Pembroke, IL
Electric Appliances: Heat pumps, stoves, and hot water heaters
To electrify the homes, we swapped out gas/wood appliances with heat pumps, electric stoves, and hybrid heat pump water heaters. Without combustion occurring inside people’s homes, we’ve found that there is an opportunity to monitor the indoor air quality, and we are looking forward to seeing those results. The pollution from burning gas, propane, or wood harms our health and exacerbates climate pollution. Additionally, we’ve found that electric heating and cooking is more reliable, especially for people who currently use wood-burning stoves and bottled gas, as gas prices become more volatile.
Improved Efficiency: Air sealing by replacing windows and adding insulation to crawl spaces
One of the many tests that were conducted was a blower door test. A blower door test is used on buildings to quantify the amount of air leakage through its enclosure. During this test, a calibrated fan is installed in an otherwise sealed door or window, while all the other openings to the exterior are closed. When the fan is turned on, it creates a pressure difference between the outside and the inside. Typically done under negative pressure, the fan sucks the air out of the home, causing it to come in through whatever pathways it can find — many of which are unintentional.
The pre- and post- upgrade blower door tests concluded that the homes had reduced air leakage by over 21% after the upgrades.
Continue to support us!
Over the next year, the PEEP program will monitor our pilot homes for energy and cost savings, air quality, and overall quality of life improvements. Please continue to support our ongoing efforts to make a clean energy transition that works for everyone!
Thank you to our clean energy partners!
After a national search, the Pembroke-Hopkins Park community was selected by the US Department of Energy to develop a local energy action plan that creates pathways to reduce air pollution, increase energy resilience, lower utility costs, grow the economy and create good-paying jobs. This technical assistance is funded by the DOE's Communities LEAP pilot program.
Stay tuned to see how our local energy plan will reflect our specific clean energy and sustainable economic development needs.
We are a LEAP community!
Rural communities like Pembroke are on the front line of clean energy solutions.
Clean energy solutions keep homes healthy and warm throughout the year. That’s why we launched the Pembroke Energy Efficiency Pilot (PEEP).
Watch our short film & keep reading to learn more about how PEEP can be a leading example for other rural and historically disadvantaged communities to move toward sustainable, healthy solutions for powering their communities.
More than 80% of residents use bottled gas, wood stoves, or propane for their energy needs.
Over 60% of Pembroke residents report breathing issues.
More than 90%+ of residents live in homes
that are energy inefficient.
Introducing PEEP 1.0
PEEP will help our community move away from expensive and volatile fossil fuels toward more cost-effective, reliable, clean energy.
By embracing energy efficiency and electrification, we can:
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avoid pollution and harmful health impacts proven to come from combustion in homes and businesses;
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install the latest heat pump technology for heating and cooling;
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lower energy usage and costs from appliances with energy-efficient upgrades and;
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preserve and protect our environment by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
Community members who have benefited from PEEP call on policymakers to invest in the community and promote clean energy options and other energy efficiency interventions.
Pembroke Energy Efficiency Pilot (PEEP) Goals
New electric appliances
Improved Efficiency
PEEP Home Improvements
PEEP improved efficiency by 20%
PEEP 2.0
Expansion of the Pembroke Energy Efficiency Pilot (PEEP 1.0) to Pembroke Energy-Efficient Power (PEEP 2.0) demonstrates that an efficient, healthy, prosperous future can meet rural community needs.
PEEP 2.0 will:
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Scale electrical grid capacity and clean energy options
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Improve the PEEP retrofit process and engagement model
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Expand energy-efficiency services to ALL 1200 homes
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Amplify the results through education, training, and peer exchange
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Replicate the approach in other communities
We are changing the narrative!
We are Leading the Transition: From Power to EMPOWERED!
Our Impact