Syracuse, N.Y. -- The 125-year-old mansion on South Salina Street was built for grandeur, not energy efficiency. It boasts 5,000 square feet, eight bedrooms and 4 ½ baths. But until a few months ago, it had no insulation.

Soon after he bought the house, Lakshman Kalasapudi, a medical resident at SUNY Upstate Medical University, applied to a state energy program for help bringing the house up to modern levels of efficiency. His utility bills last winter were ghastly, more than $700 a month.

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