June 2, 2022
A CHP Energy Solutions employee is retiring after decades of service and numerous accredited positions in the industry, all while helping vulnerable communities and impacting the lives of the people she worked with.
In 1985, Lil Weston became
involved with the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) when she was hired to help with the development of a client database. Virginia’s WAP was being administered by the Virginia Association of Community Action Agencies (VACAA, now VCAP) while under contract with the Virginia Department of Social Services. During her time in the Virginia WAP program, Weston became a trainer when the program began to change its methods and protocols based on new technology and building science. She was deeply involved in the new program evaluation and modification, which dramatically charted a new course for the WAP program. She was the program’s first building scientist.
In the early 1990s, Weston joined Cyndia Crawford to create EnergyTec and became instrumental in training and monitoring local weatherization providers in the newly developed statewide installation standards, such as blower door directed air sealing and heating system safety checks. It was a major change from the “door and window” program the WAP had been. Virginia was one of the first states in the country to implement the use of blower doors in its program, and Weston directly impacted this change.
Around the same time, Weston became a charter member of Association of Energy Conservation Professionals (AECP) and served on AECP’s first Board of Directors. She also held the positions of Officer and Secretary at AECP. “Lil always brought an unbridled passion for doing the work correctly and doing it based on proven best practice and building science. You could always count on her to speak up, ask questions and challenge any deviation from doing weatherization work properly,” said Billy Weitzenfeld of AECP.
From 1993 to 1999, Weston managed the Emergency Home Repair Program at Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), while assisting Bill Beachy as the Weatherization Program Director at DHCD. She eventually became the sole Emergency Home Repair Program/WAP staff person at DHCD when Beachy left the department for Community Housing Partners (CHP) in 1999.
Around 2000, Weston helped develop classes and train Virginia weatherization crews and professionals for New River Center for Energy Research and Training, or NRCERT. This is now known as the CHP Energy Solutions Research and Training Center.
In the early 2000s she worked for project:HOMES before becoming the Weatherization Coordinator for Rappahannock Area Agency on Aging (RAAA). Weston held this position through 2015 and began to work with CHP as its Energy Solutions division became the sole weatherization contractor for RAAA and worked with crews to provide services. She also provided on-site demonstrations for Virginia’s Governor, Tim Kaine, and US Department of Energy staff.
And in 2015, Weston joined the CHP Energy Solutions team as an Energy Auditor, but quickly transitioned to overseeing CHP Energy Solutions weatherization subcontractor and associated jobs. “So much has changed in weatherization since I started in 1985. I am so proud of what this program has become, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it,” said Weston.
Weston plans on retiring in the Richmond area with her partner Ralph and says she has plenty to keep her busy, from organizing family memorabilia to diving into creative projects, and looks forward to spending quality time with family and friends.