In the fiscal year 2008, ECA and the Neighborhood Energy Centers (NECs) provided 72,000 services to 40,000 low income households in the Philadelphia area.

Intake for most of these programs is available at the NECs. Technical expertise, professionalism, and innovation have always been the hallmarks of ECA's work.

Our low income services included:

Conservation Works Program  

Water Conservation Program

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

Cool Homes

Energy Education

Heater Hotline

Energy Efficiency Codes and Specifications

Budget/Energy Counseling, Bill Payment Assistance

Conservation Works Program: Heating and water heating conservation for low- income, payment troubled customers of the Philadelphia Gas Works. This program reaches more than 2000 households every year and is one of the most cost effective programs in the nation.

Water Conservation Program: Water conservation for low-income customers of the Philadelphia Water Department. This program serves over 1,700 households every year and provides average water savings of 28%. 

Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP): ECA provides full weatherization services for low-income households through this federally funded program. WAP includes heating, water heating and electricity conservation treatments. To get more information about qualifying and applying for WAP, click here.

Cool Homes: Cool Homes is an affordable cooling program which reduces indoor temperatures on extremely hot summer days, without increasing electricity use. The principal treatment is white, acrylic, elastomeric roof coating. Evaluation results show that white roof coating reduces the temperature at the top floor ceiling level by an average of 5o F. This program is designed to save energy, but may also prove to be a life saver!

Energy Education: ECA is a national leader in the area of energy education. ECA’s advocacy has led to energy education being incorporated into all low-income conservation programs in the city and in the statewide Weatherization Assistance Program. To find a list of upcoming workshops or schedule one for your group, click here.

Heater Hotline: Through its Heater Hotline program, ECA provides emergency heating repairs for more than 3,500 low-income homeowners each year.

Energy Efficiency Codes and Specifications: ECA monitors compliance with Philadelphia's Energy Star Homes Program, a national standard developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This standard ensures that all low-income housing built in Philadelphia is highly energy efficient and, therefore, more affordable than conventional housing.

Budget/Energy Counseling; Bill Payment Assistance: ECA contracts with its Neighborhood Energy Centers to provide energy services to low-income households in their target communities.