Vision Galveston Collaborates with CenterPoint Energy to Provide No-cost Energy Efficient Upgrades
Vision Galveston, a nonprofit established in 2019 to empower Galveston residents and the future of the island, announced that it is collaborating with CenterPoint Energy to provide no-cost energy efficient upgrades to qualifying Galveston residents. The energy efficiency programs – Weatherization Assistance Program/Agencies in Action (AIA) and CoolSaver Tune-Up – are designed to help residential customers lower energy usage and utility costs through whole-house energy weatherization upgrades, including air conditioning (A/C), heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) tune-ups, low-flow showerheads, water heater pipe insulation, solar screens, ceiling or wall insulation and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs.
Today, the program was launched in Galveston with three customers receiving energy efficient upgrades – all residents of the Old Central Carver Park neighborhood. All Galveston residents are eligible for consideration, however there are qualifying guidelines specific to each program. Potential service locations must:
▪ Have a valid ESI ID that is located in CenterPoint Energy’s Houston Electric delivery service territories.
▪ Have a central A/C or heat pump that is at least one year old and in good working order at the time of service.
▪ Have individual A/C systems that are no larger than 5 tons for residential customers and 25 tons for commercial customers.
According to EnergySage, Galveston residents on average spend about $195.00 per month on electricity, which is 14% higher than the national average electric bill of $169.00. Without properly equipped homes to withstand Texas’ above average temperatures and other extreme weather conditions, this could increase over time, greatly impacting islanders during the hot summer months. And this could be a significant financial burden for families that are already economically challenged.
Vision Galveston is committed to the wellbeing of all island residents and is implementing these energy efficiency programs in direct response to their request for such assistance.
“The CoolSaver Tune-Up helped me become more educated about what I can do to take care of my system, as CenterPoint’s technician was very clear about everything he was doing,” said Ms. Shirley Adams, CoolSaver Tune-Up participant. “This program will help other people, especially seniors, to learn what they can do to maximize their A/C units. I certainly appreciate all you are doing, and I plan to sign up for the weatherization program as well.”
“Revitalizing Galveston is our priority, and that includes ensuring our residents and their homes are safe – physically and environmentally – despite their economic status or where they reside. Vision Galveston and Build Galveston Community Development Corporation are working together to improve the Old Central Carver Park neighborhood,” said Christine Bryant, CEO, Vision Galveston. “Our collaboration with CenterPoint Energy is the first step in helping us increase the number of energy efficient homes in Galveston.”
CenterPoint Energy’s energy efficiency programs offer savings on a collective of energy and money-saving programs and products, including smart thermostat discounts, HVAC, ceiling insulation, LED lighting, buying or building and ENERGY STAR® pool pumps to help increase energy efficiency.
“We have implemented these programs across our electric service territory, and these valuable programs are available to all customers we have the privilege to serve. More than 200 residents have already received weatherization upgrades to their homes this year, which include additional insulation and sealing up penetrations where conditioned air escapes their homes. We look forward to expanding our energy efficiency work in Galveston,” said Ana Baskharone, CenterPoint Energy’s Energy Efficiency Director. “Collaborating with Vision Galveston gives us the opportunity to assist fellow Texans in preserving energy and share information about our energy efficiency programs available to our customers.”
Additionally, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation donated $100,000 to Vision Galveston to fund future programs for income-qualified Galveston residents.
For more information or to apply for the program, please visit www.visiongalveston.com or email info@visiongalveston.com. Please visit CenterPoint Energy’s website for more information about the company’s energy efficiency programs.
