Resources | Residential Program Guide

A Policymaker’s Guide to Scaling Home Energy Upgrades

Author(s)

State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network

Publication Date

2015

Organizations or Programs

EnergySmart,

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),

Enhabit,

Mass Save,

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA),

Manitoba Hydro,

Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),

Michigan Saves,

Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans,

Austin Energy,

Efficiency Vermot,

Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,

Illinois Home Performance with Energy Star,

Build It Green,

Earth Advantage,

Elevate Energy,

Arizona Public Service (APS),

Pacific Gas and Electric Company,

NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad

This Guide is designed to help state and local policymakers to take full advantage of new policy developments by providing them with a comprehensive set of tools to support launching or accelerating residential energy efficiency programs. The Guide focuses on four categories of policies that have proven particularly effective in providing a framework within which residential energy efficiency programs can thrive: incentives and financing, making the value of energy efficiency visible in the real estate market, data access and standardization, and supporting utility system procurement of energy efficiency.

Strategies (th)at Work

Author(s)

Mary Templeton, Michigan Saves,

George Clark, Energy Efficiency Contractor

Publication Date

2014

Organizations or Programs

Michigan Saves

Overview of Michigan Saves' employer outreach initiative to drive uptake of home energy upgrades.

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.

Trusted Partners: Everyday Energy Efficiency Across the South

Author(s)

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Publication Date

2013

Organizations or Programs

NOLA WISE

This report describes ACEEE's Deep South Ethnographic Project, which aimed to answer an overarching question: are end-users of energy in the Southeastern states interested in energy efficiency? This report includes the demographics of ACEEE's informants and responses to a set of questions about energy usage, bills, and money. The report also includes individual case studies from five different sites.

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.

Designing Custom Messages for Specific Markets: Global Green New Orleans

Author(s)

Global Green New Orleans

Publication Date

2012

Organizations or Programs

Global Green New Orleans,

NOLA WISE

This presentation describes the Global Green New Orleans program and lessons learned about designing custom messages for specific markets.

Get Helpful Tips for Collecting Utility Data

Author(s)

U.S. Department of Energy

Publication Date

2012

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.

Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge: Small Changes. Big Results.

Author(s)

Clean Water Fund

Publication Date

2012

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.

Shared Value in Utility and Efficiency Partnerships - Lessons in Perseverance, Flexibility and Mutual Respect

Author(s)

Kerry O'Neill, Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge

Publication Date

2012

Organizations or Programs

Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge

Connecticut's Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge's perspective on their partnership with Northeast Utilities.

Shared Value in Utility and Efficiency Partnerships - Vermont Energy Investment Corporation

Author(s)

Nikki Kuhn, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation

Publication Date

2012

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.

Connecticut - Analyzing Outreach Effectiveness to Improve Program Design

Author(s)

Kerry O'Neill, Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge

Publication Date

2011

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.

Listening to Consumer Behavior

Author(s)

Kat Donnelly, Connecticut Neighbor to Neighbor Energy Challenge

Publication Date

2010

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.