$1 Million Invested Back Into Central Oregon Homes
A major milestone just happened in Central Oregon’s clean energy transition: through The Environmental Center’s Home Energy Assessment Program, local households have now accessed more than $1 million in clean energy incentives from Energy Trust of Oregon for energy upgrades.
That means over a million dollars invested directly into safer, healthier, more energy-efficient homes — while also supporting local contractors, lowering utility bills, and reducing climate pollution right here in our community.
And the best part? Much of that work happened at little to no cost for participating households.
By the Numbers
In just two years, the Home Energy Assessment Program has delivered:
- 133 free home energy assessments
- 89 completed clean energy projects
- $1.05 million in incentive dollars connected to local households
Those investments didn’t just help families save money — they also strengthened the local economy by directing work to contractors and businesses throughout Central Oregon.
The energy savings are significant too:
- 633,358 kWh saved
- 1,325 therms reduced
That’s roughly equivalent to the annual energy use of about 50 homes — or driving a passenger vehicle more than 1.2 million miles.
Three years ago, it was just an idea
In 2023, The Environmental Center began partnering with Energy Trust of Oregon to explore a new approach to helping households that have historically been underserved by traditional energy programs access affordable home energy upgrades.
What followed was months of behind-the-scenes planning, problem-solving, partnership building, and operational design. The result was the launch of the Home Energy Assessment Program — a community-based model designed to help people navigate the often complicated world of rebates, incentives, contractors, and energy upgrades.
The program focuses on supporting environmental justice communities, including households with low to moderate incomes, people living with disabilities, people of color, and rural residents across Central Oregon.
Through free home energy assessments, participants receive personalized guidance and support accessing upgrades like:
- Heat pumps for efficient heating and cooling
- Insulation upgrades
- Heat pump water heaters
- Energy-saving home improvements that improve comfort, indoor air quality, and long-term affordability
For many households, these upgrades are life-changing.
According to program participant, and our pal, Larry, who received more than $15,000 in home energy upgrades:
“This program is amazing. I didn’t spend a dime.”
A Program Rooted in Community Partnerships
The Home Energy Assessment Program would not exist without years of collaboration, trust-building, and shared learning.
The early inspiration came when Energy Trust of Oregon’s multifamily program approached The Environmental Center about becoming a community partner organization to help connect directly with local residents and improve housing efficiency through a more trust-based, community-centered model.
At the same time, community partners Kristi Kimball and Lauren Fraser helped spark another connection through outreach work tied to Energize Bend. That connection led to conversations with Seeds for the Sol, a Corvallis-based organization that had already built an innovative community-driven energy program and zero-interest loan model.
With support from a Working Together grant from Energy Trust of Oregon, The Environmental Center was able to explore whether this kind of model could work in Central Oregon. That funding helped staff spend critical time designing systems, operationalizing the program, building partnerships, and hiring the people needed to turn an idea into reality.
As Lindsey Hardy, Climate Solutions Program Director at The Environmental Center, explains:
“All the stuff that happens behind the scenes before a program becomes tangible takes an enormous amount of time and energy. This grant gave us the space to figure out how to build something that could truly serve our community.”
The partnership with Seeds for the Sol also opened the door to learning about community-based zero-interest loan programs that help households bridge upfront costs for clean energy upgrades. Today, The Environmental Center is piloting a similar model locally while continuing to learn from Seeds for the Sol’s decade of experience.
“Julie and Kristi from Seeds for the Sol have become mentors to me,” Hardy said. “I look up to what they’ve created for their community, and I hope we can continue building that kind of impact here in Central Oregon.”
What Comes Next
The Home Energy Assessment Program will continue to grow!
Most recently, The Environmental Center hired a bilingual Home Energy Assessment Coordinator to expand access for Spanish-speaking households throughout the region. This will help more families access cooling during extreme heat, improve indoor air quality during wildfire smoke events, and lower household energy costs.
At its core, this program reflects The Environmental Center’s commitment to a just transition — making sure the benefits of a clean energy future are accessible to everyone, especially the communities that have historically been left out of these investments.
And this is only the beginning.
As the program expands, The Environmental Center is continuing to explore new ways for community members to get involved — from participating in assessments and upgrades to supporting local climate solutions through community investment opportunities. This program is meant to be for our community and it can and should be designed by the community. If you have ideas, we want to hear them. Reach out to Lindsey@envirocenter.org.
More updates are coming soon, but don’t you worry, there will be a role for YOU to play.
