N&R front-pager:
It was pitched as a way to save thousands of households money on their energy bills, create hundreds of jobs and spur private investment in a sputtering economy.
Four years and about $4.7 million later, it’s clear Greensboro’s Better Buildings program missed the mark.
…Ultimately, Better Buildings didn’t convince enough locals it was worth their money to reduce their energy costs.
“It’s a good argument. It looks good on paper,” said Derrick Giles of program contractor Enpulse Energy. “People don’t feel it on their kitchen table.”
…Harris, the city’s neighborhood development director, said that throughout the program, contractors were wary of hiring new employees that they would have to lay off once the grant money ran out.
That’s a disappointment because the program was part of the sweeping legislation meant to restart the national economy.
Like so many federal programs…good on paper….
