exceed government income guidelines, and therefore, are ineligible for assistance with their utility bills. And yet, these homeowners have too little discretionary income to implement energy and water conservation improvements that do not offer quick cash savings. "These are the people least able to pay more than necessary for energy and water use," said Robert Brand, president of Solutions for Progress, Inc., a corporation that works with the government, community-based organizations, and other groups to solve complex social and economic problems.

Networking for Energy Efficiency

With close to 300 attendees, the Philadelphia Cooling Workshop focused on fostering relationships between consumers and relevant local businesses. Urban homeowners, who took part in the workshop, learned low- and no-cost ways of cutting electricity use without sacrificing comfort during the warm summer months. Local contractors benefited by creating business opportunities in energy efficiency, offering coaching to residential customers, and gaining access to private project financing. Finance professionals and lenders helped bridge the gap between homeowners and contractors by presenting financing options for improving energy efficiency. For example, Fannie Mae showcased Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs), or loans that use energy savings to help repay financing for improvements.
The workshop also offered consumers opportunities to learn about new products, such as 'cool roofs.' Cool roofs have a white plastic coating that lowers the roof temperature, resulting in cooler conditions for both the top floor and the entire house. The roofs are one of many relatively inexpensive ways to save energy. Solutions for Progress, Inc. has planned future training sessions to introduce community contractors to new products and to teach them how to effectively use those products in the field.

Moving Forward

The Cooling Workshop was designed not only to provide resources for the underserved market of row homeowners, but also to create a model curriculum for replication in cities across America. The workshop demonstrated that energy efficiency makes economic sense for moderate- to low-income homeowners, creates business opportunities for local contractors, leverages neighborhood economic development, contributes to building a strong community, and strengthens our nation's energy independence. Its success has prompted Rebuild America to sponsor another workshop in Philadelphia in the fall of 2002, targeted toward saving money on gas, electricity, and oil during the cold winter months.

For more information, contact: Marianne McLaughlin, Solutions for Progress, Inc., (215) 205-5503, mmclaughlin@solfopro.com