Sylvia Sanchez, the property owner of a condominium in Portland, acquired her residence in 2014 and has lived there ever since. Similar to many first-time homeowners, she faced a range of challenges upon moving into her new condo.

In the first two years of living at her condo, Sanchez had issues with heat loss, recalling, “I had a wind tunnel going through my bathroom, it was freezing in there all the time.” Not only was she dealing with the discomfort of constantly being cold, but she was also experiencing incredibly high utility bills.

In her search for a solution, Sanchez stumbled across Energy Trust of Oregon. She reached out to schedule an energy assessment to help her understand the whole picture of her home’s energy use and comfort. During the energy audit, she discovered that her condo lacked proper insulation, resulting in heat escaping from her home. This discovery prompted Sanchez to install 970 square feet of new, high-performance floor insulation using Energy Trust cash incentives to help make the upgrade more affordable.

“With help from Energy Trust, I was able to get everything insulated and closed off and it made a huge difference” Sanchez said.

The second project she completed was installing a ductless heat pump (DHP), which was also recommended as a result of the energy audit, in order to efficiently control the temperature of the condo. “I never in a million years thought I could afford to have a split pump system,” Sanchez said, “but Energy Trust incentives made it possible.”

Seven years post-completion of these projects, Sanchez continues to experience the lasting benefits. The insulation successfully retains heat within her home and the new, energy-efficient DHP has continued to keep her condo at a consistent temperature. These projects not only improved the comfort of her condo, but they also reduced overall energy consumption resulting in lower monthly utility bills. Since 2016, Sanchez has saved a combined $4,300 on her utility bills.

“I want to say, I’m extremely grateful to Energy Trust for these programs. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”

Installing new insulation or HVAC equipment are just two of the many ways that attached residences and plex properties can save money and energy. To learn more about how you can save, visit the incentives page or email multifamily@energytrust.org.