Uptown Consortium and GCEA announce Green Your Home contest semifinalists | Home & Garden

CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) - Uptown Consortium, a local non-profit development corporation dedicated to economic development in Uptown Cincinnati, and the Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance, a non-profit committed to energy efficiency investment through project support and financing solutions, announced five semifinalists in the Green Your Home contest launched on May 11. 

There were 54 applicants for the Green Your Home contest residing in the Uptown neighborhoods of Avondale, Clifton, Corryville, Clifton Heights, Fairview, University Heights, and Mt. Auburn. Uptown residents applied through an online portal, providing details about their homes’ energy use to a panel of 10 judges. Applications were reviewed and semifinalists were named based in part on their ability to demonstrate a dedication to energy efficiency.

“The number of entries for the Green Your Home contest exceeded our expectations,” said Janelle Lee, director of business and community affairs with the Uptown Consortium. “The high level of interest from Uptown homeowners reinforces what we suspected – that our community understands the importance of energy efficiency and how our neighborhoods can be a leader in sustainability.”

Each of the five semifinalists will receive a free energy assessment of their home in August. Depending on need, the grand prize winner will receive a free full home energy efficiency improvement that may include insulation, air and duct sealing, and equipment improvements, plus up to a $1,000 in energy efficient windows – totaling up to $7,500 in home energy improvements.

The five Green Your Home Contest semifinalists are:

• Ozie Davis of Avondale,
• Cindy Lewis of CUF,
• Michael Elovitz of Clifton,
• Sharon Morgan of Mt. Auburn, and
• Vesta Cox of Corryville.

 Cindy Lewis, a finalist from the CUF neighborhood, explained the measures she has taken to make her home more energy efficient but would like additional expertise offered through the Green Your Home prize.

“We have two homemade rain barrels to save water. Additionally, we compost all of our discarded vegetables and recycle, and participate in Duke Energy's air conditioning program to reduce peak loads,” said Lewis. “We also seal our upstairs windows with plastic during the winter, and we installed insulating blankets on our water heater and foam sleeves on the water pipes to help save on heating.”

According to Lilah Glick, Energy Alliance marketing and community outreach director, the grand prize winner will be chosen from the five semifinalists. “The selected homeowner will receive immediate benefits through savings on their utility bills and increased home comfort.  This is a great story they can share with their neighbors and the greater community.”