PG&E energy program kicks off

The city of Chico, PG&E, the Butte College Training Place and Chico State are teaming up to help 100 homeowners living near Parkview and Sierra View elementary schools become more energy efficient, according to a press release.

The pilot program will give participants a home-energy audit worth $1,200 and home-energy upgrades valued at up to $850 in an effort to make their homes more energy efficient and therefore cut down on greenhouse-gas emissions. Participants will also be provided with a team of consultants that will teach their families how to use their SmartMeters and meet their energy-related goals.

PG&E awarded Chico $400,000 to help the city up its energy efficiency and achieve greenhouse-gas reductions in innovative ways. The pilot project is also expected to create local jobs, provide training to local contractors, and offer certification for individuals interested in performing Building Performance Institution (BPI) energy-efficiency assessments for the 100 participants. For more information, visit www.pge.com/sustainablecommunities.