By using utility data to target the least efficient properties and most vulnerable residents in the city, and offering free energy efficiency upgrades, Knoxville targets social inequality while improving climate resilience and reducing emissions.
Knoxville Extreme Energy Makeover (KEEM) is a multi-partner program that is transforming Knoxville’s oldest buildings by providing energy efficiency retrofits to some of the most vulnerable community members. In less than two years, KEEM has provided whole-home energy efficiency upgrades to more than 1,200 low-income families and educated more than 1,700 residents on how to take control of their utility bills via energy-saving habits.
Using data from the Knoxville Utilities Board to identify the least efficient properties, KEEM provides comprehensive energy upgrades at no cost for families who are struggling with utility bills and who live in older homes. Each home is audited to determine exactly what types of efficiency upgrades are most needed, and local contractors make the improvements. Community workshops educate and empower residents to further increase energy savings in their homes.
31% electricity use reduction on average per household following a KEEM retrofit
The challenge
Knoxville charities spend around $5 million every year helping low-income families pay their bills. KEEM aims to address this problem at the source by improving the efficiency of aging buildings and reducing energy bills.
Co-benefits
Economic The average KEEM retrofit improves energy efficiency, saving families around $500 each year while improving home comfort.
Environmental Collectively, the homes upgraded so far in the KEEM program save more than 6,055 MWh annually, the equivalent of taking 900 cars off the road.
Social KEEM hosted 150 free workshops to educate participants on energy efficiency, empowering citizens to take control of their energy bill and reduce energy consumption.
Health By reducing energy bills, residents are able to afford heating and cooling when they need it most, reducing the risk of temperature-related health-problems.
About Knoxville
Knoxville is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Knox County. The city had an estimated population of 186,239 in 2016 and is the state’s third largest city after Memphis and Nashville.
