A Dane County program is working with rental property owners to make multifamily homes more energy efficient through renovations that make the buildings more environmentally sustainable while lowering energy bills, all at no cost to renters.The Efficiency Navigator has helped small- and medium-sized apartment buildings in Madison, Middleton and Fitchburg for about five years, said Claire Schaefer Oleksiak, the executive director of Sustain Dane, a sustainability group that offers the Efficiency Navigator program.
“When you reduce the cost of energy for a person living in the rental buildings, it makes it more affordable for them to be able to live in that unit,” Schaefer Oleksiak said. “Also, when you address weatherization and change out systems to more energy efficient systems, you’re reducing the amount of CO2 [carbon dioxide] that’s going into our community.”..
Leo's notes: While this may not be focused on new housing stock, it still directly impacts our workforce households. Many owners of older “naturally affordable” apartments face difficult tradeoffs between maintaining buildings and keeping rents attainable. Programs covering efficiency improvements can help bridge that gap by preserving affordability while improving housing quality. As Wisconsin communities continue grappling with rising housing and utility costs, programs like Efficiency Navigator suggest that housing policy may increasingly extend beyond construction incentives into energy systems, sustainability upgrades and long-term operating costs.
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- - Volume: 26 - WEEK: 21 Date: 5/18/2026 5:39:24 PM -