DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program: National impacts and regional variations

摘要

Since 1976, the USDOE has operated one of the largest energy conservation programs in the nation -- the low-income Weatherization Program. DOE Weatherization strives to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings occupied by low-income persons, in order to reduce their energy consumption, lower their fuel bills, increase the comfort of their homes, and safeguard their health. It targets vulnerable groups including the elderly, people with disabilities, and families with children. The most recent national evaluation of the impacts of DOE Weatherization examined the energy consumption of households weatherized in 1981. DOE Weatherization regulations and operations have changed substantially since then: new funding sources, management principles, diagnostic procedures, and weatherization technologies have been incorporated. Many of these new features have been studied in isolation or at a local level; however, no recent evaluation has assessed their combined, nationwide impacts or their potential for the future. In 1990, DOE initiated such a national evaluation. The evaluation is comprised of three ''impact'' studies and two ''policy'' studies. Altogether, these five studies will provide a comprehensive national evaluation of the Weatherization Program. This paper presents the results of the first phase of the Single-Family Study. It evaluates the energy savings and cost effectiveness of DOE Weatherization as it has been applied to the largest portion of its client base -- low-income households occupying single-family dwellings, mobile homes, and small (2- to 4-unit) multifamily dwellings. In addition to the primary goals of estimating energy savings and cost effectiveness, the study has three secondary goals: assess non-energy impacts, such as employment and environmental benefits; analyze factors associated with energy savings and cost effectiveness; and identify promising weatherization opportunities for the future.