AUSTIN ENERGY – EPA’s Bill Wehrum (right) congratulates Daena Bruce and Jerrel Gustafson.

Since 1993, ENERGY STAR^® has hosted an annual awards ceremony that acknowledges outstanding work – by utilities, energy-efficiency organizations, manufacturers, retailers and others – in promoting and marketing ENERGY STAR products, equipment and programs.

Once again, CEE members made their presence felt at this year’s ceremony, held in Washington, D.C., on March 21. A total of 19 members were honored for their efforts in promoting the ENERGY STAR brand.

Four CEE members received awards for Sustained Excellence in Program Delivery, a category that recognizes both current and past efforts. Four members were honored as ENERGY STAR Partners of the Year for Energy-Efficiency Program Delivery and 11 others also received awards.

SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE – PROGRAM DELIVERY
Austin Energy
For the third year in a row, Austin Energy was recognized for its successful Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, which utilizes the whole-house approach. In 2006, the utility offered certification and accreditation through National Comfort Institute and Building Performance Institute training.

Austin Energy also conducted outreach to realtor groups and the Spanish-speaking community. Nearly 2,000 households participated in the program in 2006, saving more than 4.4 megawatts of electricity.

NYSERDA
Honored for its work in new and existing homes, residential lighting and HVAC as well as industrial and commercial programs, New York State Energy and Research Development Authority became a five-time winner.

In 2006, nearly 15 percent of new homes built in New York during 2006 earned the ENERGY STAR and more than 13,000 existing homeowners participated in Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.

NYSERDA actively promotes the use of ENERGY STAR-qualified products in commercial settings and leveraged ENERGY STAR in its industrial program offerings.

TXU Electric Delivery
Providing energy savings to businesses and consumers in the Dallas area, TXU Electric Delivery became an award-winner for the sixth consecutive year.

In 2006, TXU conducted 45 homebuilder training courses and trained more than 100 real estate agents. Approximately 31 percent of all new homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area qualified for the ENERGY STAR, a 6 percent increase over 2005.

Wisconsin Focus on Energy
Wisconsin Focus on Energy, a partnership of organizations that promotes energy efficiency in the state, was honored for its continued work with ENERGY STAR New Homes, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and ENERGY STAR-qualified products. The Wisconsin ENERGY STAR Homes Program was launched in 1999.

In 2006, more than 1,300 ENERGY STAR new homes were built and 1,600 improved their energy performance through Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. The Focus also continues to promote qualified lighting and appliances.

PARTNER OF THE YEAR – PROGRAM DELIVERY
Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
A longtime supporter of ENERGY STAR, the Northwest Alliance completed a three-year effort that promoted premium-efficiency ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washers.

The Alliance worked with industry partners to provide special discounts, incentives and self-funded promotions. Market share for ENERGY STAR clothes washers rose 4 percent in the Northwest, with premium-efficiency models accounting for more than 50 percent of the rebated washers.

Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas
In 2006, these California investor-owned utilities launched a statewide program focused on energy-efficient commercial food service equipment. Combining promotion, outreach, training and incentives, the IOUs promoted energy-efficient technologies and processes to industry decision-makers responsible for food service equipment manufacturing, purchasing and sales.

Services included site audits, equipment testing, new restaurant plan review and seminars. In 2006, the utilities conducted 85 food service audits, provided more than 300 rebates for ENERGY STAR-qualified commercial food service equipment and held more than 100 food service energy-efficiency seminars.

EXCELLENCE IN HOME IMPROVEMENT
Efficiency Vermont
In 2006, Efficiency Vermont promoted the value of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR to Vermont homeowners and building contractors. Efficiency Vermont, which has promoted energy-efficiency best practices in homes for the past three years, sponsored four eight-day contractor training sessions, which have resulted in the certification of eight contractors (by the Building Performance Institute) to deliver whole-house services across the state.

National Grid
Using Home Performance with ENERGY STAR as a program platform, more than 1,100 home improvement retrofits have occurred in the National Grid service territory since 2002. The estimated savings from these retrofits, through the end of 2006, are projected to be close to 50,000 MMBTUs.

Program strategies include a broad energy awareness campaign, targeted mailing, low-interest financing and strong commitment to customer service.

EXCELLENCE IN ENERGY STAR PROMOTION
Long Island Power Authority

LIPA – DOE’s Rich Karney (far right) and Kathleen Hogan of EPA (second from left) present awards to Dan Zaweski and Sharon Laudisi.

In 2006, the Long Island Power Authority made use of several innovative strategies to promote ENERGY STAR-qualified lighting.

The promotion of ENERGY STAR’s “Change a Light, Change the World” campaign was supported by a unique and creative partnership between LIPA and the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders.

Tying into spring’s Earth Day festivities and continuing into the fall, LIPA conducted retail training, cooperative advertising, in-store promotions and community events to support the campaign. More than 780,000 ENERGY STAR-qualified compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) were sold by area retailers.

LIPA also laid the groundwork for expanding its efforts with Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and ENERGY STAR New Homes.

Northeast Lighting and Appliance Initiative
Sponsors: Cape Light Compact, Connecticut Light & Power, Efficiency Vermont, Long Island Power Authority, National Grid, NSTAR Electric, United Illuminating, Unitil and Western Massachusetts Electric

In the fourth quarter of 2006, Northeast ENERGY STAR Lighting and Appliance Initiative sponsors implemented a fully integrated advertising and marketing promotion at more than 200 Shaw’s Supermarkets in support of ENERGY STAR’s “Change a Light, Change the World” campaign. In addition, sponsors conducted outreach events and on-line pledge hosting.

The promotion secured nearly 80,000 pledges, with estimated savings of more than $22 million in energy costs.

Rocky Mountain Power
Rocky Mountain Power, which operates PacifiCorp’s Utah service territory, conducted a comprehensive consumer education campaign to promote ENERGY STAR New Homes. The campaign included television, radio and theater advertising; direct mail; and transit and billboard ads.

Rocky Mountain Power also facilitated cooperative grand opening events with builders.

In 2006, more than 1,750 new ENERGY STAR-qualified homes were built in the Rocky Mountain service territory, with resultant savings of nearly 3.5 million kWh.

COMMERCIAL FOOD SERVICE PROGRAMMING
Energy Trust of Oregon
A new program by the Energy Trust of Oregon promoted ENERGY STAR-qualified commercial food service equipment. The program delivered impressive early results through a strategic marketing approach involving market leaders and local electric and natural gas utilities.

Other Oregon utilities are now considering adopting this program model.

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