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Provide information to help customers pick the right contractor

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...
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

Help contractors understand the program’s financing options and benefits, so they can communicate to homeowners

Homeowners do not benefit from access to financing if they don’t know about or understand options available to them. Contractors are often the primary transaction point for selling upgrades, and many programs have found that ongoing collaboration with contractors through sales training, regular...
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

Follow through with customers

Following up on leads that result from your marketing and outreach efforts quickly and consistently will help your program convert them from interested parties to satisfied customers. Many programs found a sizable drop-off in action if they or their contractors were not able to follow up within a...
Tips for Success

Setting Baselines for Planning and Evaluation of Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
Robert G. Ozar, Michigan Public Service Commission,
Carmen Best, California Public Utilities Commission,
Jeff Harris, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2016

The key challenge with quantifying savings from end-use efficiency activities is the identification of an accurate baseline from which to determine the savings. Regardless of the protocol or procedure applied, all savings values are determined by estimating likely energy use in the absence of the program or project (the “counterfactual” scenario, or baseline). This webcast provides an introduction to considerations and common practices for defining baselines, the relationship between baselines and savings attribution, and examples of how different jurisdictions are addressing market baseline studies, setting baselines for retrofit measures, and market transformation program baselines.

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

State of the Union: Best Practices from 'Most Improved' Energy Efficient States in 2016

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
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.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Keys to Successful Quality Assurance and Quality Control Programs (101)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energize Connecticut,
Michigan Saves

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on quality assurance of energy efficiency services.

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

Cost-Effective Modeling and Savings Projections for Multifamily Projects

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on energy modeling in multifamily homes.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Using Loan Performance Data to Inform Program Implementation

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
Michigan Saves,
BeSmart Maryland

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how loan performance data is tracked and analyzed, and what the data shows.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Community Readiness Assessments

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

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on the benefits of community assessments and strategies for gathering information.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Moving Multifamily Buildings From Assessments to Upgrades

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

This peer exchange call summary focused on moving from assessments to upgrades in multifamily buildings.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Is Energy Efficiency Capitalized into Home Prices? Evidence from Three US Cities

Author(s)
Resources for the Future
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy

This study looks at evidence of capitalization of energy efficiency features in home prices using data from real estate multiple listing services (MLS) in three metropolitan areas: the Research Triangle region of North Carolina; Austin, Texas; and Portland, Oregon. These home listings include information on Energy Star certification and, in Portland and Austin, local green certifications. Our results suggest that Energy Star certification increases the sales prices of homes built between 1995 and 2006 but has no statistically significant effect on sales prices for newer homes.

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

Energy Benchmarking, Rating, and Disclosure for Local Governments

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2012

This report provides information on how access to energy use data can help local governments create policies for benchmarking and disclosing building energy performance for public and private sector buildings.

Resource - Publications

Michigan Saves: Using Loan Performance Data to Inform Program Implementation

Author(s)
Mary Templeton, Michigan Saves
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
Michigan Saves
This presentation describes the financial data Michigan Saves tracks and how the program uses the data to inform program implementation.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Better Buildings for Michigan Neighborhood Sweep Summary Report

Author(s)
BetterBuildings for Michigan
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
BetterBuildings for Michigan
This report summarizes the results of five neighborhood sweeps, covering more than 2,000 households in Michigan.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Collecting and Using Data to Improve the Program: Pecan Street Project

Author(s)
Suzanne Russo, Pecan Street Project Inc.
Publication Date
2011
Headquartered at The University of Texas at Austin, Pecan Street Inc. is a research and development organization focused on developing and testing advanced technology, business model and customer behavior surrounding advanced energy management systems. Their flagship effort is the Pecan Street Demonstration Project that began in an Austin community. This presentation discusses collecting and using data to assess and improve the Pecan Street Project.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Effective Incentive Structures: Michigan

Author(s)
Mary Templeton, BetterBuildings for Michigan
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
BetterBuildings for Michigan

Presentation on how Michigan Saves realigned its incentives to encourage more projects with significant energy savings potential.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Spotlight on Austin, Texas: Let Your Contractor Be Your Guide for Big Rewards

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy
This case study discusses strategies that Austin Energy, a municipally owned utility, used to collaborate closely with building contractors to launch a new Best Offer Ever promotion quickly and effectively.
Resource - Case Studies

Content Type

  • Resource (17)
  • Tips for Success (5)

Resource Type

Program Components

  • Market Position & Business Model (2)
  • Program Design & Customer Experience (5)
  • Evaluation & Data Collection (8)
  • Marketing & Outreach (3)
  • Financing (4)
  • Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development (4)

Program Design Phases

  • Overview (8)
  • Strategy Development (69)
  • Planning (78)
  • Implementation (62)
  • (-) Evaluation (22)

States or Territories

  • Alabama (7)
  • Alberta (1)
  • Arizona (9)
  • Arkansas (3)
  • British Columbia (1)
  • California (40)
  • Colorado (19)
  • Connecticut (26)
  • Delaware (2)
  • District of Columbia (1)
  • Florida (11)
  • Georgia (3)
  • Illinois (13)
  • Indiana (3)
  • Iowa (1)
  • Kansas (1)
  • Kentucky (1)
  • Louisiana (6)
  • Maine (13)
  • Maryland (10)
  • Massachusetts (12)
  • (-) Michigan (11)
  • Minnesota (6)
  • Missouri (3)
  • Nebraska (1)
  • New Hampshire (8)
  • New Jersey (4)
  • New York (21)
  • North Carolina (5)
  • Nova Scotia (1)
  • Ohio (12)
  • Ontario (1)
  • Oregon (25)
  • Pennsylvania (8)
  • Rhode Island (9)
  • South Carolina (6)
  • Tennessee (5)
  • (-) Texas (12)
  • U.S. Virgin Islands (3)
  • Utah (2)
  • Vermont (11)
  • Virginia (10)
  • Washington (27)
  • Washington D.C. (1)
  • Washington DC (2)
  • Wisconsin (6)

Organizations or Programs

  • Austin Energy (9)
  • Michigan Saves (7)
  • Efficiency Maine (3)
  • BetterBuildings for Michigan (2)
  • Energy Upgrade California (2)
  • Enhabit (2)
  • Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA) (2)
  • Beacon Communities Project (1)
  • BeSmart Maryland (1)
  • Community Power Works (1)
  • Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge (1)
  • Consumers Energy Smart Energy Challenge (1)
  • Denver Energy Challenge (1)
  • Energize Connecticut (1)
  • Energize New York (1)
  • Energy Impact Illinois (1)
  • EnergyWorks (1)
  • Focus on Energy (1)
  • Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) (1)
  • Long Island Green Homes (1)
  • Maryland Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (1)
  • ShopSmart with JEA (1)
Residential Program Guide is a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.
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