Improving Home Energy Efficiency using Weatherization Techniques
The “weatherization” of low income households
has proven to have remarkable results in terms of energy savings,
family health and safety, quality of life improvements, climate
change mitigation and green jobs creation. As countries in the
region seek to learn from policies and programs that address the
challenges of climate change, the OAS-SEDI, through its Department
of Sustainable Development, as Clearinghouse of the Energy and
Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA), and in partnership with
Weatherizers Without Borders, convened a Public Discussion Forum on
“Energy efficiency and weatherization in low-income housing” at OAS
headquarters on February 27, 2015.
Opening the forum, OAS Secretary General, Jose Miguel Insulza,
referred to ECPA as "an important and useful tool in promoting
change towards renewable energy and energy efficiency in the
region," and an initiative that "has helped foster partnerships for
greater dialogue, collaboration and awareness among governments,
multilateral organizations, NGOs, the private sector and academia."
US
Congressman Paul Tonko, who participated in the opening session,
emphasized his country’s nearly forty-years of experience in the
implementation of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) which
provides a valuable example of how governments may support the
reduction
of energy consumption and dependency,
while improving quality of life for people. In this regard, he noted
that “this type of exercise -- where we translate and transfer a
program from one nation to another is exactly the type of
international coordination and cooperation that we need.” In
expressing his support for the program, Congressman Tonko suggested
that “energy efficiency should be our fuel-of-choice. It is the
least expensive, most environmentally beneficial "fuel" we have.”
Permanent Representative
of Mexico to the OAS, Emilio Rabasa, emphasized the importance of
the exchange in preparation for the next ECPA ministerial meeting,
to be held in May in Mérida, Yucatán, stating that the high-level
meeting "will serve to reaffirm the commitment of governments to
clean energy and climate efficiency." Mexico currently chairs the
ECPA Energy Efficiency Working Group.
Permanent Representative of Uruguay to the OAS, Hugo Cayrus also
took part in the forum, highlighting the links between energy
efficiency and the promotion of equality, explaining that Uruguay’s
energy policy is “conceived to improve the quality of life of people
in vulnerable socio-economic situations and ease the access of the
population, by promoting a culture of efficient and safe use of
resources and optimizing the investments of the state.”
Work is
currently underway in countries such as Argentina and Uruguay to
utilize weatherization technologies to improve household energy
efficiency. At the forum, experts from
Weatherizers Without Borders conducted a live energy assessment
exercise for participating experts and authorities, and shared
opportunities to expand weatherization programs throughout the
Americas, following the WAP model.
