With 2024 now behind us and the first months of 2025 underway, here’s a recap of what the HeatSmart Alliance has been up to! We’ll start by discussing our coaching and outreach efforts. Upcoming blogs will put the spotlight on membership growth and changes in our organization, as well as what our technology working group accomplished last year.
As many of you already know, the HeatSmart Alliance came together to do something tangible about climate change. Specifically, we try to educate people about the benefits of energy-efficient heating and cooling systems like heat pumps, and help members of our community transition to climate-forward technologies. So what progress did we make towards achieving this goal?
In 2024, the HeatSmart Alliance coached more than 130 homeowners on adopting heat pumps for their homes. Many of the individuals who learned from our coaches have began replacing their fossil-fuel powered HVAC systems with air-to-air or ground source heat pumps, and the others are well-informed about what to do should they decide to heat smart in the future! We also offered a 5-session coach training course to over 30 trainees from 24 communities, who will be able to give one-on-one advice about comparing technologies, choosing an installer, and reading quotes to residents near them. In addition, we broadened our efforts to mentor community-based organizations that wanted coaching programs of their own.
More than a dozen eastern MA communities have started local coaching programs, and they reach out to us regularly for training and advice. Other communities inside and outside Massachusetts have sought our help with starting local energy coaching programs as well. Recently, York Ready for Climate Action in Maine spoke at our monthly meeting about starting their Energy Coaching Program, as well as the support they received from our organization.
In sum, we’ve been doing our bit to contribute to state-wide and national efforts to de-carbonize homes: Though we don’t have hard data, we estimate that 800 to 1,200 homeowners received heat-pump coaching in 2024 through the HeatSmart Alliance and various local, community-based coaching programs. That’s enough to lower CO2 emissions by 3,000 metric tons or consuming 7,000 fewer barrels of oil.
Outreach
The Alliance also knows that if it wants homeowners to adopt more climate-forward heating and cooling systems, it needs to get the word out about heat pumps!
In 2024, our members joined community-based groups like The Harvard Climate Initiative, Sustainable Stowe, Dover Unplugged, and the North Parish Climate Justice Group to present at more than 30 events, both virtually and in-person. Our members answered questions about installing heat pumps, cost estimates, and how to get started replacing an aging HVAC system. Together, these conferences, talks and Q & A sessions helped educate another several hundred people about lowering carbon emissions at home.
Last but not least, the HeatSmart Alliance completed a major overhaul of its website! Our Communications Working Group partnered with a web developer during the summer and fall to reorganize all the information on our digital home and present it in a more visually-appealing way. The working group also edited all the content for readability and added interactive maps. We hope you like the end result!
In 2025, our goal is to continue the positive momentum and help even more people install heat pumps in their homes, while continuing to spread the word about these efficient, safe, and comfortable technologies.
Stay tuned to learn more, including what our technology working group has been up to, as well as changes in our organization!
