Green Newton, in partnership with the City of Newton, is launching a new campaign to educate certain homeowners about the potential benefits of switching to a heat pump system for heating and cooling their homes. Heat pumps are generally more expensive to use in Newton than natural gas, and for this reason, the initiative will focus on homes that do not have access to natural gas and instead use more costly sources of energy, such as heating oil or propane.
It’s a very targeted campaign: There are currently 950 homes in Newton where natural gas is not available. On Thursday, July 24, interns from Green Newton will begin to visit approximately 250 of these 950 homes. The interns plan to knock on doors, distribute informational doorhangers, explain the benefits of heat pumps, and answer questions from residents. If this door-to-door campaign is successful, Green Newton may expand it to reach the other 700 homes that currently must rely on oil or propane – or heat pumps! – for heating and cooling.
Andrew Petrilla is a Fig City News summer intern and a rising junior at Newton South HS.
