Pennsylvania's REACH Program Evaluation Summary

Abstract
The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare in partnership with the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) developed the Cool Homes pilot. Heat-related health problems for seniors can be exacerbated by flat black tar roofs that overheat bedrooms below the roof, poor ventilation due to inoperable windows, or unaffordable electric bills. The goal of the project was to prevent heat-related suffering and death of low-income, at-risk older adults, and to lower their energy bills by providing cooling treatments that maximize ventilation and cooling during the summer months.

Grant Amount
$882,277 (2000 funds)

Duration
Three years: 2000 - 2003

Goals
The Cool Homes program proposed to mitigate heat-related health problems of seniors residing in flat-roofed rowhomes by:

• Installing white roof coatings, roof insulation and whole house fans;
  
  
• Educating participants about proper window and fan use in hot weather;
  
  
• Educating participants about strategies for reducing their exposure to heat; and
  
  
• Leveraging other community resources for additional weatherization measures, public assistance and/or social services.

Another objective was to reduce or at least maintain energy usage at pretreatment levels while improving indoor comfort.

Client Eligibility Criteria
Participation was targeted toward low-income, socially isolated seniors living in homes with no air conditioning. However, most of the selected participants were not characterized as socially isolated and about 90 percent had at least one window air conditioner.

Client Services
Primary treatments for 375 senior households included white roof coatings, roof insulation, and whole house fans. Additional measures such as repairing inoperable windows, adding security bars to windows and roof repairs were performed as needed. Home cooling education, proper fan usage and hot weather health management were provided to all participants.

Thirty-five homes had small temperature data loggers installed that recorded hourly temperatures at mid-height in upper floor bedrooms, at bedroom ceilings and often on the first floor.

Outcomes
The Cool Home pilot demonstrated that heat gain through attic/roof assemblies of flat roof rowhouses in Philadelphia can be eliminated by white roof coating and roof insulation, making upper floor bedrooms more comfortable and safe for elderly occupants. (Preliminary analysis of data logger temperature data was reported in an earlier evaluation.)

Building simulation modeling indicated that roof insulation alone could provide the same cooling benefit as the white roof coating at a substantially lower cost. However, the coating should significantly extend the life of the roof, protecting the house and roof insulation. ECA found that 40 percent of their clients have roofing problems and the local Home Weatherization Assistance Program has approved white roof coating as a treatment for homes that need roof repairs.

If widely adopted, the white roof coating could have an impact on the overall urban heat island effect that makes urban neighborhoods experience considerably hotter temperatures than areas with more shading. There is a high level of interest in replicating the Cool Home approach in other housing and weatherization programs in Philadelphia and throughout the nation.

Pre-treatment and post-treatment monthly gas usage data from Philadelphia Gas Works was used to determine the overall gas impacts of the Cool Home and weatherization treatments. An average savings of about 89 therms/year, equal to about 6 percent of pre-treatment gas usage, was found in the sample of homes. There was no comparison group for the analysis so results should be considered approximate.

Post-treatment electric usage data was not available to assess potential electric savings.

Contact the LIHEAP Clearinghouse for the full-text evaluation report.

Page Last Updated: September 24, 2009