March 15, 2016
The Mayor of Bariloche, Argentina, Gustavo Gennuso, visited the CHP Energy Solutions Training Center in Christiansburg, Va. on March 1 to learn more about weatherizing homes. This visit was part of the ongoing program co-founded by CHP called Weatherization Without Borders (WWB), which is spreading around the globe the value and effectiveness of home weatherization through training, education and advocacy. Mayor Gennuso is very interested in improving the quality of lives of the citizens of Bariloche and especially those who need assistance with their homes. Bariloche lies in the foothills of the Andes mountains and has a very cold winter from June – September. Gennuso was accompanied by Paula Stella and Nicolas Maggio of WWB and Ana Mercedes Botero, the director of social innovation with CAF Banco de Desarrollo de America Latina.
On March 2, the South American contigency attended a one-day conference co-sponsored by CHP at the Virginia Tech National Capital Region Research Center in Arlington, Va. Experts from public, private, nonprofit, and international organizations discussed public policies that affect housing, energy, and sustainability. They also participated in workshops on how to build international sustainable housing policies while leveraging universities in this challenge.