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| APPRISE Projects: |
| Market Transformation Research and Evaluation |
Energy Efficiency in Vermont Vermont has a number of energy programs that make important contributions to reductions in electricity usage in all sectors and reductions of fossil fuel usage among low-income households. However, Vermont is missing important opportunities for energy savings because there is a program gap with respect to fossil fuel usage by households that are not low income and fossil fuel usage in the commercial and industrial end use sectors. This 2006 memo presents the status of energy usage in Vermont, describes existing programs, and discusses opportunities for future programs. |
Energy Star Homes Evaluation
EPA initiated Energy Star programs to reduce pollution by accelerating the adoption of new and underutilized energy-efficient technologies. In this evaluation we conducted surveys with home builders and home buyers. We conducted a home builder mail survey with participating Energy Start builders on their satisfaction with services received through the program. The survey also collected information to assess the impact of the program on the behavior of home builders. In the home buyers survey, we collected baseline and follow-up information from a sample of Energy Star home buyers and a comparison sample of other new home buyers. We obtained energy billing data for responding households and developed estimates of energy savings resulting from the Energy Star Homes Program. |
Energy Star HVAC Evaluation
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Green Lights Reporting Assessment As part of the Green Lights program, participants agree to submit reports on lighting upgrades so that EPA can estimate the total impact of the program. There was concern by EPA that not all lighting upgrades were being reported and that the reporting system was a burden to program participants. In this project, we conducted research to determine the satisfaction of program participants with program procedures, determine the level of underreporting, make estimates of unreported program accomplishments, and design an alternative reporting system. This research showed that the recognition received by Green Lights program participants was important for some participants. It also showed that detailed reports were overly burdensome for some partners. We developed a simplified data collection system and statistical models to estimate energy savings from the more limited data. |
Green Lights Workshop Assessment EPA initiated the Green Lights program to reduce pollution by accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient lighting technologies. EPA provided workshops to Green Lights participants to train them on assessing potential energy savings, finding a vendor for the lighting products, and financing the purchases. Interviews with workshop participants provided information on the value of Green Lights services to participating businesses and organizations. |
New Jersey Energy Star Homes Program Evaluation The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities manages a portfolio of energy efficiency programs. These programs include the Residential HVAC, Residential New Construction, Energy Star Products, Commercial and Industrial New Construction, Commercial and Industrial Retrofit, Combined Heat and Power, and Customer On-Site Renewable Energy. As part of a comprehensive evaluation of the portfolio of programs, APPRISE is conducting an evaluation of the Residential New Construction Program, known as the NJ Energy Star Homes Program. Under this program, builders receive incentives to develop homes that are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than a standard home. APPRISE is conducting research to update how estimates of the program's energy savings are made and to estimate actual program energy and demand savings from 2001 through 2006. The research will include a survey with Energy Star homebuyers and non-participating homeowners and analysis of electric and gas energy usage data for these households. |
New Jersey Residential New Construction Baseline Under New Jersey restructuring legislation, all utility DSM programs are implemented through a statewide utility collaborative. The New Jersey RNC Working Group was responsible for designing a statewide RNC program to encourage builders to construct and home buyers to purchase energy-efficient homes. APPRISE staff directed the RNC Baseline Study, including surveys with market actors to assess awareness of and attitudes toward RNC programs, and the development of Residential New Construction statistics and information on the Affordable Housing market. |
NYSERDA Downstate Demand Response Research APPRISE conducted in-depth telephone interviews with demand response service providers to assess whether these companies have potential to deliver energy efficiency services to their existing customers in the New York City area. |
NYSERDA Downstate ESCO Research APPRISE conducted in-depth telephone interviews with electric commodity providers to assess whether these companies have potential to deliver energy efficiency services to their existing customers in the New York City area. |
NYSERDA ENERGY STAR Homes Program Research The goal of NYSERDA’s ENERGY STAR Homes Program is to implement and promote an enhanced version of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program in New York State. The program provides technical assistance and targeted financial incentives to residential builders and income eligible homeowners to encourage the adoption of energy efficient design features and the selection and installation of energy efficient equipment. APPRISE conducted survey research to support NYSERDA’s market characterization research for the Energy Star Homes Program (ESH) in 2008. APPRISE gathered information from homeowners who purchased an Energy Star Home and homeowners who purchased a non-Energy Star Home to examine their views, experiences, and perceptions on a variety of topics related to program participation. APPRISE also surveyed home builders who participated and homebuilders who did not participate in the ESH to assess their views, experiences, and perceptions on a variety of topics related to program participation. APPRISE is conducting additional surveys with participating homeowners, non-participating homeowners, participating builders, non-participating builders, and formerly-participating builders to supplement energy-savings estimates and provide information on potential program free-ridership and spillover effects. |
NYSERDA ENERGY STAR Products Program Research NYSERDA’s Energy Star Products Program (NYESP) seeks to increase sales of residential energy-efficient appliances, lighting, power management, home electronics, heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. The goals of the program are to increase the supply of products through partnerships with retailers, manufacturers and distributors and to create demand for high-efficiency and ENERGY STAR products through increased consumer awareness and understanding of the ENERGY STAR label. APPRISE will survey recent purchasers and appliance retailers of refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, or room air conditioners to assess the purchases, sales, availability, attitudes, and awareness of Energy Star products. |
NYSERDA Enhanced Commercial Industrial Performance Program Research APPRISE conducted survey research to support NYSERDA’s process evaluation of their Enhanced Commercial Industrial Performance Program (ECIPP). The ECIPP provides incentives to businesses for energy efficiency projects. APPRISE’s survey research assessed how clients learned about ECIPP, previous client experience with energy efficiency projects, previous client experience with the ECIPP, and client satisfaction with the ECIPP process. |
NYSERDA Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation, and Protection Program Research NYSERDA’s Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation, and Protection (EMEP) Program aims to facilitate the communication of scientific and technological information regarding the environmental impacts of energy choices to inform public policy. APPRISE is conducting surveys of EMEP’s policy maker, legislative, and environmental group contacts in support of the Process Evaluation. This survey research will aid EMEP in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the program. |
NYSERDA Flexible Technical Assistance Program Research NYSERDA’s Flexible Technical Assistance Program (Flex Tech) is a consolidation of what were formerly the Flex Tech, Technical Assistance, and Energy Audit Programs. Flex Tech is designed to provide customers objective and customized energy information that will facilitate the implementation of cost-saving energy-efficient measures. APPRISE is conducting survey research to support NYSERDA’s Market Characterization and Assessment, Impact, and Process evaluations of the Program. APPRISE will conduct customer and contractor surveys for participating and non-participating market sectors to evaluate the program processes, assess the market climate, and establish estimates of energy savings that can be attributed to the program. |
NYSERDA Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program Research APPRISE conducted survey research to support NYSERDA’s market characterization research for the Home Performance with Energy Star Program (HPwES). The HPwES provides low-cost training to contractors and financial incentives to homeowners to help improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock in New York. APPRISE’s research gathered information from homeowners who received a Comprehensive Home Assessment from a participating BPI certified technician to examine homeowner views, experiences, and perceptions on a variety of topics related to program participation. APPRISE also surveyed BPI-certified contractors who perform Comprehensive Home Assessments (CHA) and install measures that receive financing incentives or subsidies from NYSERDA and contractors who are not BPI-certified to perform Comprehensive Home Assessments to examine contractor views, experiences, and perceptions on a variety of topics related to program participation. |
NYSERDA Industry and Process Efficiency Program Research NYSERDA’s Industry and Process Efficiency Program (IPEP) will provide incentives to offset the costs of projects focused on increasing productivity, increasing process efficiency, reducing waste, and reducing electricity consumption. The program will focus on key manufacturing sectors in New York. APPRISE will survey both eligible end-use customers and technical service providers to gather information on customers’ and providers’ decision-making, awareness, and perceptions of energy efficiency opportunities. |
NYSERDA Lighting and Home Electronics Saturation Study APPRISE conducted RDD telephone surveys in NY State, New York City, Ohio, Washington DC, and Houston to assess the saturation of CFLs. APPRISE then recruited the RDD survey respondents for in-home audits of lighting fixtures, existing bulbs, and home electronics bundles. The data are being used by CFL Program staff to identify marketing opportunities and by NYSERDA Evaluation staff to measure program impacts. |
NYSERDA New Construction Program Research NYSERDA’s New Construction Program provides nonresidential customers with technical assistance services and capital-cost incentives for implementing energy efficiency improvements in new construction or in substantially renovated buildings. The technical assistance provides cost-shared analysis to customers and their design teams (Architecture and Engineering firms) to identify energy efficiency opportunities for their projects. The program is designed to encourage the incorporation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green building features in the design, construction, and operation of commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. APPRISE conducted survey research to support NYSERDA’s market characterization research for the New Construction Program (NCP) in 2008. This research gathered information from participating and non-participating building owners and participating and non-participating architecture and engineering firms to assess their views, experiences, and perceptions on a variety of topics related to program participation. APPRISE is working on additional surveys with participating and nonparticipating building owners and design firms to assess awareness of NYSERDA’s program offerings and energy efficiency measures in the nonresidential new construction sector in New York State, to develop baseline data for nonresidential new construction in New York State, and to assess nonparticipant spillover effects of the New Construction Program. |
NYSERDA NYC Commercial Property Manager Marketing Study NYSERDA is interested in working with Commercial Property Managers in the NYC region to identify ways to increase adoption of energy efficiency measures by building owners and building tenants in the NYC region. APPRISE conducted structured in-depth interviews with the major Commercial Building Property Managers working in the NYC region to develop a better understanding of their business models, document their current activities with respect to the delivery of energy efficiency services, and explore their interest in partnering with NYSERDA to reach out to their customers. Through this research, APPRISE was able to give NYSERDA a better understanding of the opportunities for and barriers to investment in energy efficiency measures by building owners and tenants, and the role that Property Managers could play in facilitating participation by their owners and tenants in NYSERDA programs. |
NYSERDA NYC Demand Response Provider Marketing Study NYSERDA is interested in working with Demand Response Providers in the NYC region to leverage the provider/customer relationship and increase the adoption of energy efficiency measures. APPRISE conducted structured in-depth interviews with the major Demand Response Providers working in the NYC region to develop a better understanding of their business models, document their current activities with respect to the delivery of energy efficiency services, and explore their interest in partnering with NYSERDA to reach out to their customers. Through this research, APPRISE was able to segment the Demand Response Provider market, identify those provider segments that presented NYSERDA the best access to new customers, and develop a strategy that NYSERDA could use to increase their penetration in the NYC market. |
NYSERDA NYC ESCO Marketing Study NYSERDA is interested in working with ESCOs (electric commodity suppliers) in the NYC region to leverage the ESCO/customer relationship and increase the adoption of energy efficiency measures. APPRISE conducted structured in-depth interviews with the major ESCOs working in the NYC region to develop a better understanding of their business models, document their current activities with respect to the delivery of energy efficiency services, and explore their interest in partnering with NYSERDA to reach out to their customers. Through this research, APPRISE was able to help NYSERDA segment the ESCO market and identify potential strategies for working with each market segment. |
NYSERDA Research and Development Survey APPRISE conducted a survey of firms that reported product sales and made recoupment payments based upon their Research and Development (R&D) recoupment contracts with NYSERDA. The purpose of the survey was to obtain information about the products for which NYSERDA provided technical expertise and funding. The survey collected information on product benefits, sales revenue, sources and magnitude of investment capital, impact of NYSERDA funding on product development and commercialization, and total development and commercialization costs. The information will be used to evaluate the impacts and value of NYSERDA funding. |
WE Energies Commercial and Industrial Program Research WE Energies has implemented a set of energy efficiency programs that target different segments of the commercial and industrial market (Prescriptive, Custom, RFP, New Construction, and Multi-Family). APPRISE conducted research to determine whether WE Energies can improve program performance by enhancing program marketing or refining program tools and/or incentives. The scope of work consisted of benchmarking research to determine whether WE Energies was under performing in any market segments or energy-saving opportunities, program database analysis to document program statistics, and in-depth client and trade ally interviews to understand how well the program was working and whether there were changes in program design and/or implementation that could improve program performance. |