Nyima Dhondup and Tenzin Tsokyi and their three children have lived in their c. 1910 home in Ithaca’s Northside for eight years. Fluctuating energy bills, a weak-in-the-knees water heater, asthma in their two youngest children from an ancient furnace, and uncomfortable drafts were a growing concern.

When Tenzin heard about the Solar Tompkins HeatSmart Program from a fellow Cornell librarian, she attended one of the community meetings and signed up for an energy audit with Zerodraft to take advantage of the group discount with HeatSmart. Watch Nyima and Tenzin talk about their home.

The list of needed improvements was long: attic, basement and laundry room airsealing and insulation, new kitchen windows, and a new furnace and water heater were required to protect the family’s health and lower their energy bills. Between the HeatSmart discount, NYSERDA grant and low-interest loan, and our Climate Fund grant of $1,375, all of the work was affordably done.

With this 15th award, we have offset another 69 tons of CO2 over the lifespan of these energy efficiency improvements.