THE MAGAZINE FOR LEADING CONSTRUCTION EXECUTIVES
Energy Coordinating
Agency of Philadelphia
Inc.
Conserving water and energy
while promoting a sustainable future
www.usbuildersreview.com
Energy
Coordinating
Agency
of
Philadelphia Inc.
Conserving water and energy while promoting a
sustainable future
Produced by Sean O’Reilly and Written by Molly Shaw
I
n one of America’s oldest cities, the Energy Coordinating
Agency of Philadelphia – widely known as ECA – is on
a mission to help residential buildings and small-scale
commercial properties conserve energy and promote
a sustainable future throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and Delaware. Serving the tristate area, ECA is a leader in
energy efficiency, professional training, water conservation and
stormwater management for both new and existing buildings.
TO THE ENERGY CRISIS RESCUE
ECA was formed in 1984 with just four staff members and an
$80,000 grant from the City of Philadelphia. The organization
was created as a nonprofit to help solve Philadelphia’s energy
and poverty crisis in the beginning of the decade as other state
programs proved ineffective in dealing with the dramatic rise in
utility service terminations.
Since inception, ECA has focused on reducing energy and water
consumption in low-income homes and the affordable housing
market. Over the course of the last 30 years, ECA has helped tens
of thousands of homes save more than $250 million by improving
the energy efficiency of more than 43,000 homes; repairing or
replacing 50,000 heating systems; and performing some 37,000
water conservation projects. ECA has also prevented more than
75,000 tons of carbon emissions through its work.
With a 26,000-square-foot LEED Gold-certified training
center, the only IREC-accredited center in the mid-Atlantic
region authorized by the U.S. Department of Energy, ECA
has trained more than 3,600 new professionals for the growing
clean-energy industry.
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INDUSTRY-LEADING TRAINING
Liz Robinson, executive director of ECA,
heads up the organization’s 70-person team.
“We are a provider and trainer within the
space of small building energy efficiency,”
she explains.Most of our work is in
residential homes and small commercial
properties. We do just about everything
energy-wise, including administering large
scale programs – both utility and publicly
funded – to improve the energy efficiency of
existing buildings.”
Robinson says ECA also shines in terms
of education. “The Knight Training Center
is a state-of-the-art facility where we
training professionals to the highest level,
incorporating the new national standards
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|3
for Home Energy Professional
certification,” she says.
[HEP]
The center has won numerous accolades, including
an approved apprenticeship program by the U.S.
and Pennsylvania Departments of Labor and
was recognized as a “Center of Excellence” by
the city of Philadelphia in 2012. “Also in 2012
ECA became one of the first training centers
in the nation to be accredited by the Interstate
Renewable Energy Council [IREC] to the new
national standards,” says Robinson. “In 2013,
ECA won the prestigious IREC award as the
Clean Energy Training Program of the Year.”
But for ECA, the goal isn’t recognition; it’s
getting quality green professionals out into the
field. “We believe this kind of training is going
to really improve the quality of work being done
across the country,” adds Robinson. “We’re
trying to expand the market while responding
to and meeting the market demand. Training
is vital to develop highly-qualified workers to
ensure that customers are satisfied and getting
the energy savings they’re paying for.”
A TOTAL TRANSFORMATION
ECA is making a positive impact in the
low-income market, where many residents
cannot afford to make necessary repairs and
upgrades. “Our niche is really in the low-income
market, where many homes are in very poor
or hazardous condition,” says Robinson.
“Our city is one of the oldest in the country.
There are many old row homes occupied by
low-income families which suffer from decades
of deferred maintenance.”
In response to the need in this market, ECA
has launched a pilot program called EnergyFIT
Philly, designed as a housing preservation
initiative, targeted at affordable housing. “As
a pilot program, we’ve had more freedom to
implement new technologies,” says Robinson.
“At each job, we’re data logging, which is giving
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CLEANED • REPAIRED • REBUILT • RELINED
FIRE PLACES BUILT AND REPAIRED
T.KADA & SONS INC.
C H I M N E Y S
(215) 329-1989
3565 KENSINGTON AVE.
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19134
CompanY
PROFILE
Established:
1984
Executive Director:
Liz Robinson
us the data we need to solve a whole range of problems, such as moisture, mold, high
relative humidity and other conditions that exacerbate asthma. The goal is to determine
which technologies and methods are the most cost-effective and capable of providing
deep energy savings as well as a healthy home. We hope to gather measurable data to
share with the health and utility industries as well as the public sector to target support
for more effective approaches.”
After successfully completing phase one of EnergyFIT Philly in 30 homes in the city’s
old Mantua neighborhood, ECA conducted a citywide contest to determine the location
of phase two. “We’re addressing problems that are persistent, unhealthy and very real
for many families,” adds Robinson. “We’re taking these homes and bringing them into
a condition that’s dry, durable, safe and energy efficient. It’s quite the transformation.”
After 30 years of tireless work, the Energy Coordinating Agency of Philadelphia
continues to transform the city’s residential sector, delivering more than energy savings
and conservation, but also peace of mind for residents. •
Employees:
71
www.ecasavesenergy.org
|5
ENERGY COORDINATING AGENCY OF PHILADELPHIA
INC.
106 West Clearfield Street
Philadelphia, PA 19133
United States
WWW.ECASAVESENERGY.ORG