According to Pew Research, approximately 30% (or 350 million metric tons) of all U.S. GHG emissions can be directly traced to residential homes. Therefore, it is vitally important that efforts to control global warming include an explicit focus on residential buildings.

The SWITCH Project is an innovative community-based energy conservation partnership between the Moontown Foundation, the Got Green Project, Seattle Housing Authority, Seattle City Light, and the Seattle Public utility, and is meant to demonstrate a cost-effective and immediate way to increase residential energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through incremental behavior change and participation in a formalized energy conservation program.

Over the next three years, Moontown will work to weatherize over 10,000 low-income households and train 150 for entry-level conservation career positions.  Our efforts will reduce the financial impact of rising energy cost on low-income rental tenants who receive housing assistance, which is especially important for families living at the lower end of the financial spectrum, as they spend a disproportionately higher percentage of there income on water and electricity. To alleviate this stress, SWITCH team members will:

• Install compact fluorescent light bulbs
• Install low-flow shower heads and sink aerators
• Install programmable thermostats
• Seal internal electric outlets and switches
• Apply weather stripping on external doors
• Replace toilet flapper valves Install water displacement devices
• Lower hot water heaters from 160 degrees to 120
• Wrap and insulate hot water heaters

To accomplish this, Moontown will recruit, hire, and train economically disadvantaged and socially disconnected young adults how to perform the basic weatherization work. The objective is to teach basic weatherization and energy efficiency, life and interpersonal skills to historically disadvantaged individuals.

After 200 installations (approximately 5-months), the participants will matriculate to a local community college or vocational trade school to enhance their green trade and educational skills, as they build on their baseline of experience, relative to propelling them along a successful green career path.

To learn more about the SWITCH Project, contact: dotheswitch “at” moontownfoundation.org