The city of East Lansing partnered with the Greater Lansing Housing Coalition and Hometown Housing Partnership to hold East Lansing’s first Homeowner Education and Resource Organization, or HERO, class.
The class was held at Michigan Energy Options, 405 Grove St., to give local residents the opportunity to learn about their home’s energy systems and use, said Amy Schlusler-Owens, a community development specialist with the city of East Lansing.
“It’s essential to educate homeowners not only on energy efficiency, but also on the way that they can minimize their overhead costs for home ownership,” she
said.
One of eight registered families and residents attended. But the city has received increasing interest in homeowner education and energy efficiency via e-mails and phone calls, Schlusler-Owens said.
John Kinch, executive director of Michigan Energy Options, said the best advice for homeowners seeking energy efficiency is to “do the right things in the right order.”
Residents should start with low- or no-cost improvements to their homes, such as turning down the thermostat or reducing use of electricity, Kinch said. Then homeowners should consider investing in more substantial improvements such as solar panels, he said.
“The city tries to be very conscientious of the needs of each of its residents, and this is something that its identified as something that they’d like more education on,” Schlusler-Owens said.
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