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Foster “word of mouth” communication from satisfied customers

Programs found that encouraging word of mouth outreach by asking satisfied customers to promote their program experience to peers helped attract more homeowners who completed energy upgrades. Referrals from neighbors and friends who are happy with their energy improvements can provide a good source...
Tips for Success

Peer Exchange Call: Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and Home Energy Score Integration

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Focus on Energy,
Energize Connecticut,
Columbia Water & Light

Focus on Energy, Columbia Water & Light, and utilities from the Energize Connecticut program share how they integrate and implement the Home Energy Score and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR programs.

Resource - Webcast

Residential High Energy Users: Causes and Opportunities

Author(s)
Energy Center of Wisconsin (now Seventhwave)
Publication Date
2015

High energy users in single-family homes present the greatest opportunities for energy and cost savings, yet relatively little is known about what is happening in these homes or how energy efficiency and utility programs can engage these consumers. In this on-demand webcast, hear the results of a groundbreaking field study of 100 high-consumption homes in Minnesota. The webcast will discuss possible causes and the technical and behavioral opportunities to reduce usage. Also, it will introduce the households studied to provide a holistic introduction to this utility customer group.

Resource - Webcast

Tracking Household Perceptions and Actions

Author(s)
Energy Center of Wisconsin (now Seventhwave)
Publication Date
2012

This on-demand webinar discusses what residential customers in Wisconsin, the Midwest, and the nation have to say about energy topics.  Learn about the Energy Center of Wisconsin's (now Seventhwave's) research on consumer perceptions and actions concerning their energy use at home based on the 2011 Midwest Energy Survey.

Resource - Webcast

Who's Got Game? Interactive Customer Engagement Strategies

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Consumers Energy Smart Energy Challenge,
Focus on Energy

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on key challenges and opportunities to deploy interactive engagement strategies including customer segmentation, loyalty and reward programs, and gamification. It features speakers from Fiveworx, ICF International, and Cool Choices.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Gold Medal Approaches for Obtaining and Using Energy Efficiency Data

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on obtaining and using energy efficiency data through tools like the Green Button, smart connected thermostat pilots, and operational ratings of homes to evaluate and/or enhance programs.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Top Lessons Learned for Residential Energy Efficiency Program Design

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2)

The Better Buildings Neighborhood Program featured 41 competitively selected grantees that developed sustainable energy efficiency upgrade programs across the U.S. from 2010-14. This presentation covers what worked and what didn’t, and key success factors identified by an independent evaluation.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Generating Demand for Multifamily Building Upgrades

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
Focus on Energy,
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD),
Mass Save

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on approaches to generate demand for energy efficiency upgrades at multifamily buildings.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Mastermind Session: Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2)

This peer exchange call summary focused on grant funding investments, program design and revenue streams in the post-grant period.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Listening to Your Workforce: Lessons from Pilot Programs and Other Approaches For Workforce Feedback

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Long Island Green Homes

This peer exchange call summary focused on creating a dialogue between contractors, trainers and jobseekers about program design/implementation and results of workforce feedback.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Trends in Real Estate and Energy Efficiency - Update on Program Experience

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2)

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on working with the real estate sector to promote and drive demand for energy efficiency.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Contractor Pricing

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy

This peer exchange call summary focused on the relationship between contract pricing and customers.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Community-Based Social Marketing Toolkit

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Small Town Energy Program (STEP),
Baltimore Energy Challenge,
Efficiency Maine,
Energy Impact Illinois,
Efficiency Nova Scotia,
CoMo Energy Challenge,
Empower Chattanooga,
Somerville Energy Efficiency Now!,
PG&E,
Seattle City Light,
City of Fort Collins

This toolkit describes how to strengthen residential energy efficiency program outreach and marketing efforts through data-driven, tailored efforts to change behaviors. One of the greatest challenges facing the residential energy efficiency market is motivating people to take steps to save energy. This toolkit provides guidance, resources, and examples for applying community-based social marketing (CBSM) to increase the number of homes that are energy efficient.

Resource - Tools & Calculators

ResStock State Fact Sheets

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
2017

Each ResStock fact sheet presents the potential for residential energy and utility bill savings for the state. The top ten energy savings home improvements are highlighted.

Resource - Publications

Saving Watts to Save Drops: Inclusion of Water Efficiency in Energy Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2018
Organizations or Programs
Energy Trust of Oregon,
Focus on Energy,
Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO),
Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company,
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E),
NV Energy

This study provides an overview of practices for quantifying and reporting avoided energy-water costs from demand-side measures. It also summarizes the regulatory guidance for incorporating water savings into cost-effectiveness screening for energy efficiency programs.

Resource - Publications

Find and Flip: Motivating High Energy Users to Save Energy

Author(s)
Cool Choices, Inc.
Publication Date
2015

Cool Choices layered an experiment atop four engagement games where they used game mechanics to identify high energy users and encourage those high energy users (along with other game participants) to participate in Focus on Energy residential programs. This research effort, called "Find and Flip," explored whether a gamification strategy could identify high energy users and then drive them to Focus on Energy programs.

Resource - Publications

More Savings for More Residents: Progress in Multifamily Housing Energy Efficiency

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2017

This report updates ACEEE's 2013 assessment of multifamily energy efficiency programs in US metropolitan areas with the most multifamily households. Using housing, policy, and utility-sector data from 2014 and 2015, this report documents how these programs have changed in the context of dynamic housing markets and statewide policy environments. The report also offers an analysis of the number, spending, offerings, and targeted participants of current programs and their potential for further expansion.

Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Jobs in America

Author(s)
E4TheFuture,
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
Publication Date
2016

The report, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and a survey of tens of thousands of businesses across the country, provides detailed breakdowns of clean energy jobs not available previously, and it was developed and released in connection with a major U.S. Department of Energy study of all energy jobs in America.

Resource - Publications

Current Practices in Efficiency Financing: An Overview for State and Local Governments

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Kansas How$mart,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Michigan Saves,
Texas LoanSTAR,
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD),
Nebraska Dollar and Energy Savings Program

This report is a guide to all customer-facing financing products—products offered by a lender directly to a borrower—used to pay for energy efficiency. Intended for state and local governments that are deciding whether to start a new program, tune up and existing program, or create a Green Bank, it provides information on the full range of financing product options for target participants, the tradeoffs of various products, and potential advantages and disadvantages for different types of customers.

Resource - Publications

Behaving Ourselves: How Behavior Change Insights Are Being Applied to Energy Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
Kira Ashby, Consortium for Energy Efficiency,
Monica Nevius, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority,
Bruce Ceniceros, Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Pepco Holdings' Home Performance with Energy Audits Program,
Energy Trust of Oregon,
Public Service of New Hampshire,
PSE&G Whole House Energy Efficiency Program,
FortisBC’s 20/20 Challenge Program,
Focus on Energy

This paper describes a wide variety of behavior change insights potentially applicable to the energy efficiency program context, provides examples of efficiency programs that have applied these insights, and explores some untapped opportunities to achieve energy savings through behavior change.

Resource - Publications

Lifting the High Energy Burden in America's Largest Cities: How Energy Efficiency Can Improve Low-Income and Underserved Communities

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016

Energy burden is the percentage of household income spent on home energy bills. In this report, ACEEE, along with the Energy Efficiency for All coalition, measures the energy burden of households in 48 of the largest American cities. The report finds that low-income, African-American, Latino, low-income multifamily, and renter households all spend a greater proportion of their income on utilities than the average family. The report also identifies energy efficiency as an underutilized strategy that can help reduce high energy burdens by as much as 30%. Given this potential, the report goes on to describe policies and programs to ramp up energy efficiency investments in low-income and underserved communities.

Resource - Publications

Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy

Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.
Publication Date
2016

The Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy is intended to give policymakers, regulators, efficiency proponents, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of the progress of energy efficiency policies and programs across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. Along with state-level highlights, the report examines regional trends and shared challenges in harnessing the potential of energy efficiency to meet today’s pressing energy and environmental challenges.

Resource - Publications

Reaching More Residents: Opportunities for Increasing Participation in Multifamily Energy Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Focus on Energy,
National Grid Rhode Island,
DC Sustainable Energy Utility Low-Income Multifamily Initiative,
Bay Area Regional Energy Network Multifamily Building Enhancements,
Con Edison Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program,
Con Edison Multifamily Low Income Program,
Puget Sound Energy,
Xcel Energy,
Elevate Energy,
Energy Trust of Oregon,
Public Service Electric and Gas Multifamily Program,
Pacific Gas & Electric Company,
Arizona Public Service (APS) Company,
Austin Energy,
Efficiency Vermont,
CenterPoint Energy,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

The multifamily sector can be hard to reach when it comes to energy efficiency programs. Besides being diverse and complex, the sector presents a unique set of challenges to efficiency investments. The result is that multifamily customers are often underserved by energy efficiency programs. Drawing on data requests and interviews with program administrators, this report summarizes the challenges to program participation and identifies best practices that programs can use to reach and retain large numbers of multifamily participants.

Resource - Publications

Better Buildings Residential Network Lessons Learned: Peer Exchange Calls No.4

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
EnergySmart,
Bend Energy Challenge,
Mass Save,
Focus on Energy,
Enhabit

This document summarizes top marketing and outreach takeaways shared by Better Buildings Residential Network members during spring 2015 Peer Exchange Calls.

Resource - Publications

A Policymaker’s Guide to Scaling Home Energy Upgrades

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
EnergySmart,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Enhabit,
Mass Save,
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA),
Manitoba Hydro,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Michigan Saves,
Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans,
Austin Energy,
Efficiency Vermot,
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
Illinois Home Performance with Energy Star,
Build It Green,
Earth Advantage,
Elevate Energy,
Arizona Public Service (APS),
Pacific Gas and Electric Company,
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad

This Guide is designed to help state and local policymakers to take full advantage of new policy developments by providing them with a comprehensive set of tools to support launching or accelerating residential energy efficiency programs. The Guide focuses on four categories of policies that have proven particularly effective in providing a framework within which residential energy efficiency programs can thrive: incentives and financing, making the value of energy efficiency visible in the real estate market, data access and standardization, and supporting utility system procurement of energy efficiency.

Resource - Publications

Ratepayer-Funded Low-Income Energy Programs: Performance and Possibilities

Author(s)
APPRISE Inc.
Publication Date
2007

The purpose of this study is to furnish comprehensive information on ratepayer-funded low-income energy programs. This study includes information on and analysis of the energy needs of low-income households, the legal and regulatory framework supporting ratepayer-funded programs, program design options, and the findings from evaluations of program effectiveness.

Resource - Publications

Energy and Environment Guide to Action: State Policies and Best Practices for Advancing Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, and Combined Heat and Power

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2015

The Guide to Action provides in-depth information about over a dozen policies and programs that states are using to meet their energy, environmental, and economic objectives with energy efficiency, renewable energy, and combined heat and power. Each policy description is based on states’ experiences in designing and implementing policies, as documented in existing literature and shared through peer-exchange opportunities provided to states by EPA’s State Climate and Energy Program.

Resource - Publications

A Changing Landscape: The Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States

Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.
Publication Date
2015

This report represents NEEP’s annual assessment of the major policy developments of 2014, as well as its look into the immediate future, where NEEP gauge states’ progress toward capturing cost-effective energy efficiency as a first-order resource. While looking at the region as a whole, NEEP also provides summary and analysis of some of the biggest building energy efficiency successes and setbacks from Maine to Maryland — including significant energy efficiency legislation and regulations and changes in funding levels for energy efficiency programs.

Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Program Best Practices

Author(s)
National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency
Publication Date
2010

This report presents best practices for operating successful portfolio-level efficiency programs, including assessing efficiency potential, cost-effectiveness screening, and developing a portfolio of approaches.

Resource - Publications

Using Integrated Resource Planning to Encourage Investment in Cost-Effective Energy Efficiency

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2011

This report describes how utility planning processes that allow demand-side resources to compete with supply-side resources can promote cost-effective energy efficiency.

Resource - Publications

Who Should Deliver Ratepayer-Funded Energy Efficiency? A 2011 Update

Author(s)
Regulatory Assistance Project
Publication Date
2011

This report identifies and discusses factors that should be considered in evaluating model choices for administering and implementing ratepayer funded energy efficiency programs.

Resource - Publications

Scoping Study to Evaluate Feasibility of National Databases for EM&V Documents and Measure Savings

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2011

This report presents the results of a scoping study to assess the need for national databases that can support best practices in energy efficiency program evaluation, measurement, and verification (EM&V).

Resource - Publications

Delivering Energy Efficiency to Middle Income Single Family Households

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
2011

This report provides state and local policymakers with information on successful approaches to the design and implementation of residential efficiency programs for households ineligible for low-income programs.

Resource - Publications

Me2 and Green Madison Process Evaluation Plan

Author(s)
Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Green Madison,
Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2)
Example Me2 and Green Madison process evaluation plan to conduct an in-depth investigation and assessment of the major program areas.
Resource - Publications

Community Workforce Agreements: The Pathway to Coalitions Between Labor and Community

Author(s)
Emerald Cities Planning Committee
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Emerald Cities Collaborative,
City of Milwaukee Residents Preference Program,
City of Los Angeles,
CA,
Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles,
Port of Oakland,
Cleveland University Hospital Vision 2010,
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Water System Improvement Program
This guide to Community Workforce Agreements is an appendix to the Road Map to Emerald Cities and provides a framework to use an innovation on the traditional Project Labor Agreement to give life and meaning to the social compact.
Resource - Publications

Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Programs: Benchmarking and Emerging Trends

Author(s)
Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energize Delaware

This report consists of a literature review and in-depth interviews with subject matter experts in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program area. The goal was to compare Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (DESEU) HPwES Programs with peer-programs across the United States. The report also identifies key metrics and emerging trends regarding program design.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Wisconsin Focus on Energy 2017 Technical Reference Manual

Author(s)
The Cadmus Group, Inc.
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Focus on Energy

This Technical Reference Manual (TRM) defines the consensus calculations of the electric and natural gas energy savings and the electric demand reductions, achieved from installing energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that are supported by Focus on Energy programs.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Focus on Energy Trade Ally and Co-Branding Guidelines

Author(s)
Focus on Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Focus on Energy

Focus on Energy created these co-branding and logo requirements that trade allies, or participating contractors, must adhere to when creating marketing materials related to the program.

Resource - Program Materials

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  • Tips for Success (1)

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  • Strategy Development (28)
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  • Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) (1)
  • Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) (1)
  • Texas LoanSTAR (1)
  • Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans (1)
  • Xcel Energy (1)
Residential Program Guide is a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.
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