The Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) is designing a new program to promote ENERGY STAR® version 3 certified homes. We thought it might be helpful to write about this topic because when researching rebates for newly built homes around Michigan, very few municipal utilities had a program in place. While we have not yet launched our program, we thought that the information we have collected thus far would be helpful to other municipal utilities in the planning processes of similar homes. We…

The ACEEE put together a list of some of the most effective and successful utility energy efficiency programs when it came to low-income customers. Almost two dozen programs are thoroughly reviewed and have comprehensive lessons learned identified. The report, titled "Meeting Essential Needs: The Results of a National Search for Exemplary Utility-Funded Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs" can be…

“When you begin a residential construction project, getting all the contractors together before starting is as important as it is for a commercial project – but this doesn’t happen very often. Planning ahead can save time and money – and give you a better new or remodeled home,” said Bill McAnally at a recent “Build it Right” worship. McAnally, energy-efficient building expert, McAnally Consulting, was keynote speaker at the construction and remodeling workshops recently sponsored by…

If your utility serves industrial or manufacturing customers, one of the most cost-effective DSM incentives is lighting retrofits. But where to start? With the Department of Energy's Turn-key DSM Lighting Web site, the DOE has made the program development process less painful with a comprehensive, guided step-by-step process. From the website:

"The Turn-key DSM Lighting Web site…