It’s a building inside a building off frontage road on Bozeman’s east side of town. It's the Montana Weatherization Training Center, where Nick Thomas is a building science instructor.
“So we've created this test house to simulate a real house with some before and after weatherization measures in place,” Thomas said.
The training center has been in Bozeman more than 30 years, offering hands-on technical training under Montana State University Extension. The center offers classes year round for anyone interested in learning how to make homes more efficient.
The training center recently hosted an open house with partners from HRDC and NorthWestern Energy highlighting low income heating assistance programs and career paths in the green energy sector.
Sonja Wheeler, Energy efficiency director at HRDC, says HRDC crews train at the center and weatherize about 40 low income homes a year.
“Help customers make their homes more energy efficient, healthier, warmer, more comfortable and mainly to keep more money and our customers' pockets to pay for other things,” Wheeler said.
Thomas says interest in the specialized field is growing as more federal incentives become available at the state level and costs of more efficient technology comes down.
“The money that’s been set aside is going to get spent for a good reason so hopefully everyone can take advantage of it,” Thomas said.
Thomas says one of the first steps anyone can take is sealing leaky doors and windows to prevent air loss.
