Programs that enabled contractors to install energy saving measures during the home energy assessment were more successful than those that did not. Based on a comprehensive analysis of over 140 programs across the United States, programs that provided direct installation of some low-cost measures...
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Even with the best contractor partners, a program may sometimes encounter difficulties that require remediation. Consistent with Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program principles, many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners discovered that they could address these difficulties by...
Many home performance programs have confronted the challenge of how to reach out to more customers and to improve conversion rates of customer interest into completed upgrades. Realizing that the contractor is a primary face-to-face link between customers and the program, some Better Buildings...
Early on, many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners focused on providing customers with a range of contractors to choose from, while providing contractors with access to customers. Customer feedback received by some programs, however, indicated that customers were confused or overwhelmed...
Though potentially challenging, establishing relationships for sharing energy consumption data is critical for evaluating program impact on energy and cost savings. Many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners found success by approaching utilities during the program planning phase, or at...
Several residential energy efficiency programs have successfully launched their efforts by focusing on completing early upgrades that build visibility for their program, create momentum, and allow programs to learn how to reach homeowners effectively. This early success provides results that the...
Incentives can be the easiest approach to overcome motivation barriers and attract customers’ and contractors’ attention, as long as the upgrade and reimbursement processes are kept simple and easy to follow. Successful programs have found incentives help entice customers to complete upgrades...
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Efficiency Maine,
New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Efficiency Vermont
This webcast covers information about designing effective incentives to drive residential retrofit program participation.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine,
Efficiency Vermont
This webcast reports on the energy efficiency services sector workforce size, expectations for growth, and training needs and features a case studies from Efficiency Vermont and Efficiency Maine.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) PowerSaver
This webcast discussed how market research can help spur demand for home energy efficiency programs.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA),
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
This webcast presents lessons learned in marketing, communication, and outreach, including lessons related to marketing plans.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine,
Michigan Saves
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how recent policy changes have impacted residential energy efficiency program implementation. Speakers include Efficiency Maine, Michigan Environmental Council, and Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Efficiency Maine
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on types of incentives.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on the features and eligibility of the PowerSaver Loan Program.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Efficiency Maine
This peer exchange call summary focused on moving from assessments to upgrades in multifamily buildings.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
BetterBuildings for Michigan,
CharlestonWISE,
Enhabit,
Community Power Works,
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge,
Efficiency Maine,
emPowerSBC,
Energize Bedford,
Energize Phoenix,
EnergySmart Colorado,
Energy Upgrade California,
EnergyWorks,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA),
Green Madison,
BetterBuildings Lowell Energy Upgrade,
Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2),
Missouri Agricultural Energy Saving Team - A Revolutionary Opportunity (MAESTRO),
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad,
New Hampshire BetterBuildings,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
reEnergize,
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton
This presentation includes the brands, website addresses, and images for most of the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
emPowerSBC,
EnergySmart Colorado
Presentation providing an overview of financing programs, a strategy for continuous improvement, tools for program management, a risk management strategy, and common risks associated with financing programs.
Publication Date
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.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
Efficiency Maine developed this online portal, where many of its program forms are available for download (e.g., program overviews and manuals, participation agreements, and related application materials).
Contractor Sales Training: Providing the Skills Necessary to Sell Comprehensive Home Energy Upgrades
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Clean Energy Policy Brief describes how adding sales skills to contractors' existing technical expertise helps convert more assessments into comprehensive home energy upgrades. It profiles Efficiency Maine's contractor sales training and includes a list of resources.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
SEEA created this document to inform the planning, design and delivery of early-stage energy efficiency programs in the Southeast. This document captures general concepts essential to the successful development and implementation of robust program portfolios, as well as lessons learned from prior experience on the regional and national levels.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Atlanta SHINE,
Be SMART,
Beacon Communities Project,
BetterBuildings for Michigan,
BetterBuildings for Greensboro,
BetterBuildings Lowell Energy Upgrade,
Camden POWER - A Better Buildings Initiative,
CarrboroWISE,
City of Indianapolis Better Buildings Program,
Chapel Hill WISE,
CharlestonWISE,
Enhabit,
Community Alliance for Energy Efficiency (Cafe2),
Community Power Works,
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge,
DecaturWISE,
Efficiency Maine,
emPowerSBC,
Energize Phoenix,
EnergyFit Nevada,
Energy Impact Illinois,
EnergySmart,
Energy Upgrade California,
EnergyWorks,
Fayette County Better Buildings Initiative,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA),
Huntsville WISE,
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
Michigan Saves,
Missouri Agricultural Energy Saving Team - A Revolutionary Opportunity (MAESTRO),
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
reEnergize,
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton,
Richmond Regional Energy Alliance (RREA),
ShopSmart with JEA,
Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF),
Small Town Energy Program (STEP),
Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC),
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
This publication summarizes some of the incentives offered by Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
Insights from Efficiency Maine related to Workforce Development.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
This report demonstrates the results achieved to date by the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance. It highlights the experiences of Consortium programs, their successes driving further investments in energy efficiency improvements, and the challenges that hindered their progress. It also details the infrastructure, resources, and opportunities that support the deployment of energy efficiency programming, and the approaches that the Consortium has found best suited to the region.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
This interim evaluation report examines the design, delivery, and market effects of each of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance's (SEEA) thirteen sub-grantee programs and identifies opportunities to increase each program's success, and quantifies and verifies the energy savings achieved through the programs' funded home energy improvements and the cost-effectiveness of those savings.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This presentation from Efficiency Maine shows early adopters and higher income residents tend to take advantage of large incentives, but smaller incentives may be a way to engage a broader range of income levels.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
Sample energy reduction plan that details specific steps to be taken by the ownership and management at 1234 Any Street to achieve estimated energy savings based on an energy assessment.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
This request for proposal from the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance is for branding and communications support.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This case study highlights a 20-unit apartment building that gained energy savings and comfort through Efficiency Maine.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This case study highlights the first project completed under Efficiency Maine's Multifamily Efficiency Program.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This case study explains how Efficiency Maine provided contractor sales training to boost upgrade conversions.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Maine
This case study describes Efficiency Maine's Home Energy Savings Program (HESP), one of the few large residential energy efficiency programs that has attempted to navigate the transition from rebate-focused offerings to financing focused offerings that better align with its limited budget.