“The Energy Innovation Task Force (EITF) is proud to present Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO) and the Energy Savers Network (ESN) with the inaugural Energy Innovator awards for their outstanding work implementing energy-saving efforts.
MHO is a private, nonprofit community development corporation whose mission is to build and improve homes, neighborhoods, communities, and lives, and build hope and dignity in the people we serve. Blue Horizons Project Coordinator Sophie Mullinax says MHO enrolled 600 of its residents in the Duke EnergyWise Home program.
“EnergyWise Home specifically addresses our region’s peak-energy demand problem by allowing Duke to cycle down heating and hot water appliances during the coldest winter mornings, which is when our demand spikes and the grid is maxed out,” says Mullinax. “This reduces strain on the grid when it’s at its most stretched and directly contributes to the avoidance of peaker plants because it reduces peak demand.
Prior to MHO’s participation, the EnergyWise program was thought of as an energy efficiency program for single-family homeowners. MHO is the first multi-family property manager in North Carolina to include its many apartments in the program and provides a model for how other multi-family property owners can make a big difference. This is especially important in the Asheville area with many new apartments being constructed or planned.”
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