Good Afternoon -
I work with a Clean Energy nonprofit that is designing a neighborhood-based energy efficiency program. The main part of the program is working with neighborhood associations to put an energy auditor and several contractors in a neighborhood to do energy audits and improvements. Obviously there is a large potential for incorporating all aspects of CBSM into this project, particularly strategies of social norms and the personal communication (plus all of the CBSM strategies you could incorporate into the audits themselves).
However, I have not been able to find good research or case studies about using neighborhood associations to promote energy reduction and improvements. Does anybody have any good information about groups that have done this?
Thanks,
Lisa Dugdale, MPP
Ann Arbor, MI
Lisa Dugdale
United States
Working with Neighborhood Associations to Reduce Energy - Case Studies Needed
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There has been a Green Communities Association based principally out of Ontario but partially across Canada. This is a group of non-profits that are working at the local level. It is not clear from their website, http://www.gca.ca/indexcms/index.php, whether they have worked with neighbourhood associations or not. But from what I know they definitely work at the grass roots level, similar to neighbourhood associations.
Jim Elliott
Jim Elliott
Canada
Hello Lisa,
There has been some buzz in the energy efficiency "industry" lately about neighborhood-based approaches. The Wisconsin Focus on Energy program is working on a pilot program in Milwaukee to do something similar to what you are describing. Their initial focus is on a couple of neighborhoods. There was some collaboration with the neighborhood associations in testing the program concept with local residents, but I don't know how the neighborhood associations are involved in the actual pilot. I can give you some contact information off-line if you are interested in following up with the program implementers. You can reach me at [email protected].
Cheers,
Ingo
Ingo Bensch
United States
Omaha Public Power District is in the process of completing research at the Neighborhood Association level through University of Nebraska at Omaha. Here is the web link about the project http://www.unomaha.edu/energysavers/index.php . Phase 3 report will be out June 2009.
Garry
OPPD
Garry Ruliffson
Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)
United States
You might want to look into Palm Desert, California. They have a residential energy audit program managed through a coordinated effort between the city and their utility, Southern California Edison. Not clear what role neighborhood groups play. Their website is: http://www.settosave.com/
Seattle City Light also offers a neighborhood energy program, but I don't think they've performed in-home residential energy audits to date.
Hannah Carmalt
EMI
United States
Laura,
Take a look at the work of the Climate Leadership Initiative (http://climlead.uoregon.edu/). They have built a "climate masters" program based on the County Extension Master Gardeners model - where individuals are trained in GHG/efficiency assesments and then volunteer time to share that information.
-Matt McRae
Matt McRae
Climate and Energy Action Coordinator
City of Eugene
United States
www.sustaineugene.com
Hey Lisa, a large scale project has been launched by the Dutch government called Eco Team Program. There was an evaluation to the effectiveness and you may find it in the journal 'Environment and Behavior' Vol36(3) pp357-363 in the year 2004.
Let us know if that's what you need. T.C.
TC Woo
U of Canterbury
New Zealand
A small non-profit based out of Palo Alto, CA called Acterra has been performing FREE local energy audits throughout five cities in the Bay Area using volunteer man power. The program is called Green@home where the agency has trained over 150 volunteers to perform energy audit house calls to residents of participating cities that request their services.
Visit www.acterra.org/programs/greenathome to find out more.
Julie Colvin
San Mateo County Environmental Health
United States
We have a good comprehensive and well research programme in New Zealand.
May I suggest that you contact:
Rhys Taylor [[email protected]]
National Coordinator for Sustainable Living Education Trust ( www.sustainableliving.org.nz )
Office Ph. 03 960 2656 Mobile 021 462 260
5/83 Huxley Street, Sydenham, Christchurch 8023, New Zealand
Sandy Beath-Croft
Hutt City Council
NewZealand
Lisa, not sure if the attached paper works since the focus is energy booths at events/fairs (not energy audits) but there might be some similarities and helpful info since the intent is the same: using community based events/personal communication to educate the public. Let me know since I'm thinking of organizing an energy conservation in my neighborhood. Chris
Chris Hammer
Sustainable Design Resources
www.greenclips.com/sdr