The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has launched a new program to remove health and safety barriers (asbestos, mold, knob-and-tube, etc.) to enable weatherization work for income-eligible households.
Weatherization is the process of protecting a building from external elements such as wind and precipitation which in turn helps reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency of the building.
Income eligible households who have already been deferred by Connecticut’s state-managed Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) or utility-managed Home Energy Solutions – Income Eligible (HES-IE) weatherization programs will have barriers addressed before receiving energy efficiency improvements.
The International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (ICAST) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) provide these services and updates with funding from State Energy Program (SEP) funds, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funds, and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Funding for this Weatherization Barrier Remediation Program may cover the costs for some or all of your health and safety improvements.
Barrier Remediation Advantages
- Improve residents' health by removing issues such as mold, asbestos, vermiculite, etc.
- Reduce utility bills from the energy efficiency upgrades installed after barrier remediation
- Prevent disease and injury and increase the quality of life
- Protect vulnerable individuals; people with asthma, children, the elderly, immunocompromised, etc.
Who Is Eligible
- Must be a resident of Connecticut
- Must meet the Connecticut income requirement of 60% of State Medium Income for your household size. This information can be found here. If you’re not sure if you’re considered income qualified, please reach out to the Community Outreach Coordinator for more information.
- Must need weatherization services and have a verified barrier preventing such services. Verified barriers include:
- Asbestos or Asbestos-like material abatement
- Vermiculite abatement
- Mold remediation
- Moisture control
- Exhaust/Ventilation installation or repair
- Knob and Tube wiring repair
- Energy-related roof repairs (with pre-approval; no roof replacements)
- Smoke/CO detectors
- Grading: Minor re-grading of perimeter grounds to correct improper drainage and reduce excessive accumulation of water against the foundation.
- Gutters/Downspouts: Up to 25 feet of gutter repair/replacement and up to 50 feet of downspout repair/replacement
- Sump pump system installation/repair
- Pest control
- Radon testing and mitigation
- Testing and remediation of air exchange issues, filtration, and indoor air quality (IAQ) issues
- Combustion Testing - includes Clean Tune and Test (CTT), repair of fuel leaks, CAZ testing, distribution systems including ambient air
REPS utilizes a set of prioritization criteria to assess which remediation projects best meet the goals of the program. First and foremost, the scope of work of the project cannot exceed the program Total Cost Per Unit (TCPU) of $30,000. Additionally, the program must stick to an Average Cost Per Unit (ACPU) of $11,700 (if the customer is eligible for Low Income Home Energy Assistance [LIHEAP] funds, or $6,400 if not). If the project fits within those parameters, customers will be prioritized based on whether they:
- Reside in a CT Disadvantaged Community (DAC)
- Reside in a designated Energy Burdened Community
- Have an active Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) award letter (this allows for access to LIHEAP funds)
- Have been previously deferred from WAP of HES-IE
- Are a renter
- Remediation of their home results in a high level of energy savings per dollar spent on remediation
How it works
- REPS works through CT’s existing weatherization programs, WAP & HES-IE. Therefore, if you haven’t already, apply for either of these programs to be eligible
- To ensure access to the greatest benefits, customers must have a current Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (“CEAP”) award or are required to apply for this program year here.
- If you meet our qualifications, you will then work with our Community Outreach Coordinator to schedule a weatherization barrier assessment (the purpose of this assessment is to verify the presence of a barrier to energy efficiency upgrades and prepare the scope of work needed to address the issue(s))
- If you qualify and the presence of a barrier is verified, ICAST will reach out to have you review and sign an agreement for remediation and requirement to follow through with all free recommended weatherization measures
- After the remediation is complete, you will be referred back to the original program you were working with for additional weatherization services, either WAP or HES-IE
For more information
The program is administered by ICAST.
Visit www.icastusa.org or email our Community Outreach Coordinator at CT@icastusa.org or call (844) 843-4585 for more details or to inquire about your eligibility.
