FAQ

The CEO Weatherization Program partners with local weatherization agencies throughout the state to provide free weatherization services to Colorado residents. Qualified homeowners or renters can apply for these services by contacting their local weatherization agency. Once you contact your agency, you will need to follow a few simple steps to receive weatherization services:

• Complete an application. Your local agency will provide an application and assist you with completing it.
• Once your application is approved, your agency will schedule a free home energy audit. The home energy audit will identify the most appropriate and cost-effective improvements to be applied to your home.
• After your home’s appropriate measures are identified, your agency will schedule the service appointment. A qualified crew of weatherization technicians will install the appropriate improvements in your home.
• Once the work has been completed, an inspector will return to your home to assess the work for quality and completion.
• You’ll save energy, cut your utility bill and enjoy a more comfortable home.
   

There are numerous reasons for homeowners or renters to participate in the CEO Weatherization Program. Whether you are looking to save money, improve the comfort and value of your home, or help protect our environment, weatherization can help. Here are some benefits to weatherizing your home:

• Lower your monthly energy costs
• Save money
• Reduce your greenhouse gas emissions
• Do your part to slow climate change
• Help preserve our natural resources
• Keep your home cool in the summer
• Keep your home warm in the winter
   

If you currently receive financial assistance from any of the following programs, you automatically qualify for weatherization services:

• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Aid to the Needy and Disabled (AND)
• Old Age Pension (OAP)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)

Households can also be eligible if they meet required income guidelines. You can use the chart below to see if you qualify.

* Gross income means before tax. ** Please add $7,640.00 per year for each additional person in the household after 4 people.

Before you fill out an application, you should contact your local weatherization agency to see if your home has been previously weatherized. A home can only receive this program’s free weatherization services once, unless it received the services before September 30, 1994.

Once your local weatherization agency confirms that your home is eligible for weatherization, you can fill out and return an application. Your local weatherization agency can mail one to you.

If the landlord agrees, renters in single-family, multi-family and mobile home residences can qualify for the free CEO Weatherization Program. Contact your local weatherization agency for details.

You might be eligible for multi-family weatherization services if you are currently living in a building with more than four units and you DO NOT have your own furnace. Please ask your building manager to contact Energy Outreach Colorado at 1-888-963-8884 or look at answer number 9 below for more information. If your building has less than four units or you have your own furnace, please contact your local weatherization agency.

Mobile homes may also be eligible for the program. The most typical improvements done to a mobile home are skirting insulation, furnace replacement, storm windows and insulation.

Once the weatherization work is completed, an inspector will return to your home to assess the work done and make sure no work was missed. The GEO also works closely with all of its agencies to make sure staff members are properly trained and equipped and adhere to quality assurance standards.

Energy Outreach Colorado provides weatherization services for large, multi-family buildings in Colorado. The purpose of the Multi-family Weatherization Program is to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, thereby saving energy, reducing utility bills, and improving health and safety.

To qualify, property owners, low-income housing providers and/or housing authorities must submit an application to Energy Outreach Colorado for committee review and evaluation.

Buildings must meet the following criteria in order to qualify for weatherization funding:

• Have 5 or more dwelling units
• Have a centralized heat source (no individually heated units)
• Have NOT been previously weatherized through any CEO Weatherization program since Sep. 30, 1994

Property owners must be able to demonstrate the following in order to qualify for weatherization funding:

• At least 50% of the building’s residents meet the income qualification criteria
• That the benefits of weatherization will accrue to the residents
• That rents will not be increased for a reasonable period of time
• In order to receive priority funding status, that vulnerable populations such as the elderly (aged 60 or greater), persons with disabilities, families with children under 5, high residential energy users, and households with high energy burden will benefit from the weatherization measures

Income Requirements

Income qualification requirements are defined as follows:

• Each household’s total combined gross income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.

* Gross income means before tax. ** Please add $7,640.00 per year for each additional person in the household after 4 people.

In addition, the Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a final rule (10 CFR 440.22) that will make it easier for public and other assisted housing developments to participate in the CEO Weatherization Program. Under the new rule, CEO will be allowed to accept certifications of eligible buildings from HUD and USDA Rural Housing Service. HUD and USDA will each maintain lists of all eligible properties based on data gathered through existing income certification procedures applicable to each property.

Projects that pass the competitive selection process then begin a 7-step process towards weatherization:

1. Determine Eligibility: Property owners submit income verification for each resident (if required), as well as a 12-month history of the building’s energy usage. See eligibility details below.
2. Calculate Budget: EOC will calculate the maximum budget for each property, which is based on the percentage of income-eligible units and a DOE-approved “per-unit average” maximum expenditure limit.
3. Identify Measures: EOC will conduct a DOE-approved building energy audit in order to generate a prioritized list of Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs), ranked by cost effectiveness. Program requirements dictate the material and labor costs for each EEM must be recovered through the energy savings projected over the useful life of the EEM. In other words, fundable EEMs are those that achieve a savings to investment ratio of 1.0 or greater.
4. Sign Contract Agreement: EOC will produce a scope of work for the project outlining the EEMs eligible for funding. Per federal requirements, EOC will negotiate a cost-sharing arrangement with the property owner. Property owners who cannot make a financial contribution or who are unable to leverage additional sources of funding are still eligible for weatherization funds, but they must demonstrate proof of their inability to contribute. The property owner and EOC will enter into contract once an agreement on the EEMs and financial contributions is reached.
5. Solicit Bids: The property owner is responsible for obtaining construction bids (details regarding contract language and procurement requirements are still being refined). Davis-Bacon Wage requirements will apply to most, but not all, projects. Contracts may be renegotiated if contractor bids are significantly higher than anticipated.
6. Install Measures: The property owner is responsible for selecting, scheduling and managing contractors.
7. Final Inspection: EOC will conduct a final inspection after all work is completed in order to ensure all installation requirements are met and that the work meets quality expectations. All necessary corrections must be remedied by the contractor prior to payment.

All policies and procedures are centrally managed on the Weatherization Partners Focalpoint portal. To access, please go to the folllowing URL: https://focalpoint.state.co.us/sites/wx/Docs/default.aspx and use the following as the login information:

User: AD03\policies

Password: Policie$1234