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Offer customers a range of upgrade paths, including single measures and staging upgrades over time

Programs that offered several paths for customers to upgrade their homes—for example through a choice of single or bundled measures, staged upgrades over time, or a comprehensive whole home upgrade—were found to motivate greater homeowner participation and generate higher energy savings, according...
Tips for Success

Contractors are your sales team – educate and empower them with the skills to sell home energy upgrades

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...
Tips for Success

Make upgrade options clear and concise for customers

Programs in many regions of the U.S. find that the concept of home performance is new to homeowners. Homeowners may not know how energy efficiency measures compare (e.g., energy savings benefits of insulation versus new windows) or have not heard about some effective measures, such as air sealing...
Tips for Success

Engage with potential lending partners early, and make a clear business case for their involvement

Some lenders perceive home energy lending to be too risky or not profitable enough for them to get involved. Programs have found that engaging potential lending partners early in the program design process, especially in face-to-face meetings, helped them understand both lender needs and the risks...
Tips for Success

Make upgrade benefits visible by showcasing completed projects and actual results

Unlike remodeling projects, home energy upgrade benefits are generally not immediately visible to the casual observer. Strategies that demonstrate tangible benefits from upgrades can help increase understanding and motivation with potential customers. To help energy efficiency become real, some...
Tips for Success

Marketing and Marketing & Outreach Collaborative Intro, November 2, 2010

Author(s)
Kerry O'Neill, Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
Energy Upgrade California

Webinar presenting methods for increasing communication within a marketing team. LA County and Oregon BBNP grantees also share their experiences regarding market research and outreach strategy development.

Resource - Webcast

Innovations in Processes to Accelerate Home Upgrade Programs

Author(s)
Dale Hoffmeyer, U.S. Department of Energy,
Chris Baker, Arizona Public Service (APS),
Torsten Glidden, Build It Green
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California,
Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

Achieving energy savings goals and improving customer and contractor satisfaction while staying cost-effective makes managing home energy upgrade programs challenging. DOE's Home Upgrade Program Accelerator is working with program administrators to identify strategies that overcome challenges and achieve better results. The Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program completed process improvements that improved contractor satisfaction and deceased quality assurance labor.  Build It Green implemented software improvements to their utility program's online rebate applications portal to accelerate data processing.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Spring Forward: Top Strategies for Growing and Scaling Your Program (301)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E),
New Jersey Clean Energy Program,
Energy Upgrade California

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on strategies for scaling up and growing residential energy efficiency programs or contracting businesses. It covered PG&E's Residential Energy Efficiency Program's Pay for Performance (P4P) program. It also covered priority areas to consider when scaling up a program, such as contractor sales and marketing training and maintaining quality.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Rainbows and Leprechauns: Finding Gold in Partnerships

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Baltimore Energy Challenge,
Energy Upgrade California

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how to assess, reassess, and initiate organization partnerships.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Community Organizing and Outreach

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
EnergySmart,
Bend Energy Challenge,
Energy Upgrade California

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on community-based outreach and organizing strategies to market home energy assessments and upgrades.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Update on Revenue Strategies

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
EnergySmart,
Energy Upgrade California,
Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF)

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on new and updated revenue strategies.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Structuring Rebate and Incentive Programs for Sustainable Demand

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This peer exchange call summary focused on developing rebate/incentive programs to generate a demand for sustainable programs and products.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Tenant Education and Training

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This peer exchange call summary focused on different tenant and resident education programs and how to make them complement larger programs.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Leveraging Holidays and Other Events

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on the strategies and challenges of using holidays and other seasonal events to market energy assessments and upgrades.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Business Models and Case Examples for Working with the Real Estate Sector

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

This peer exchange call summary focused on raising awareness and integrating the value of energy efficiency into transactions with the real estate sector.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Information Technology Tools for Multifamily Building Programs

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California,
EnergySmart Colorado

This peer exchange call summary focused on multifamily information technology tools for project information, marketing, assessment, tracking and evaluation.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Using Social Media to Engage the Community in Energy Efficiency
Projects

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Cambridge Energy Alliance,
Energize Clackamas County,
Green Homes Challenge
This webinar presented ways various programs use social media tools to enhance and promote their energy programs among their communities.
Resource - Topical Presentations

Loan Loss Reserve Fund Agreement

Author(s)
Energy Upgrade California
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
Example loan loss reserve fund agreement.
Resource - Templates & Forms

Energy Upgrade California - Post Home Tour Survey Form

Author(s)
Energy Upgrade California
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
Survey form used by Energy Upgrade California to assess open house tour attendee interest in obtaining further information about upgrade opportunities.
Resource - Templates & Forms

Los Angeles County Energy Issues Phone Survey

Author(s)
Los Angeles County, California
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
Sample script Los Angeles County used to survey homeowners about energy issues.
Resource - Templates & Forms

Marketing Message Testing for Super-Efficient Dryers

Author(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
This presentation covers details of an in-store market test for Super-Efficient Dryer (SED) marketing collateral. Five different marketing message concepts were created based on previous consumer research. The concepts include: an image, a headline of the key benefit, and a brief product description to drive credibility.
Resource - Publications

Marketing Message Testing for Super-Efficient Dryers

Author(s)
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This presentation covers details of an in-store market test for Super-Efficient Dryer (SED) marketing collateral. Five different marketing message concepts were created based on previous consumer research. The concepts include: an image, a headline of the key benefit, and a brief product description to drive credibility.

Resource - Publications

MF HERCC Recommendations Report: 2015 Update

Author(s)
Multifamily Subcommittee of the California Home Energy Retrofit Coordinating Committee
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

The MF HERCC Recommendations Report 2015 Update expands the 2011 publication, and delivers explicit and refined recommendations for multifamily energy efficiency program administrators and implementers.

Resource - Publications

Home Energy Makeover Contests: Who Are the Winners and Losers in Motivating Existing Homeowners to Make "Whole House" Energy Saving Improvements

Author(s)
UtilityExchange.org,
Building Performance Institute
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Atlanta SHINE,
DecaturWISE,
CharlestonWISE,
Enhabit,
Energy Upgrade California,
Help My House,
FirstEnergy,
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
NOLA WISE

This paper first details industry best practices for contest administration, including tips for developing an overall contest plan and timeline, product sponsor recruitment, building a dynamic informational website, maximizing customer participation, selecting the winning home, seamless installation management, capturing and documenting project results, conducting a high profile media open house and facilitating customer workshops that educate homeowners and strengthen trade ally relationships. This paper then presents results and key lessons learned from more than 20 contests supported with funds from local community sustainability programs, utility energy efficiency programs, and U.S. Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds between 2008 and 2012.

Resource - Publications

Contractor Blueprint: Getting from HVAC to Home Performance

Author(s)
California Center for Sustainable Energy,
Home Performance Resource Center
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This guide shows HVAC contractors how to get started in the home improvement market. It explains the approach of treating a house like a system and provides step-by-step instructions on setting up a home performance contracting business.

Resource - Publications

Overview of Marketing Methods for Local Retrofit Programs

Author(s)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Cambridge Energy Alliance,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA),
Neighborhood Energy Action Partnership,
WeatherizeDC
This report shares strategies for marketing local energy efficiency programs, particularly through focused messaging, leveraging partnerships, and social media.
Resource - Publications

Energy Upgrade California Home Upgrade Program Process Evaluation 2014-2015

Author(s)
EMI Consulting
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This report presents the process evaluation results on the statewide Home Upgrade Program and includes findings on program operations, participant engagement, non-energy impacts, contractor characteristics, and contractor-customer interactions.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

California Statewide Marketing, Education and Outreach (ME&O) Evaluation Findings

Author(s)
Opinion Dynamics Corporation
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

The presentation covers evaluation findings from California’s Statewide Marketing, Education and Outreach (SW ME&O) program.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

California Statewide Marketing, Education, and Outreach Program: Verification and Integrated Effectiveness Study

Author(s)
Opinion Dynamics Corporation
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

The purpose of this study is to document the effects of California’s Statewide Marketing, Education and Outreach (SW ME&O) program. The primary objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of SW ME&O efforts overall, as well as against established performance metrics.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

California Statewide Marketing, Education, and Outreach Workshop: Evaluation Results and Recommendations

Author(s)
Opinion Dynamics Corporation
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

The presentation covers evaluation results and recommendations for California’s Statewide Marketing, Education and Outreach (SW ME&O) program.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

California Statewide Marketing, Education, and Outreach Program: Cross-Cutting Process Study

Author(s)
Opinion Dynamics Corporation
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This report presents findings from the Cross-Cutting Process Study of California’s 2013-2015 Marketing, Education and Outreach (ME&O) efforts. This study has three overarching goals: to assess how well coordination occurs between the Statewide ME&O administrator and the Investor Owned Utility (IOU) and Regional Energy Network (REN) Program Administrators (PAs); to document ME&O design and implementation activities, and to document how consumers engage with ME&O.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energy Upgrade California Website Assessment

Author(s)
Extractable
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This study reviews consumer-facing energy-focused websites and their related assets to provide a comprehensive roadmap for website development to transform and optimize the Energy Upgrade California web portal to better support the program efforts facilitating consumer and small business participation.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energy Upgrade California Brand Assessment

Author(s)
Opinion Dynamics Corporation
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This study of Energy Upgrade California aims to: establish baseline consumer brand awareness; understand consumer associations with the brand; and understand consumer awareness of energy management and bill savings opportunities and barriers to taking action on those opportunities.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energy Upgrade California Strategic & Creative: Power of One

Author(s)
DDB
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This presentation covers Energy Upgrade California marketing plan to educate and empower businesses and consumers across the state of California to promote energy efficient practices and product.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Marketing, Education, and Outreach Planning for Energy Upgrade California

Author(s)
Rory Cox, California Public Utilities Commission
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This presentation covers the strategies, objectives and metrics for Energy Upgrade California.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

California Public Utilities Commission Five-Year Marketing, Education and Outreach (ME&O) Strategic Roadmap

Author(s)
California Public Utilities Commission
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

The goal of the Marketing Education & Outreach (ME&O) Program is to motivate consumers to take action on energy efficiency/conservation measures and change their behavior. The program strives to both increase consumer awareness and facilitate the ability to act and incorporate technological advances or behavior change using all available resources to reduce energy and choose clean energy options. This Five-Year ME&O Strategic Roadmap includes two main sections: (1) the objectives, strategies, and metrics for customer engagement and how these strategies will lead greenhouse gas reduction and energy efficiency goals of the California Public Utilities Commission.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

California Public Utilities Commission Joint Consumer Action Plan

Author(s)
California Public Utilities Commission
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This document reflects what the California Public Utilities Commission’s customer engagement campaign will accomplish from April 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018. It also includes goals and objectives, target audiences, high-level approaches and strategies, metrics, and implementation roles and responsibilities for each strategy.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Retrofit LA: Final Report

Author(s)
Los Angeles County, California
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
This final report for the Retrofit LA Program includes activities, metrics, accomplishments.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Marketing & Outreach Strategy Research

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Cambridge Energy Alliance,
Energy Impact Illinois,
Enhabit,
Energy Upgrade California

This presentation summarizes the market research that was performed by various Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Los Angeles County Energy Program Energy Issues Survey Results Presentation

Author(s)
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
This presentation describes California property owners' specific interest, awareness, and perceptions regarding energy use, energy efficiency, home energy upgrades, and related topics.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Los Angeles County Energy Program Marketing Technical Advisory Group Presentation

Author(s)
Los Angeles County, California
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
Los Angeles County presented its market research analysis.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energy Upgrade California, Marketing and Sales Support

Author(s)
Energy Upgrade California
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
This Los Angeles County, California, presentation shares how to build broad, positive awareness of and support for programs; gain the tools and resources to align and coordinate marketing efforts; and increase flexibility and responsiveness in messaging and scope.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Los Angeles County Energy Program, Home Energy Retrofits Research Report

Author(s)
Los Angeles County, California
Publication Date
2010
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
This report describes California property owners' specific interest, awareness, and perceptions regarding energy use, energy efficiency, home energy upgrades, and related topics. The study results were used for program design and to design and support marketing and outreach campaigns that encouraged energy upgrades
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energy Upgrade California in Los Angeles County: The Flex Path Program

Author(s)
Steve Culbertson, BKi
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California
This presentation talks about Energy Upgrade California's Flex Path pilot program which offers a menu of upgrade options for homeowners to select. Its flexible approach has been popular with middle-income homeowners interested in upgrades.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

March Energy Madness

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Denver Energy Challenge,
Efficiency Nova Scotia,
Energize Delaware,
Watt Watchers,
Empower Chattanooga,
Energy Upgrade California

This presentation includes examples of 16 programs' creative marketing materials.  The Better Buildings Residential Network held a March Madness tournament to find the most creative residential energy efficiency messages during March Peer Exchange Calls. Sixteen marketing campaigns were featured in a bracket challenge on the calls, and participants made their picks. Residential Network member the Fuel Fund of Maryland was chosen as the winning message for its Watt Watchers campaign.

Resource - Program Materials

Energy Upgrade California 2013-2014 Marketing Plan

Author(s)
Energy Upgrade California
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This plan outlines a brand and marketing strategy to establish Energy Upgrade California as California's central energy management brand and motivate residential and small business energy consumers to take action to better manage their energy use through the brand's comprehensive statewide marketing, education, and outreach campaigns.

Resource - Program Materials

Energy Upgrade California Statewide Financing Pilots Marketing Education & Outreach Plan

Author(s)
Energy Upgrade California
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
Energy Upgrade California

This plan presents the marketing education and outreach plan for Energy Upgrade California's financing pilots.

Resource - Program Materials

Content Type

  • Resource (42)
  • Tips for Success (5)

Resource Type

Program Components

  • Market Position & Business Model (5)
  • Program Design & Customer Experience (8)
  • Evaluation & Data Collection (6)
  • Marketing & Outreach (30)
  • Financing (5)
  • Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development (2)

Program Design Phases

  • Overview (2)
  • Strategy Development (23)
  • Planning (31)
  • Implementation (22)
  • Evaluation (9)

States or Territories

  • Alabama (1)
  • Alaska (1)
  • Arizona (3)
  • (-) California (44)
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  • Texas (3)
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Organizations or Programs

  • (-) Energy Upgrade California (45)
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  • Michigan Saves (10)
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  • Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) (6)
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  • RePower Bainbridge (5)
  • Build It Green (4)
  • Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge (4)
  • Efficiency Nova Scotia (4)
  • Energize Phoenix (4)
  • EnergyWorks (4)
  • Focus on Energy (4)
  • Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA) (4)
  • Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) (4)
  • Mass Save (4)
  • Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) (4)
  • Small Town Energy Program (STEP) (4)
  • Better Buildings Program San Jose (3)
  • (-) Cambridge Energy Alliance (3)
  • City of Fort Collins Utilities (3)
  • EmPOWER Maryland (3)
  • emPowerSBC (3)
  • Low Income Energy Efficiency (LIEE) Program (3)
  • NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad (3)
  • NeighborWorks of Western Vermont (3)
  • NOLA WISE (3)
  • Windsor Efficiency PAYS (3)
  • Arizona Public Service (APS) (2)
  • Bend Energy Challenge (2)
  • BeSmart Maryland (2)
  • Energize Connecticut (2)
  • Energize Delaware (2)
  • Energize New York (2)
  • Kansas How$mart (2)
  • RePower Bremerton (2)
  • RePower Kitsap (2)
  • Texas LoanSTAR (2)
Residential Program Guide is a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.
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