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GETS Energy Services, a social enterprise, will begin providing subsidized energy upgrade services to moderate-income residents in the cities of Berkeley and Richmond in August. Through a partnership forged between the City of Berkeley, City of Richmond, and PG&E, GETS Energy Services is able to provide these residents with exclusive incentives of up to $7,000 on energy efficiency improvements. Depending on the city and the amount of work done, a small customer co-pay may also be required.
Rising Sun Energy Center, a local nonprofit organization, is launching the GETS Energy Services enterprise to lower homeowner utility bills and make homes more comfortable, healthy, durable, and energy efficient, while providing transitional employment for graduates of Rising Sun’s GETS (Green Energy Training Services) workforce development program. The workforce development program is a part of RichmondBUILD, a City of Richmond program that seeks to meet the particular job training and support needs of Richmond residents, 40 percent of whom live in public housing and 30-40 percent of whom have a history with the criminal justice system. RichmondBUILD's goal is to provide job skills to people between the ages of 17-35 who are facing barriers to employment. GETS Energy Services provides talented and qualified graduates from the GETS training program with their first experience working in the green sector under the supervision of the GETS Energy Services Director Khaia McGill, a licensed general contractor.
Rising Sun is partnering with New Foundry Ventures a social enterprise business incubator, (formerly Rubicon National Social Innovations) on this endeavor, with the ownership of the social enterprise lying with Rising Sun. This partnership brings together Rising Sun’s expertise leading green workforce development and energy retrofits, and New Foundry’s proven ability to create successful and sustainable social enterprises. Together, the two organizations will seek to expand this venture to other communities.
GETS Energy Services offers a wide menu of services, such as attic insulation, draft sealing, furnace filter replacement, furnace duct sealing, compact fluorescent light installation, water heater blankets and programmable thermostats.
The cities of Berkeley and Richmond are making funds received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Department of Energy available to residents as part of their broader climate change strategies to reduce their CO2 impact. The cities wanted these stimulus dollars to encourage energy efficiency improvements in the residential sector and directly reach residents, benefit homeowners, and create jobs within the communities. With these funds, GETS Energy Services is able provide energy upgrades to residents.
“Homeowners in Berkeley and Richmond have the unique opportunity to tap into the federal stimulus money that was awarded to these cities,” said Rising Sun Energy Center’s Executive Director Jodi Pincus. “These energy upgrade services can reduce a homeowner’s energy consumption and utility bill by up to 40 percent. That’s real savings, comfort, and peace of mind. It’s a triple win.”
Pre-qualification applications are now being accepted. In order to apply and find out more about income qualifications, homeowners can contact GETS Energy Services at 510-655-1501 x17 or visit risingsunenergy.org/content/getsenergyservices.html.
About Rising Sun Energy Center
Rising Sun Energy Center (risingsunenergy.org) is an experienced green workforce development nonprofit that “Builds Healthy Communities through Climate Solutions and Green Career Pathways.”
Rising Sun Energy Center, founded in 1994, has evolved from a modest renewable energy education center into a leading green workforce development and energy retrofit services organization. Rising Sun’s mission is to provide low-to-no-cost retrofit services to households in under-resourced communities in the Bay Area, offer green job training and employment to young people and adults who face barriers to employment, and educate our communities about sustainable behaviors and technologies. Over the past 10 years Rising Sun has trained and hired over 800 youth and adults and provided over 12,000 homes with water and energy retrofits and assessments.
About New Foundry Ventures (formerly Rubicon National Social Innovations)
New Foundry Ventures (newfoundryventures.org) is focused on forging social change. The organization’s mission is to create and support social enterprises that improve the economic well being of low-income people and communities across the U.S. New Foundry Ventures was incubated within Rubicon Programs, an award-winning leader in the social enterprise field, before New Foundry Ventures spun out as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in July 2009.
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jade[.]newfoundryventures.org 
