Testimonials

What participants are saying about the Community
Energy Challenge

Several City of Bellingham employees have been through the program, and here's what they have to say about it:

        “The Community Energy Challenge worked really well for us. They started off with an energy assessment of our house that looked at everything – insulation, appliances, air leakage, and other things. Their report was very thorough and helped us prioritize the most cost-effective projects. In our case, those projects included insulating the attic, walls, and floor, and sealing air leaks throughout the house.  They helped us take advantage of rebates and incentives that brought down the price of the work.  The contractors did an excellent job and the Building Performance Center did a quality control inspection at the end of the project that gave us a lot of confidence in the work. Since project completion, our energy bills have decreased by 25%!"
        - Sylvia Graham, Public Works

        "The CEC launched just as I became a first-time homebuyer, so the timing was perfect for me to upgrade my adorable 1921-built house.  As a member of the City's Smart Growth Green Team who champions energy efficiency and green building techniques, I wanted to partake in it myself to better understand what we're asking others to do.  I also loved the fact that the project provided work for local contractors, and to date, between electrical work that was required before the insulation could be added, and the toilet replacement that was unrelated but necessary, my improvements have provided work for 8 people. By the way, if you have gone through the CEC process, you're eligible for a rebate on water-saving appliances!  The people at CEC were professional, caring, and responsive.  I highly recommend taking advantage of this great program!"  
        - Kim Weil, Planning & Community Development

        "The Community Energy Challenge provided me with an opportunity to see how well radiant floor heating was performing in our Bellingham home.  The assessment found our house to be well-insulated, but the boiler was not properly installed or energy efficient.  The Energy Challenge set us up with a new, energy efficient boiler that heats the house and hot water.  Our power bills have dropped significantly as a result of this change.  The Community Energy Challenge also identified solar potential for our home, and we are seriously considering adding solar panels to our roof.  Our family is very pleased with the program, and happy to do our part to consume less energy."
        - David Stalheim, Planning & Community Development

        "I had a great experience with the Community Energy Challenge.  The assessor was professional and thorough, and took us all through the house showing us everything from easy fixes to suggestions on larger long-term investments.  We had an appointment with our home energy advisor, who took time to go over our report in detail....and even told us how to get a practically free new washing machine by applying all the incentives available through the program!"
        - Darby Galligan, Planning & Community Development

The City of Bellingham is a regional and national leader in many sustainable practices. The City’s Public Works Department is working hard to implement strategies that will save energy, save money and reduce environmental impact. They are joined in this effort by dozens of small businesses, all of the other cities in the area, Whatcom County, several public school districts, WWU, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and hundreds of residents.