"Age, size, and resulting affordability currently exclude working families and individuals from the housing market. We want to change that."

Community Weatherization Project

Noticing drafty windows or doors? Wondering what simple measures you can take to make heating and cooling your home more efficient?  Apply to CEBE’s Community Weatherization Project!

In partnership with We Built This, you will begin by participating in a workshop-based model and learn about basic strategies to weatherize your home. Each eligible homeowner will receive an energy assessment from a licensed energy professional, while also increasing their own knowledge and skills around home weatherization. Once your assessment is completed, we’ll review the recommendations together and make a plan for your home. Basic home weatherization techniques will be implemented by the homeowner and volunteer crew from the workshop. 

 

Eligible applicants will:

• Receive an energy audit/assessment of their home 

• Be aided with submitting potential rebate forms to Efficiency Maine

• Participate in a one-hour weatherization workshop (future dates to be determined)

• Work with a group of workshop volunteers to make simple weatherization upgrades to their own home and at least one other home of a volunteer.

Learn more by filling out a brief application HERE.  Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Priority given to low to middle income homes. The program is free -- participants pay a $50 "Hold My Place" fee, which is refunded upon completion of the weatherization workshop. Learn more about the steps applicants will complete in the program here. Have questions? Contact Seal Rossignol: seal@ecologybasedeconomy.org or call CEBE at 739-2101. 

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One of the greatest struggles for many in our communities is to find affordable, inspiring shelter. Much of the housing in our towns and rural communities is old and inefficient and new construction is often geared toward larger homes. Strides have been made in energy efficiency, but the sheer size of many homes and the energy that is consumed in their construction, will continue to exclude working families and individuals from the housing market. 

Recent developments in green building technology utilizing local timber, clay, stone, and agricultural waste products like straw have shown that beautiful, highly livable and ultra-efficient housing can be affordable and have a much lower impact on the environment both in their construction and operation. These techniques are not only affordable but are accessible to the ambitious owner builder with some training and experience. Ongoing training in green building skills can both help to create a new generation of low-impact shelter, and a new generation of builder/teachers. Intentional Communities and Co-Housing Projects have also demonstrated efficiencies in creating affordable shelter by sharing costs of essential systems, with added benefits of localized food and energy production and other benefits of close community.

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