To develop a successful business model, Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners found it critical to have a strong understanding of the external environment within which they operated. This included who their customers were, who their competitors and partners were, what key policies governed...
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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...
Many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners found that program dashboards—regularly updated, easily accessed, summary reports of key metrics—helped them identify problems and monitor program progress toward their goals. Depending on the program’s goals and needs, dashboards included metrics...
Measuring performance at key points in the upgrade process (e.g., assessments, conversion rates, and financing applications) has helped programs understand where their processes are working smoothly and where they are not. This information has helped them continuously improve their program design...
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...
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...
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
SustainableWorks,
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton,
Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2),
City of San Diego Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program
This webcast discusses financing program RFPs and contract terms and conditions.
Publication Date
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.
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Organizations or Programs
U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Program
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on an overview of the Building America Technology to Market Roadmaps.
Publication Date
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.
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Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge,
EnergyWorks KC
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how programs use behavior change strategies to reduce energy use.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge,
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on evaluating and demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of energy upgrades to programs.
Publication Date
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.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
This peer exchange call summary focused on effective program evaluation and incorporating changes into programs based off evaluation insight.
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
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
This template, used by Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge, standardizes volunteer data collection efforts at events.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
Short survey for Connecticut's Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge workshop participants. The workshop allowed the program to share its energy efficiency offerings with homeowners.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Program
The NorthernSTAR and U.S. Department of Energy Building America Program partnership investigated a new model to deploy building science-guided performance solutions to homeowners. This research explored three aspects to market delivery:
1. Understand the homeowner's motivations regarding investing in building science-based performance upgrades.
2. Determine a rapidly scalable approach to engage large numbers of homeowners directly through existing customer networks.
3. Access a business model that will manage all aspects of the contractor-homeowner performance professional interface to ensure good upgrade decisions throughout time.
Publication Date
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.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Colorado ENERGY STAR Homes,
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge,
Silicon Valley Energy Watch Program,
The Home Energy Rebate Option,
New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR,
Efficiency Vermont,
Energy Trust of Oregon,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
The objective of this document is to help state and local governments understand the role of program administrators (PAs) and assist them in developing successful partnerships with utility and other energy efficiency PAs. The majority of this paper presents information on partnering and leveraging current energy efficiency activities. However, it also includes information for governments in areas without active PAs, as well as an appendix with a case study describing how state and local governments can fill gaps and administer programs in the absence of a PA.
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
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
Connecticut's Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge's perspective on their partnership with Northeast Utilities.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Energize Phoenix,
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge,
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
Long Island Power Authority (LIPA),
Efficiency Vermont
Presentation that focuses on grantee program-utility partnership models.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
This presentation outlines the steps Connecticut's Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge program took to obtain and sort useful feedback from surveys and volunteer observations.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
This presentation shares how the Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge collected and evaluated data and used the results to improve its program.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
This presentation describes Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge program and lessons learned on community engagement as a driver of demand.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
A list of tips from Connecticut's Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge for working with utilities to access energy usage data.
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge
Connecticut's Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge uses dashboards that display key project data for administrators and contractors to monitor progress over time. The program has evaluated performance at different steps in the process and identified strategies to improve performance where needed, such as sales training for contractors, energy advisors, monthly contractor scorecards, and multiple customer "touches." These improvements increased the close rate from 26 to 60 percent in one year.