Energy efficiency pays off for low-income households

The national Weatherization Assistance Program has been working to reduce the energy burden on low-income households for more than 40 years. And it works! Households continue to reap savings years after weatherization.

Households participating in Wisconsin's Home Energy Plus Low-Income Weatherization program can save $500 each year on average. Their homes are more energy efficient and more comfortable—warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer.

But do those savings keep on giving? There are many studies that measure savings the first year after weatherization but few look at how long those savings persist. Is the household still saving money five years later? Ten years later? Slipstream recently completed an analysis of the persistence of savings for homes treated by the Wisconsin low-income weatherization program, Home Energy Plus (HE+). The analysis tracked savings up to 13 years following weatherization.

What did we learn? We found that natural gas savings in single-family homes lasted through the 13-year analysis period but that savings for electricity were more ambiguous. Read the full report to learn more.