Tech giant Google is committing to help with insulating homes, upgrading windows and replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems to reduce energy bills as it builds a large data center between Columbia and St. Louis.
The company is spending $1.5 million for home weatherization in Montgomery, Lincoln, Pike, and Warren counties. The Northeast Community Action Corporation, or NECAC, a social services nonprofit that works on anti-poverty initiatives in 12 counties throughout central and eastern Missouri, is carrying out the weatherization, which can mean anything from caulking windows to replacing a home’s HVAC system.
“Weatherization has two main features. First, it cuts down people’s utility bills by adding insulation, by caulking around windows, by replacing furnaces,” NECEC public relations officer Brent Engel said. “You get bills that can be reduced as much as 50%. Second, it helps communities because it keeps those older homes viable for a lot more years.” He said the organization recently finished its first home repair using Google funds…