RMLD Selects New Home Energy Auditor

The Reading Municipal Light Department (RMLD) has contracted with Boston-based home efficiency company, Next Step Living (NSL), to provide home energy assessments to its residential customers in Lynnfield, North Reading, Reading and Wilmington. NSL also offers other efficiency services.

RMLD will provide home energy assessments to its customers at no charge. By taking advantage of this service, residents can identify opportunities to reduce energy costs and increase comfort in their home.

“Homes require dynamic solutions to save energy,” said RMLD Energy Efficiency Engineer Jared Carpenter. “Next Step Living will offer new approaches to meet this goal.

Residents can gain access to a range of incentives and rebates for efficiency improvements in their homes, which include free instant-saving measures such as energy efficient light bulbs and access to low-interest loans for energy efficiency improvements (for all RMLD customers), and a 75 percent instant rebate for approved insulation improvements up to $2,000 (for natural gas customers).

“We’re excited to be able to serve RMLD customers as they take steps towards improving the comfort of their home, reducing utility costs and lowering their carbon footprint through energy efficiency,” said NSL Director of Community Programs Travis Estes.

This increase in residential efficiency services comes as part of RMLD’s participation in the Local Energy Action Program, an effort sponsored by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for 101 cities and towns in the greater Boston area. MAPC is working with RMLD and the towns of Reading, North Reading, Lynnfield and Wilmington to create a comprehensive plan that promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy for the towns, their local businesses and their residents.

“The collaboration between RMLD and Next Step Living is a great program that is going to help residents assess and audit their energy usage, which is the first step on the road to realizing energy savings,” said MAPC Executive Director Marc Draisen. “This will really help people save money, increase energy efficiency and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions in the long run.”

MAPC’s Local Energy Action Program is made possible by support from the Barr Foundation. Communities selected for this program receive technical assistance from MAPC to plan for and launch innovative and financially-sustainable projects that reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in the municipal, residential and commercial sectors.

To schedule your home energy assessment, please visit http://www.rmld.com/Pages/rmldma_conservation/ResiAuditRequest and fill out the Residential Audit Request Form or call an RMLD customer specialist at 781-944-1340.

For more information on the Local Energy Action Program, contact MAPC Energy Services Coordinator Helen Aki at haki@mapc.org or visit www.mapc.org/clean-energy.