In Brussels, we are preparing a huge program to help our half million housekeepers to improve their houses, by making scans, delivering incentives, helping find building profesionnals, doing ourselves some interventions, organising a follow up, etc.
To complete my benchmark, I am looking for examples abroad. Can someone help me on my way?
Tx a lot,
Xavier
Brussels Environment
Xavier Van Roy
Communications Strategy Manager
Bruxelles Environnement
Belgium
www.bruxellesenvironnement.be
Energy at Home
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Next Step Living - www.nextsteplivinginc.com
Massachusetts' home energy efficiency program. Residents who own or rent 3 family units or under qualify for $2000 in rebates every year from the state and if the household income is under $100,000 annually, an additional $1500 from the City of Boston.
It's a great program and apparently Massachusetts ranks #1 in the US for the money spent no energy efficiency programs.
Megan Ramey
Sustainability Coordinator
A Better City
United States
www.challengeforsustainability.org
Hello Xavier,
I also recommend the "Driving Demand" paper from LBNL noted above. The One Change Foundation based in Ottawa, Ontario has been working with home energy retrofit program providers and community-based social marketing experts in the US and Canada on a practical program design that applies the findings from "Driving Demand". The working title for this program design is "Home Energy Retrofit Opportunity" and it is currently available as a review draft in English. If you (or other readers) would be interested in obtaining a copy, please contact me at [email protected].
Regards,
Chris Granda
Grasteu Associates
Vermont, USA
Christopher Granda
Principal Consultant
Grasteu Associates
United States
Check out the study from the US Department of Energy Lawrence Berkely Lab, Driving Demand for Home Energy Improvements. It's a study of several different programs instituted across the US to get consumers to reduce their energy usage. It is comprehensive and focuses on what works. Great resource.
The webpage is http://drivingdemand.lbl.gov/
Jean Waters
Energy and Environmental Engineer
Nebraska Business Development Center
United States
www.nbdc.unomaha.edu/energy
Hi Xavier,
The cities of Boulder and Denver Colorado are currently implementing similar programs as part of a US Department of Energy Better Buildings grant.
Boulder's program is a bit further along than Denver's. It is called EnergySmart and assigns each homeowner a free "energy advisor" that helps the homeowner navigate the various retrofit options and levels of incentives from utilities and government, and helps them hire contractors and fill out incentive paperwork, etc. The energy advisor is not a technical auditor; they are more of a customer service person. To add to the free advisor service, the city is also offering financial incentives in the form of rebates and low interest loans. It's a very comprehensive program and a great example of an effort that is designed with the homeowner's needs in mind. The EnergySmart website is here: www.energysmartyes.com
Feel free to contact me directly with more questions. I'd be happy to try and connect you with the folks that run the programs.
Jenny Hampton
Jenny Hampton
Public Outreach Manager
Colorado Governor's Energy Office
United States
Case studies of home energy audit programs in Canada are at
http://www.toolsofchange.com/en/case-studies/detail/20
http://www.toolsofchange.com/en/case-studies/detail/114
http://www.toolsofchange.com/en/case-studies/detail/18
http://www.toolsofchange.com/en/case-studies/detail/12
I have another more recent case study on our EnerGuide for Houses program that I hope to post within a few weeks.
Jay Kassirer
Cullbridge Marketing, and Tools of Change
Canada
www.cullbridge.com
In Canada the federal government had a program called the ecoENERGY Retrofit, which sounds much like the program you are developing. Government approved energy advisors evaluated homes and made recommendations for changes, and when the changes were made and a follow up evaluation done the homeowners received partial reimbursement for the renovations. The program ended in 2010 but recently received more funding and should be revived later this year.
I don't know anyone who administers the program that would be able to give you results, but there is a contact page on the website: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/grants.cfm?attr=0
Good luck!
Lauren Maris
Environmental Researcher
City of Red Deer
Canada
Hello Xavier,
In Nova Scotia, Canada, the provincial government contracts with groups around the province to do energy audits. One of the groups is Clean Nova Scotia. There website: http://www.clean.ns.ca/content/CCE_Home_Energy_Eval_Home.
The province's website regarding the program is: http://www.efficiencyns.ca/for_homes/energy_savings_programs/energuide_existing/program/.
I hope this helps.
Ken Donnelly
Vice President, Atlantic Canada
Lura Consulting
Canada
www.beyondattitude.com
...
Tx a lot for your comments!
It helps me a lot. We are conducting a study to descover barriers and motivations of different behaviors (roof insulation, temperature reduction...). I have already a report (in French) with the results of the focus group discussions. If someone is interested, please say so: [email protected]
Regards,
Xavier
Xavier Van Roy
Communications Strategy Manager
Bruxelles Environnement
Belgium
www.bruxellesenvironnement.be