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YouthBuild Energy Audits Help Homeowners, Young People By JENNIFER LADE JLade@s-t.com October 3, 2009 12:00 AM NEW BEDFORD — With cold weather just around the corner, homeowners are thinking about ways to cut energy costs as they brace for another long winter. YouthBuild participants have the answer, providing in-home energy audits while learning a trade. The result is a win-win-win situation that benefits young people, homeowners — and the environment. "The main objective is to help the homeowner or the resident of the home identify areas that can make their home more energy-efficient," said Temistocles "Tem Blessed" Ferreira, Green Solutions coordinator for the local YouthBuild branch. Ferreira currently oversees three program participants — Justin Carmell, Max Mendes and Tyrell Williams — who test homes for leaks and cold spots during their audits and make recommendations to homeowners on how to save energy. The youths conduct a "blower door test," which creates a vacuum in the house and helps identify leaks in the home, Ferreira said. In addition, they use an infrared camera that helps them determine if the walls have insulation and points to spots that are colder than the rest of the house. Attics are a main culprit for heat loss, because warm air rises. At an energy audit conducted Wednesday for Leo Beltran, Carmell gave his assessment on the drafty house. "He definitely needed insulation in his house overall, because it's a very old house," he said, adding that weatherization is critical in this climate. "We live in the New England area. We have a little bit of summer, but we have the cold throughout the year." The youths will send Beltran a formal list of recommendations on how to weatherize his home, with an offer to do the work themselves. YouthBuild does audits for free, and clients generally learn about the program through word of mouth, Ferreira said. Clients who choose to have YouthBuild do the weatherization only have to pay for materials. The labor is free, because the youths doing the work are still in training. "It's our belief in sustainability as a movement and also a green job being a real job that pays livable wages, so we're training our young people to be employable in the future — in a job that's helping not only the homeowner but also the environment," Ferreira said. He estimated that homeowners save about 30 percent on their energy costs after having their homes weatherized. A national program, YouthBuild allows people ages 16 to 24 to work toward their GED or high school diploma while learning job skills through community service. The city program, directed by Gloria Williams, has existed for the past 15 years and is part of People Acting in Community Endeavors, Ferreira said. For 12 years, the organization has been affiliated with Americorps, from which it gets some of its funding. Additional funding comes from the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance, the Shannon Grant and a state line item. In addition, the local Workforce Investment Board connects young people with YouthBuild during the summer months. Carmell, Mendes and Williams are recruits from the summer program and earlier sessions, but a new group of youths, 27 in all, will start up with YouthBuild on Oct. 13, Ferreira said. They can choose one of three tracks to focus on: weatherization, environmental beautification or construction-related community service. YouthBuild is still accepting applications for its upcoming 10-month session at 181 Hillman St., Building 9. ..... As seen in the Standard-Times on 10/03/09 227 Union Street, Suite 206, New Bedford, MA 02740-5946 PH 508.979.1504 • FAX 508.979.5680 E-mail: Webmaster@gnbwib.org |