Pitch
Residents expend large amounts of energy to heat poorly insulated homes. Investing in insulation will save pay off for years to come.
Description
Summary
Many of the houses in Somerville have little to no insulation -- hollow walls that feel freezing cold to the touch in winter and leak huge amounts of energy during the summer and winter. Insulating residences now will save gas, oil, and electricity for decades to come with no further action required.
What actions do you propose?
The city would offer monetary assistance for insulating residences, informational assistance to help homeowners decide how to proceed, or tax breaks for upgrades.
Upgrades to building codes aren't enough -- we need to insulate these 100-year-old houses now.
The city should also explore what would happen if residents and landlords had to share utility costs, since that might provide further incentives to landlords who see no reason to improve insulation today.