Resources | Residential Program Guide

Community-Based Social Marketing Toolkit

Author(s)

U.S. Department of Energy

Publication Date

2017

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.

Peer Diffusion: A Promising Way for Service Providers to Unlock Investments in Home Energy Upgrades

Author(s)

Rocky Mountain Institute,

Building Performance Institute

Publication Date

2016

Organizations or Programs

Energy Impact Illinois,

Renovate America’s HERO program

This report, informed by leading research and real-world examples, highlights practical online and in-person tactics that contractors can use to promote social interaction and social comparison among homeowners to make energy upgrades a "must-have" in U.S. homes.

Energy Island: A Guide to Creating Your Island Energy Challenge

Author(s)

RePower Bainbridge,

Conservation Services Group,

U.S. Department of Energy

Publication Date

2014

Organizations or Programs

RePower Kitsap,

RePower Bainbridge,

RePower Bremerton

This guide is designed to serve as a "how-to" reference for island communities (or small, similarly sized, more isolated communities) that want to develop and implement a residential energy-efficiency and conservation program. The purpose of this guide is to help communities chart a course for successful program development based on the lessons learned during implementation and operation of RePower Bainbridge, an energy-efficiency program on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

10 New Year's Resolutions to Keep the Customers Coming

Author(s)

Home Energy Magazine

Publication Date

2013

Organizations or Programs

Energy Impact Illinois

This article provides 10 tips home energy contractors can use to update their marketing outreach and improve their customer service.

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.

Better Buildings Neighborhood Program Grantee Incentives

Author(s)

U.S. Department of Energy

Publication Date

2012

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.

Powering the New Energy Future From the Ground Up

Author(s)

Climate Solutions

Publication Date

2012

Organizations or Programs

Hailey's Community Climate Challenge,

EnergySmart,

Eugene Water and Electric Board,

Community Energy Challenge,

Hailey's Community Climate Challenge,

Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project,

Knoxville,

TN,

Oberlin Project,

Energize New York,

RePower Kitsap,

RePower Bainbridge,

RePower Bremerton,

Burlington Sustainability Action Team,

Gainesville Regional Utilities,

Hillsboro Solar Advantage,

Issaquah,

WA,

MPower Madison Program,

Solarize Pendleton,

Clear the Air Challenge,

Santa Fe,

NM,

West Union,

IA,

Sustainable Williamson,

CharlestonWISE,

City of Aiken,

SC,

City Green Initiative,

Kilowatt Cruncher Challenge,

Smarter Sustainable Dubuque,

Small Cities Climate Action Partnership,

City of Grand Rapids,

MI,

Town of GreenÞeld,

MA,

City of Keene,

NH,

Home Energy Affordability Loan (HEAL),

Clean Local Energy Accessible Now,

RichmondBuild Pre-apprenticeship Construction Skills and Green Jobs Training Academy

This report from Climate Solutions analyzes small- to medium-sized American cities that are using successful methods to further clean energy economic development. Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners that are featured in the report include Bainbridge Island and Bremerton, Washington; Boulder, Colorado; Bedford, New York; Madison, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The report includes details on the how the featured cities funded their projects, found successful models to reach their goals, and to see which new projects are off to a promising start.