Benefits of a resilient home

A good “building envelope” and backup power make your home more durable, more efficient, and safer. These upgrades not only improve the habitability of your home when problems strike but are correlated with year-round energy and comfort benefits.

Reduced risk from adverse events

Maintain the habitability of your home longer during severe weather or utility disruptions

Improved durability

Minimize weather- and non-weather-related impacts and repair costs through a combined strategy of maintenance and renovations

Increased sustainability

Resilient homes tend to be more energy efficient, which protects the climate

Year-round comfort

Managing factors like temperature, drafts, and humidity improves comfort year-round

The Technology

How It Works

The most common risks that Massachusetts homeowners can address through a resilient home are severe weather, water damage, and power outages. Thus, the most practical strategies involve improving and maintaining your home’s envelope, managing water-related risks, and installing battery backup power. Adding solar PV can extend the value of battery backup.

Video

Understanding Insulation and R-Value

This Old House | 2 min. 42 sec.

Insulation helps maintain indoor temperature when the power goes out.

Incentives and Financing

Weatherization

Incentives and Financing

Battery Storage

Incentives and Financing

Things to Consider

If you answer yes to ANY of these questions, then resilience improvements are a good fit for your home

Weatherization helps your home stay livable longer if the power goes out. Since most fossil-fueled heating systems also need electricity to run, it’s ideal for your home to be able to “coast” at comfortable indoor temperature for an extended time. Battery storage allows critical systems, like sump pumps or heat, to stay on. When paired with solar PV, your battery system can run even longer.

Resilience measures can help protect your home from damage due to water or wind, and allow you to stay in it through extreme heat or cold or extended power outages. You can learn more about local risks from your municipality’s climate vulnerability assessment or preparedness plans.

Air-sealing and other weatherization measures will reduce drafts, save you money on heating and cooling, and improve your home’s ability to stay comfortable through a power outage.

Ideal times to think about building resilience are when:

  • You’re getting a new roof, windows, or siding 
  • Home systems like heating, cooling or hot water are being replaced 
  • Energy efficiency improvements are being made 
  • You’re adding living space to your home or other renovations are being made 

This free tool can help you learn more.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
HOME RESILIENCE

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Efficiency first: Improve your home’s resilience by weatherizing

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