Climate Change in Wisconsin

Access Hour host Heather Allen (Elevate, Policy Director) interviews guests Allie Berenyi (Elevate, Construction Manager), John Viner (Elevate, Associate Director) and Claire Oleksiak (Sustain Dane, Executive Director) about how to lower energy bills. They discuss the Efficiency Navigator program, an innovative initiative that provides energy efficiency, health/safety, and other improvements for small- and medium-sized affordable apartment buildings that saves energy while reducing operating costs for owners and utility bills for residents. Sustain Dane and Elevate implement Efficiency Navigator, and it is funded by the City of Madison and City of Fitchburg. To date, the Efficiency Navigator program has served over 76 buildings, 366 residents, and delivered 244 energy efficiency measures, resulting in 193,374 avoided kg of CO2 emissions and delivering nearly $43,000 in projected energy bill savings. The Efficiency Navigator application is now open for 2026. Picture Information: Access Hour guests Allie Berenyi (Elevate Construction Manager) and Claire Oleksiak (Sustain Dane Executive Director) join Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Fitchburg Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta, Alder Sean O’Brien (Madison District 16) and Alder Joe Maldonado (Fitchburg District 1), plus other municipal staff and Efficiency Navigator participants on March 31, 2026 to celebrate the program's energy savings for local residents.