Let's Rebuild Homes According to the Environment... Rising 'Weatherization' Trend in the US [New Jobs]

Program to Retrofit Homes According to Environmental Conditions in Each U.S. State
First Introduced in 1976... Gaining Popularity as Extreme Weather Intensifies

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The vast North American continent is also severely affected by climate change. Every year, wildfires, hurricanes, and unusual heavy snowfalls cause countless homes in American cities from the West to the Midwest and South to burn, roads to be paralyzed, and power lines to be cut.

A residential area in LA devastated by a massive wildfire. Property damage caused by extreme weather anomalies is increasing astronomically every year. /AFP Yonhap News

Because of this, there is a so-called 'Weatherization' program actively supported by various U.S. state governments. This program involves redesigning American homes from the ground up to adapt to the rapidly changing climate, and many environmental experts who can be deployed to this engineering project are being trained.

First Introduced in 1976... Expanded to States as Climate Change Worsens

The history of weatherization itself is long. Since 1976, the U.S. Department of Energy has promoted the 'Weatherization Assistance Program,' known as WAP. This program inspects homes that are not suitable for the local climate, identifies areas for improvement, and then either improves the interior accordingly or constructs entirely new houses.

WAP was originally a program for low-income households who could not afford to move or pay for interior improvements. However, WAP has now expanded beyond the federal government to local and state governments.

Also, unlike the past when only low-income groups were supported, now ordinary citizens also benefit from the weatherization program. This means that in the U.S., all households, regardless of income or location, are affected by climate change.

Simply Weatherproofing Your Home Can Save Hundreds of Dollars on Energy Bills

The 'Weatherization' service, which started at the U.S. Department of Energy and has now spread across entire states. Screenshot from the U.S. Department of Energy website.

So how is weatherization carried out? First, an 'Energy Auditor' analyzes the electricity and gas bill data of each home to determine if a particular home is bearing especially high energy costs. If it is determined that the home is unsuitable for the climate, a weatherization expert steps in.

They thoroughly assess the interior and exterior of the house, as well as the raw materials and wall insulation used in construction. For example, Oklahoma in Texas, which suffers from polar cold winds and snowstorms every winter, supports a 'home insulation' weatherization specialist service. This program thickens the walls of detached houses and fills them with new insulation materials to 'isolate' the home from the surrounding environment, preventing heat generated inside the house from escaping outside.

Though it may seem simple at first glance, weatherization specialist services require extensive knowledge of civil engineering, interior design, as well as environmental and energy efficiency expertise.

Above all, homes that have undergone weatherization are known to be highly popular among citizens because they can immediately see a reduction in energy bills. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy, homes that received weatherization services enjoy an average annual reduction of $372 in electricity and gas bills.

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