An adult family home in Walla Walla was one of five in Washington to get a heat pump installed at no charge as part of a pilot program with the state Department of Commerce and Department of Social and Health Services.

Joy Fleck has owned and operated the adult family home called Party of Six for more than 20 years, caring for people at the time when they can no longer live on their own or be cared for by family.

She said the installation of the heat pump, an energy-efficient heating alternative that uses electricity to heat and cool the space, was a great opportunity that allows each resident to customize the climate in their individual room. It also brings comfort to her in her personal space, Fleck said.

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee Visits Walla Walla

Walla Walla County property owner and manager Leo Violette talks about the Community Energy Efficiency Program with Gov. Jay Inslee.

Beyond that, Emily Salzberg, the managing director of Commerce’s buildings team, said the technology improves indoor air quality, reduces pollution and is cost-effective.

Gov. Jay Inslee visited the adult family home in Walla Walla on Wednesday, April 17, and met with community partners of the Sustainable Living Center, the organization that facilitated the installation of the heat pump and runs other energy efficiency programs in the Walla Walla Valley.

During the visit, Inslee championed the Climate Commitment Act, a program to cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state and the source of the funds for the heat pump pilot program.

The Climate Commitment Act sets an emission limit and directs funds from emissions allowance auctions to climate-related projects, including clean transportation, environmental justice and health equity.

The heat pump pilot program, for example, was focused on licensed adult family homes in areas with environmental health disparities.

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee Visits Walla Walla

Gov. Jay Inslee listens to adult group homeowner Joy Fleck talk about the heat pumps installed at the Walla Walla residence.

The carbon market is intended to force the largest sources of pollution in the state to reduce their emissions. An initiative to repeal the Climate Commitment Act will go before voters in November.

“These investments are worth making, and we're not going backwards,” Inslee said during his visit. “It would cost us too much to lose those benefits.”

While in Walla Walla, Inslee recognized the work of the Sustainable Living Center and its partners in encouraging energy efficiency and getting resources to residents.

Among the services the SLC offers is a low-cost home energy audit to review a building's energy efficiency and make recommendations for upgrades.

Executive Director Erendira Cruz said it’s been beneficial to be a neutral third party in the process.

“We're the ones coming in and doing the home energy assessment or audit and giving advice based on not what we want to sell the customer, but what will work best for their situation,” Cruz said. “Then in partnership with the contractors, we can close the loop.”

Cruz said the organization completed 275 home audits and 247 jobs with the help of 44 area contractors, including Jim McEwen’s Smith Insulation.

“It's extremely impressive to me that a local community is leading like this,” Inslee said. “I'm very appreciative of the insulation efforts that you're making.”

Inslee said improved insulation is almost always the most cost-effective change building owners can make, and McEwen agreed.

“We got involved in weatherization in the 1980s through Bonneville power, and it turned out that weatherizing a building or a structure or a home is the most cost-effective thing you can do to it as far as saving energy and making it more livable for people,” McEwen said.

Before leaving for afternoon visits with Woodward Canyon Winery and Rockwool, Inslee again thanked the SLC and its partners for their leadership.

“This is very inspiring to me, what you’re doing,” he said. “Everybody in this room is doing something to help us have a sustainable future, and a more comfortable one, as well.”

Kate Smith can be reached at katesmith@wwub.com or 509-577-7709.

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