Weatherization

The federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was created in 1976 to assist low-income families who lacked resources to invest in energy efficiency. The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP fact sheet, PDF) is operated in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Native American tribes, and U.S. territories. Funds are used to improve the energy efficiency of homes occupied by low-income households, using the most advanced technologies and testing protocols available in the housing industry. The energy conservation resulting from the efforts of state and local agencies helps our country reduce its dependence on foreign oil and decrease the cost of energy for families in need while improving the health and safety of their homes.

Wisconsin’s Weatherization Assistance Program is funded with a combination of state and federal funds including U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP or EAP), and state Public Benefits (PB) funding. PB funding may only be used on buildings served by a participating electric utility. Home Energy Plus (HE+) includes the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP), Home Energy Plus Furnace Program, and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources (DEHCR) or ‘the Division’), through a network of county agencies, tribal governments, community-based organizations, and housing authorities. The Home Energy Plus website provides information for the general public, weatherization, and energy assistance program agencies.