A cost-effectiveness test that measures the costs and benefits from the perspective of the participating customer for adopting or installing an energy efficiency measure.

A contractor who participates in a program.  A participating contractor can include consultants, energy auditors, home performance contractors, and trades contractors who engage directly with homeowners to market, sell, and install program improvements.

Partners are organizations that play a direct role in program delivery. Examples include contractors affiliated with the program, organizations involved in marketing and outreach, community colleges providing workforce development training, financial institutions providing loans to program customers, and consultants conducting evaluations of the program.

A trial to test a concept or approach over a limited area with a limited number of participants, for a pre-determined time period. A program can run pilot projects to gain direct experience in their markets and to test and refine its program design, in preparation for a full-scale program launch.

See "Source Energy."

A systematic assessment of an energy efficiency program for the purpose of documenting program operations at the time of the examination, and identifying and recommending improvements to increase the program’s efficiency or effectiveness while maintaining high levels of participant satisfaction.

The organization that is ultimately accountable for the performance of a residential energy efficiency upgrade program. Program administrators are often utilities, state or local government agencies, nonprofits, and other types of organizations.

The organization that is ultimately accountable for the performance of a residential energy efficiency upgrade program. Program administrators are often utilities, state or local government agencies, nonprofits, and other types of organizations.

A cost-effectiveness test that examines the costs and benefits of the energy efficiency program from the perspective of the entity implementing the program (utility, government agency, nonprofit, or other third party). The costs included in the PACT include overhead and incentive costs. Overhead costs are administration, marketing, research and development, evaluation, and measurement and verification. The benefits from the utility perspective are the savings derived from not delivering the energy to customers. Also known as "Utility Cost Test (UCT)."

An organization or individual whose services can be obtained through a competitive procurement process to run all or part of a program.  A program implementer typically provides management and administrative support.

See "Revenue Stream."

See "Revenue Stream."

A financing mechanism that, when permitted by state law, allows state and local governments to extend the use of land-secured financing districts to fund energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on private property. PACE programs attach the obligation to repay the cost of improvements to the property, not to the individual borrower.