Our Mission

Solar Tompkins empowers residents to take positive control of their energy use with benefits to themselves and the environment.  To enable this, we first show that renewable energy sources, wind and solar, can be easily accessible to all. Second, recognizing that most energy use in NY homes is for heating and cooling the living space, Solar Tompkins launched the HeatSmart program to facilitate improved insulation of the building shell and promote the conversion of all forms of fossil fuel heating to air- and ground-source heat pumps.  Most importantly, we provide the informational tools for each resident to make their own positive decisions based on the best information available and with confidence in a path forward.  Our mission is to make positive solutions available to everyday people.

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Equity, Justice, and Energy

Energy Equity refers to safe, reliable, affordable energy that can be accessed by all communities while maintaining public health and well-being. Our energy choices can have significant impacts on our neighborhoods and others. The deployment of energy-efficient solutions and clean, electric technologies across the state will mean better health and more comfortable, affordable heating and cooling for all New Yorkers. Locally in Tompkins County, we have made outreach to low and median income groups a priority in all our campaigns. 

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How does HeatSmart work?

HeatSmart was created and is led by local volunteers from all reaches of Tompkins County.  We are all motivated energy activists and HeatSmart focuses on real solutions to well-known problems. HeatSmart is funded solely through grants and donations.  Our services are completely free and without obligation.

​Our primary commitment is to be a resource and an advocate for regular people seeking to improve their homes’ functioning.  Use us and bring us your questions, and we will provide the best information we can gather to help you make your decisions.

We operate limited-time campaigns intended to facilitate homeowner adoption of both building envelope and heat pump technologies. Our program makes home energy efficiency easily achievable by offering upfront pricing and a simple process with vetted installer partners.

Steps to an extremely energy-efficient home illustrated in this Bean Bag Toss game created by HeatSmart volunteer Gerri Wiley.

Together with an air- or ground-source heat pump system, insulation and air sealing can provide great comfort, immediate operational cost savings, and have a positive environmental impact by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.    

​Further, heat pumps can be powered by renewably generated electricity.

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Our Impact

​Hundreds of Tompkins county residents have used our services and had our vetted installers do the installations.  Hundreds more have used our informational services and then gone with their own outside choice for the installation company. 

​However, an even more significant impact comes from pioneering and field-testing novel approaches to educating the public about these issues.  

After we had run our program for two very successful years, NYSERDA chose to create a statewide program based on our example, and there are now 20 state-funded efforts that cover most of New York State!

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Timeline