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LEAP is an exciting new development in the greening of the Charlottesville-Albemarle area.  LEAP is a non-profit organization that will be headquartered at the corner of 5th St and Cherry Avenue,  in a building that will be retrofitted and will serve as an example of energy efficiency.  This organization won grant money from the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance  ( http://www.seealliance.org/ ) and is now in the planning/formation stage. 

LEAP expects for its executive director to begin in early March, and for the rest of the staffing to be completed by the end of March.  Meanwhile, PVCC (Piedmont Va Community College), is partnering through their Construction Academy, by offering courses in home performance contracting to teach contractors and others interested in learning how to improve home energy efficiency.

LEAP will have a multi-faceted approach to promoting energy efficiency that emphasizes hands-on promulgation of energy efficiency.  LEAP will educate building contractors, building inspectors, bankers, landlords, and property owners to the best practices for insuring energy efficiency in new and retrofitted buildings.  Some of the certifications available for buildings to earn come from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), EarthCraft, and Energy Star.  LEAP will publicize means of obtaining energy efficiency.  LEAP will provide property owners with information on their buildings, certified contractors, quality assurance, and financing to remove barriers that prevent them from investing in the retrofits needed to lower energy bills and to create a more comfortable, healthier indoor environment. 

LEAP will work to promote savings in energy and money, to create jobs (that revitalize our local construction industry), to accelerate local efforts in climate protection, affordable housing, workforce development and long-term energy security.  LEAP will work with local governments, businesses and non-profits to help create a sustainable energy future for the Charlottesville-Albemarle community.  Visit http://leap-va.org for more information.