The energy assessment usually takes between 2 and 4 hours. The size, age and construction of your home will determine the length of the visit.

Assuming we are able to do work on your home and reduce your energy usage (by sealing air leaks, installing CFLs and water savings measures, etc.) your savings will be seen right away on your next bill. Savings may differ from season to season as some measures decrease heating demands and others affect electricity use, including air conditioning.

Again, every home is different and the savings depends its size and how leaky or “inefficient” your home was prior to the visit (a newer tight home will save less money than an older “leaky” home) but on average the savings is 7-11% on your energy bills.

The energy advisor helps you prioritize, understand and implement the recommendations made by your technician during the HES visit.

As long as your energy usage is available, the technician will be able to show you your estimated savings at the end of the assessment on a utility approved “Report Card”. You will receive a copy of the “Report Card” via email as well.

The WHEC HES assessment has the extra added benefit of an expert energy advisor at no cost to you to help you through the process of deciding upon further energy efficient upgrades recommended at the initial visit.

You will receive a confirmation e-mail once you have scheduled an appointment. There will be a link in the e-mail to the N2N/Westport Challenge Usage Release Form. You can also go directly to: http://ne-smartenergy.com/contract and click CT Westport Challenge Usage Release Form or you can call the office at 203-292-8088 and we will send it to you directly.

The co-pay of $75 is determined by the Department of Public Utility Control, and is subject to change. The CT Energy Efficiency Fund pays the remaining cost of the visit. The program is funded by a small surcharge on your electric and gas utility bills.

Depending on how your home is heated; a variety of rebates are available. Your Energy Advisor and HES Tech will explain which ones you qualify for. You can find additional information on rebates on our website.

You are not required to switch bulbs or shower heads if you choose not to, every measure on the program is only if the customer chooses to have them installed.

Currently, you can have another HES visit 18 months after your initial visit with CL&P. If you are interested in learning more about what additional measures you can take to increase the efficiency of your home and save you money, you can sign up for another visit. An energy advisor will help you determine the most cost effective and practical upgrades for your home.

The technicians actually do a lot of work. They install up to 25 CFL bulbs, seal and weatherize leaks in your home, including ducts if they are accessible. They seal hot water pipes and install water saving measures like low flow shower heads and aerators. They also test your home for gas and carbon monoxide leaks, asbestos and mold, all of which are health hazards.

Neighbor to Neighbor wants to help everyone in Westport save money, earn rewards and work towards a cleaner, more livable community. For every energy-saving action taken by a Westport resident through the program, the town earns points that can be redeemed for all kinds of neat rewards: solar-powered LED street lights, electric vehicle charging stations, and more. So each resident’s participation helps earn points, which can be redeemed for items that benefit the entire community.

The program will also give Westport an economic boost. When the town reaches its 20 percent energy reduction goal – meaning that the town’s aggregate energy use will go down by 20 percent – we will have saved over $14 million dollars in unnecessary energy costs. All those extra dollars can go right back into the local economy.

Aside from the tangible benefits, Neighbor to Neighbor also promotes Westport as a leader in energy efficiency in the state. Only 14 towns are participating in the program. We’re glad that Westport is one of them!

HES, or Home Energy Solutions, is a home energy assessment program offered by Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund in partnership with CL&P, UI and the natural gas utilities. Home Energy Solutions is available to all Connecticut residents for a limited time at the low price of $75, although the work performed during the assessment is valued at approximately $700 ($1,000 for Westport residents, because of the Energy Advisor). Participants can expect to save an average of $200 a year from the measures taken during the assessment – although we’re urging people to pay particular attention to the recommendations for further upgrades that may come after the assessment is over. It’s these further actions that really lead to meaningful and persistent energy cost savings.

Neighbor to Neighbor Lighting is a free program that helps residents see immediate energy cost savings through a free in-home lighting consultation. Members of the program’s Clean Energy Corps, a group of 10 recent college graduates who have received certification in green lighting practices, will visit your home, work with you to determine its highest-traffic and most well-lit areas, and will install up to 15 compact fluorescent light bulbs at no cost to you. Westport residents can sign up at www.ctenergychallenge.com/lighting, but should keep in mind that they are eligible for this program only if they have not had a Home Energy Solutions assessment.

Our program is made possible by a $4.17 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, funded as part of the Better Buildings Initiative. Better Buildings is an innovative federal program that aims to create a self-sustaining building energy upgrade market by granting more than $500 million in federal funding among 41 hand-selected state and local government programs. We’re proud and excited to be part of a program that’s providing high-quality energy improvements to homes and businesses across the nation!

The Westport Home Energy Challenge is similar to the Neighbor to Neighbor program described above. In addition to promoting Home Energy Solutions visits, the Westport program provides homeowners who sign up for the program with a personal Energy Advisor. The Energy Advisor helps the homeowner understand, prioritize and implement the home energy assessment recommendations. The home energy assessment and Energy Advisor are being provided by an independent home energy assessment company (New England Smart Energy) that does provide significant energy upgrades.

Neighbor to Neighbor is all about actual energy savings. Without your utility data, we can’t verify energy use reductions, or conduct the cutting-edge analysis that puts our program at the forefront of residential energy efficiency efforts. We respect your willingness to share your utility data. It will not be sold, released or shared with third parties. Your privacy is our utmost concern.