In August 2024 Linda Larrabee, a lifelong Shoreham resident, spoke about feeling stumped about how to address her heating and cooling needs at home.

She found out about the Addison County Energy Navigators, an initiative of the Climate Economy Action Center of Addison County. The program offers free, one-on-one support for local renters and homeowners in identifying ways to reduce their homes’ carbon footprint.

Since she tapped into the expertise of an Energy Navigator, Larrabee has seen her home energy project come to fruition.

“I was aware that (solutions and funding for insulation and air sealing work) were out there and the Heat Squad (of NeighborWorks of Western Vermont) was there, but it was a matter of not knowing where to start,” Larrabee said. “I wouldn’t have a clue of what was reasonable to ask.

“And that not knowing where to start is key,” she continued. “You don’t want to approach one of these things (a home energy project) with a lack of knowledge.”

After she installed heat pumps a few years ago, Larrabee felt her project was incomplete. But she discovered that, without adequate insulation in her basement and attic, Larrabee was heating and cooling the outdoors. Through gaps in her basement rim joists cold air was able to infiltrate her home. And in her attic, warm air was able to leak out causing an increase in spending on her heating efforts to account for that heat loss.

Unsure of who to contact about her home energy questions and personal goals, Larrabee made the timely acquaintance of Jean Terwilliger, a local helper with Energy Navigators, a program offered by the Climate Economy Action Center of Addison County, or CEAC.

Before making this connection, Larrabee had managed to live with what she thought would be her permanent reality. A year later, Larrabee’s situation is wholly different. All winter long, she’s noted the changes.

“I have noticed a savings in the fuel consumption just with the insulation of the basement. It’s actually usable now in the winter, it’s quite warm down there,” Larrabee said.

Not only does it mean that her basement is usable, but she is also noticing differences within the main living area. Insulating at the base of her home allows the rest of the home to reap the benefits as well.

Funded by the Municipal Energy Resilience Program and Vermont Low Income Trust for Electricity, Energy Navigators launched in spring of 2024 and have since worked up and down Addison County conversing with homeowners and renters about how to plug into the program’s mission of connecting residents to a clean energy future. By referring clients to state and federal funds for their home energy projects with the long-term goal of reducing the county’s residential carbon footprint as stated in CEAC’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the navigators have completed dozens of consultations and aim to continue providing guidance for homeowners and renters of all income levels and living situations.

In conversation with Terwilliger, a running list of potential upgrades began to form for Larrabee’s home. From improving the home’s insulation and air-sealing work (weatherization) to adding a heat pump water heater, the opportunities seemed endless.

Though Larrabee was a little overwhelmed by these options, Terwilliger provided a project plan that allowed the homeowner to pick and choose what would work best for her situation.

“I think that the important part for Energy Navigators is just to reinforce that you’re there to help,” Larrabee said. “There’s not a hard sell… The energy navigation is free. You don’t have to do everything, you don’t have to do anything. It’s just for your information to know what your options are.”

While there were some hiccups throughout the project, like a delay in receiving her rebate, Larrabee was able to get it all done in a year. Like anything, it takes time to perform an audit or secure a contractor to do the work. But having the information you need to get the project done is a great first step.

Whether you are planning a small-scale project for home comfort or diving into a whole home retrofit, Energy Navigators can provide the guidance you need to understand your next steps.

Learn more online at ceacac.org/energy-navigators.

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Adayliah Ley is an ECO AmeriCorps member and the Energy Navigator Program Outreach Partner for CEAC.