Aug Triad Housing Hangout: Community Conversations on Regional Housing

Join housing, energy, and community partners for a practical conversation on weatherization and energy efficiency and reducing utility costs
About this Event

Event Description

Join us for the August Triad Housing Hangout on Wednesday, August 26, from 1:00–2:00 PM at the Forsyth County Central Library.

This month’s Hangout will focus on making homes more energy efficient, affordable, safe, and resilient. As housing costs continue to rise across the Piedmont Triad, energy costs are an increasingly important part of the affordability conversation. For many households, especially those living in older homes, manufactured homes, rental housing, or homes with deferred maintenance, high utility bills can threaten housing stability and household well-being.

Energy efficiency is not just an environmental issue. It is a housing affordability issue, a health and safety issue, and a community development issue.

This conversation will bring together regional partners working on weatherization, energy reduction, electrification, appliance upgrades, clean-energy financing, contractor networks, and household-level supports. Panelists will discuss what resources are available, who is eligible, how residents and housing partners can access programs, and where better coordination is needed across the housing and energy-efficiency ecosystem.

Topics may include weatherization, insulation, air sealing, HVAC improvements, heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, appliance upgrades, electrical panel upgrades, utility-bill reduction, financing tools, resident outreach, contractor capacity, and the relationship between energy efficiency and housing stability.

Featured Speakers

• Will Eley, Green Economy Program Director, Piedmont Environmental Alliance
• Maria Mauceri, Homes and Communities Manager, Advanced Energy
• Emily Hurd, Program Director, Let's Go Electric
• Annette Hayes, Principal, Grind Vine Consulting
• Drew Corbett, Community Development Supervisor, Piedmont Triad Regional Council Weatherization Program
• Matt Schuneman, Senior Program Manager, Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas

Discussion Topics

The panel will explore questions such as:

1. How do weatherization, energy efficiency, and home electrification connect to housing affordability and housing stability?
2. What programs are currently available to help households reduce energy use and lower utility costs?
3. Who is eligible for weatherization, home energy rebates, appliance upgrades, or clean-energy financing?
4. What kinds of home improvements are most commonly supported, such as insulation, air sealing, HVAC upgrades, heat pumps, water heaters, electrical panels, appliances, or health and safety repairs?
5. How can homeowners, renters, landlords, nonprofit housing providers, and community partners access these programs?
6. What are the biggest barriers residents face in applying for and completing energy-efficiency upgrades?
7. How do home repair needs, aging housing stock, rental housing, and manufactured housing affect access to energy-efficiency programs?
8. What role can local governments, nonprofits, utilities, funders, lenders, and community-based organizations play in improving outreach and coordination?
9. Where are there gaps in funding, contractor capacity, resident education, or program alignment?
10. How can energy-efficiency investments support broader goals around affordability, climate resilience, health, and neighborhood stability?

Why This Conversation Matters

Across the Triad, many households are struggling with the combined pressures of housing costs, utility bills, aging housing conditions, and limited access to home improvement resources. Energy-efficiency investments can help reduce monthly costs, improve comfort, address health and safety concerns, and extend the life of existing housing.

At the same time, new and existing programs are creating opportunities for households and community partners to access weatherization services, rebates, financing, and technical assistance. The challenge is making sure that residents, housing providers, local governments, and community organizations understand what is available and how to connect people to the right resources.

This Housing Hangout will help clarify the local energy-efficiency landscape and identify practical ways the region can better coordinate housing, energy, climate, and community development work.

What to Expect

Networking with a cross-sector mix of housing, energy, sustainability, community development, nonprofit, philanthropic, government, and private-sector partners.

Brief presentations from organizations working on weatherization, clean-energy financing, electrification, energy education, and home energy improvements.

Facilitated discussion on how energy-efficiency programs can reduce household costs, improve housing quality, and support long-term housing stability.

Audience Q&A and open dialogue on practical opportunities for collaboration.

Regional focus — open to anyone working in or interested in housing and energy issues from Guilford, Forsyth, Alamance, Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Randolph, Rockingham, and beyond.

Drinks and light refreshments provided.

Who Should Attend

• Local government staff
• Housing and community development professionals
• Nonprofit housing providers
• Weatherization, home repair, and energy-efficiency providers
• Utilities and clean-energy partners
• Funders and lenders
• Realtors, builders, landlords, and property managers
• Neighborhood leaders and resident advocates
• Environmental and sustainability organizations
• Health, aging, disability, and human-service organizations
• Anyone interested in reducing household energy costs and improving housing quality across the Triad

Location and Parking

Forsyth County Central Library
660 W 5th St.
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Parking is available in the library lot across the street at the corner of 5th Street and Spring Street.

Triad Housing Hangout

The Triad Housing Hangout is a practical and solutions-oriented monthly gathering that brings together housing professionals, advocates, developers, local officials, funders, researchers, service providers, and community partners from across the Piedmont Triad to stay connected, share what is working, and learn from one another.

The series creates an ongoing “community conversation” space where local and regional leaders can surface timely housing challenges, highlight promising initiatives, and translate information into action.

Each Hangout features a short, focused presentation or panel, often spotlighting a local initiative, policy update, or program opportunity, followed by open discussion and networking.

At a glance:

• When: Monthly, typically on the last Wednesday of the month, 1:00–2:00 PM
• Where: Forsyth County Central Library, 660 W 5th St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
• Format: Featured panel or presentation, facilitated conversation, audience Q&A, and networking
• Who should attend: Anyone working on or impacted by housing, including local government, nonprofit and philanthropic partners, developers, builders, lenders, realtors, service providers, advocates, sustainability partners, and residents

The goal is simple: make it easier for the Triad’s housing ecosystem to coordinate by sharing information quickly, lifting up promising practices, and strengthening the relationships that move housing solutions forward.