In September, Energy Trust’s board of directors took their meeting to Central Oregon to learn how customers are investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Through tours of projects and meetings with community partners and local leaders, the board heard firsthand how clean energy is supporting sustainable growth and economic development across communities in Central Oregon.

The board began their visit at the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs reservation, where they toured Sherer Street, an entire cul-de-sac of single-family and duplex properties upgraded with energy efficiency features. Through Energy Trust’s ongoing partnership with Warm Springs Housing Authority, the homes with energy-efficient upgrades are already helping reduce utility costs for residents – all of whom have incomes 80% or lower than Oregon’s median – while keeping them more comfortable and safer during the increasingly hot summers and cold winters in Warm Springs.

Homes on Scherer Street, all of which have energy efficient upgrades.

The board also toured the Warm Springs Commissary, an ambitious commercial project to transform the oldest building on the reservation into a community gathering space that will promote economic development.

The Warm Springs Commissary building, which is located off Highway 26—a major corridor between Portland and Central Oregon.

The board also toured KEITH Manufacturing in Madras. As a participant in Energy Trust’s Strategic Energy Management (SEM) offering, the business has worked with Energy Trust on multiple projects over the years to improve the energy performance of its facility. The board heard how investing in energy efficiency pays off with significant cost savings that can be reinvested back into the company.

Board members tour the KEITH Manufacturing facility.

Later, the board visited a housing development in Redmond from RootedHomes, which provides affordable homeownership opportunities for Central Oregon’s workforce, including nurses, teachers and other essential workers. RootedHomes is working with Energy Trust to build all its homes net zero, reducing energy burden and utility bills for homeowners.

Homes at the RootedHomes development are being built to net zero.

Board members also connected directly with local leaders and stakeholders at a community reception at the SCP Hotel in Redmond.

“The 2020 Census showed Deschutes was the fastest growing Oregon county from 2010 to 2020—and one of the fastest growing counties in the nation,” said Henry Lorenzen, the board’s president, in his remarks to attendees. “Energy efficiency and renewable energy are key resources to help ensure growing communities can continue to meet energy demand.”

The visit concluded with the board’s September meeting at the Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond. During the meeting, the board heard an update from The Environmental Center, a participant in Energy Trust’s Community Partner Funding offer, about their free home energy assessment program, as well as a presentation from The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) about community resiliency in the region.