Wellington County wants to understand how it can help residents retrofit their homes for comfort and the climate.
Dunsky Energy and Climate Advisors and Mainstreet Research are conducting online and phone surveys over the next month to better understand the needs of residents.
The questionnaires for homeowners and landlords of low-rise homes including detached, semi-detached, and row housing, will focus on energy use, barriers to home improvements, and what has already been done to improve energy efficiency in the residence.
The Phone survey will be running to December 2 and will take about 20 minutes. People may receive a call from Mainstreet Research to conduct a phone survey.
‘‘We know that demand for local contractors is already high in Wellington County and will rise as home retrofits increase. These retrofits enable our residents to age in place, add an additional dwelling unit for family or to supplement their income,” said Jana Burns, Wellington Place Administrator. “We want to make sure our local renovation industry is well-equipped to meet this challenge. Understanding what the community needs is part of that equation.”
‘‘Residential buildings contribute 9% of our community greenhouse gas emissions,’’ commented Karen Chisholme, Climate Change and Sustainability Manager at the County of Wellington. “Many of the actions homeowners and landlords take to reduce emissions also contribute to improved home comfort, health, and durability. We want to understand what tools our community needs to invest in their homes to meet these goals, and what the municipality’s role is in supporting them.”
People can learn more at: www.wellington.ca/getinvolved.