Button Up Participants

What is This Indicator?

231 Button Up Workshop Participants in Chittenden County (2008)
(source: Central Vermont Community Action Council)

Participation data for 2009 Button Up workshops will be added in March 2010.  Workshops were first offered in 2008.

In the fall 2008, Central Vermont Community Action Council (CVCAC), in partnership with the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN) and Efficiency Vermont (EVT), implemented an intensive public education program on home energy savings called Button Up Vermont. Button Up worked with local town energy committees, educational centers, and other community groups to conduct two-hour workshops on the fundamentals of building heat loss and opportunities for saving energy.

Why is it Important?

Vermont's housing stock is comparatively older than other states, with more than a third built 60 years ago.  People living in these homes face a number of heating and weatherization challenges.  Also, more than half of Vermonters use oil as their heating fuel for their homes, and are particularly vulnerable to price increases.  In Chittenden County, Vermont Gas Systems has switched many residential customers from more expensive fuels to natural gas, lowering their heating costs.  While fuel prices have fallen from last year's spike, Vermonters are looking for ways to cut their heating bills.

Weatherizing your home is an important first step to reduce the amount of energy you use for heating.  This can include installing insulation in attics and walls, and sealing up cracks and crevices that allow cold air to seep into your home.  The Button Up project provides people with easy-to-understand weatherization advice and tips they need to reduce their home heating bills.