Temperatures are starting to dip, but high power bills are still looming for many in New Orleans. The city is offering low-cost evaluations on how to retrofit homes for energy efficiency.
Global Green New Orleans is managing the NOLA Wise program, hoping to lower energy use — and the bills — for 600 homes in the next few years. Director Beth Galante says it starts with a $35 comprehensive evaluation done by trained contractors. Homeowners are given a checklist of what can be done, how much it should cost, and where to get a loan. And she says New Orleans added another step to protect homeowners.
“We actually have another contractor come in — a third party come in — to check our contractor’s work after they’re done to make sure that everything was done well, that the homeowner got what they paid for and that they’re satisfied with the work.”
Galante says New Orleans residents are also facing steep increases for water service, so NOLA Wise is offering help with conservation.
“We put in water-efficiency measures, very inexpensive things that you can do to cut your water bill by 20 to 50 percent with some very low-cost retrofits in your home.”
Home evaluations can be arranged through Global Green New Orleans, which is hosting a discussion Thursday about water management.
