The

SEEED Listening Project: An Evaluation Brief

September 2013

Lisa Reyes Mason, Ph.D.

The University of Tennessee College of Social Work

Introduction

Initial Findings

The Listening Project. Since 2010, Socially
Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED)
has conducted a Listening Project via door-
to-door interviews in parts of Knoxvilles
Empowerment Zone. The Listening Project
aims to assess low- and middle-income
residents interest in a zero down payment,
low-interest home weatherization loan
program. The program would help people
lower their utility bills and improve the
energy efficiency of their homes. Also, the
program would provide green collar job
training for Knoxville youth from
disadvantaged or low-income backgrounds.

The Listening Project asked short survey
questions, plus open-ended questions to
gather participant experiences, preferences,
and ideas in their own words.

Evaluation Scope. This brief summarizes
initial findings from two rounds of the
Listening Project. Descriptive statistics for
data from 2010 (N=50) and 2012 (N=28) are
presented.

The brief focuses on participant reports of
utility bills and interests in a weatherization
loan program. Future briefs could examine
open-ended responses about utilities and
prior weatherization experiences in
additional detail.

Reported Increase in Utility Costs. Almost
all participants in 2010 (90%) and 2012
(84%) report that their utility bills cost more
or much more than they did in the previous
few years.

Utility costs now vs. a few years ago are...

2010 (N=49)

60%
50%
40%

55%
35%

30%
20%
10%

4%

6%

The
same

Less

0%
Much
more

More

Much
less

Much
less

2012 (N=25)

60%
50%

48%
36%

40%
30%
20%

12%

10%

4%

0%
Much
more

More

The
same

Less

Average Monthly Bills Seem High. In 2012,

participants were asked the average cost of
their monthly utility bill. About one-third
reported a monthly bill of $300 to $450,
and over half reported from $150 to $299.

Average cost of monthly utility bill is...

2012 (N=27)

60%

Among 2010 participants, top responses

were: insulate the home (44%), install or
repair windows (28%), install or repair
doors (22%), and use air sealing (18%). In
2012, top responses were: insulate the
home (21%), install or repair windows
(21%), use air sealing (11%), and change,
repair, or buy ventilation (11%). Several of
these ideas are in line with what a
weatherization loan program could support.

Much Interest in Weatherization Program.
Interest in a weatherization loan program
seems high. About 90% of participants in
2010 and 74% in 2012 said they would
definitely or probably take advantage of
such a program.

Likelihood of taking advantage of a
weatherization loan program...

2010 (N=50)

56%

50%
40%

33%

30%
20%

11%

10%
0%
$300-$450

$150-$299

<$150

Many Ideas for Lowering Utility Bills. When
asked if there was anything they would do
to lower their utility billsif they had the
moneyparticipants shared a variety of
their own ideas. These ideas were then
coded into the following categories:

Way to Lower Utility Bill
if Money Available

80%

66%

60%
40%

24%

2010
(N=50)

2012
(N=28)

Insulate home

44%

21%

Use air sealing

18%

11%

6%

7%

Install/repair windows

28%

21%

Install/repair doors

22%

7%

Put in efficient light bulbs

2%

4%

2012 (N=27)

Repair/buy refrigerator

4%

0%

80%

Install solar panels

20%

4%

7%

Ventilation

4%

11%

Air conditioning

2%

7%

12%

4%

2%

0%

10%

4%

Appliances
Buy air filters
Weatherize, in general

4%

4%

0%

Change/repair/buy...
Heating system

2%

60%

59%

40%
20%
0%

15%
0%

7%

19%

Similarly, participants were asked to rate

their interest in a weatherization loan
program on a four-point scale from not
interested at all to very interested.
Among 2010 participants (N=47), over
three-quarters (77%) chose very
interested. About 80% of 2012 participants
(N=20) did so as well.

In future briefs, additional data from the

Listening Project could be examined. For
example, open-ended data were also
collected on participant perceptions of why
their utility bills may be high, along with
data on what efforts participants have
already made to lower their bills.

Acknowledgements

Summary

The Listening Project was implemented by
Stanley Johnson, Joshua Outsey, Jerome
Johnson, Alana Hibbler, and Rick Held. The
author is grateful to Brian Conlon of the
University of Tennessee for his work with
data coding and management.

Initial findings suggest that Listening Project
participants perceive their utility bills as
higher than they used to be. When asked an
open-ended question about how to lower
their bills, participants had several of their
own ideas and preferences to share.
Interest in a weatherization loan program
among Listening Project participants seems
high. The program would have potential to
provide a financing mechanism for putting
low- and middle-income residents energy
efficiency ideas into action.

Contact Information

Lisa Reyes Mason can be reached at
lmason12@utk.edu.