Client Communication and Energy Education Jackie Berger ACI NJ March 5, 2010.

Client Communication and Energy Education

Jackie Berger

ACI NJ

March 5, 2010

Presentation

• Importance of Communication and Education

• Sales and motivation

• Opportunities

• Maximizing Impact

• Evidence of Impacts

• Summary

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IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION AND

EDUCATION

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Importance

Low-Income Home Performance

Acceptance/Motivation/Participation Sales

Improved diagnostics Improved diagnostics

Measure persistence and impact Measure persistence and impact

Behavioral opportunities Behavioral opportunities

Satisfaction Satisfaction

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Importance

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What are the benefits of WRAP? (Unprompted)

Energy education 36%

Lower electric bills 35%

Lower electric usage 18%

Safer or more comfortable home 11%

New appliances 9%

Improvements to home 6%Average program expenditures: $2,600

Source: APPRISE, 2006. From PPL WRAP evaluation client survey.

Importance

6Source: APPRISE, 2006. From PPL WRAP evaluation client survey.

What is the most important benefit of WRAP?

Lower electric bills 27%

Energy education 19%

Safer or more comfortable home 11%

Lower electric usage 10%

New appliances 10%

SALES, ACCEPTANCE, MOTIVATION

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Understand Client Needs• What do they hope to get from the program

or services?

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Why did you want to receive WRAP?Reduce electric bills 64%

Improve comfort of the home 20%

Reduce electric usage 9%

Difficult financial situation 6%

Told to enroll 3%

Received new appliances 2%

Source: APPRISE, 2006. From PPL WRAP evaluation client survey.

Sales and Measure Acceptance• Establish relationship

• Build trust

• Explain benefits– Lower bills– Improved comfort– Improved health and safety

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OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPACT

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Assumptions about Education• Behavioral changes can reduce energy

usage and energy bills• We can teach individuals how to change

behavior• We can motivate individuals to change

behavior• We can identify the changes that will lower

bills and provide reinforcement

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Decisions We Make

• Heating temperature

• Use of air conditioner

• Whether to run dishwasher

• Whether to turn off the computer

• Type of lights to install

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Potential for Savings

• 2000/2001 California Experience– Electric Crisis / Public Information Campaign– 10% Reduction in Peak Demand / 7% Reduction in Usage

• 2001 RECS / 1997 RECS– 25% Gas Price Increase– 8% reduction in heating degree days– 16% Gas Usage Reduction– Change by Income Group

• Lowest income group = 16%• Other income groups = 15%, 20%, 17%

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Potential for Savings

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Wattage Reduction NumberAnnual Savings

Electric Measures kWh

Turn off lights 60 4 hrs/day 4 350

Turn off lights at night 60 8 hrs/day 2 350

Reduce central AC 3º All times 250

Reduce TV usage 100 4 hrs/day 2 292

Turn off computer 250 8 hrs/day 1 730

Gas Measures Therms

Turn down water temperature 10° All times 25

Turn down thermostat 2° All times 84

Use cold water for clothes washing Cold wash 4/week 52

Set back temperature at night 4º Night 58

Potential for SavingsECW Plug Load Study

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• Telephone survey and mailed appliance survey• 50 site visits

– Household survey

– Electronics inventory

– Metering (5-30 appliances per home)• Metered for one month

• 6-minute intervals

• Computers, televisions, audio, telephone, • HVAC – space heaters, dehumidifiers, room AC,

fans, humidifiers• Kitchen appliances


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Computers

Potential Savings from Full Power Management

% of homesEstimated

Annual Savings

Always on 20% 400

Long idle periods 40% 190

Off when not in use 25% 15

Not used much 15% 2

Average savings 160


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Wattage When

Not in UseAnnual kWh Savings if

Unplugged When Not in Use

Mini Stereos 23 200

Older TVs 7 58

Printers 6 43

DVD/VCR Player 7 59

MAXIMIZING IMPACT

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Achieving Impact

• Is there an opportunity?– Energy intensity (Watts)

– Hours/day reduction or degree reduction

– Number of appliances

• Tailored to the client– What is the savings potential for your client?

– Is the client already undertaking that behavior?

– Will the client adopt the behavior?

– Will the client retain the behavior?

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Active/Passive

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Active Passive

Turn down thermostat before bed Programmable thermostat

Turn off lights outside at 10pm Timer on lights or tv

Turn off computer Use of computer power management

Reduce hot water temperature Dishwasher set to energy saving mode

Upgrade appliances

Education Options

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• Partnership between program/educator and customer– If successful, customer has more motivation to take

steps to reduce energy usage

• Understanding the energy bills– If the customer understands how to read the bill and

determine when usage is decreasing, it provides positive re-enforcement for energy-saving actions

• Energy use and costs around the home– Allows customer to make decisions about energy usage

based on the costs of those uses

Education Options

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• Customer goals for usage reduction

• Customer action plan– Provides motivation for customer to reduce energy

usage– Provides direction for customer

• Follow-up– See how savings plan is working– Positive reinforcement– Adjust goals or set additional goals

PROGRAM EXAMPLES AND RESULTS

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Program Examples

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NJ Comfort Partners Ohio Electric Partnership Niagara Mohawk

Partnership Explain purpose Usage questionnaire

Education notebook Review bill Program delivery based on usage (In-home, workshop, or video)

Projected energy savings

Usage analysis Customer included in inspection

Review options Uses and costs Identify customer incentives

Action plan Action plan Develop action plan

Additional steps Additional steps Review responsibilities

NJ Model

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• Partnership model• Initiate partnership when first contact is made• Explain the program• Confirm the partnership in the home

– Benefits to each partner– Responsibilities of each partner– Sign the partnership agreement form

• Information gathering– Family’s needs, wants, behaviors– Review of customer’s bills

NJ Model

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• House tour– Identify measure installation opportunities– Determine usage habits– Install qualifying measures

• Calculate current costs and projected costs with energy savings

• Review options for measures and actions• Make decisions and complete Partnership

Agreement Action Plan• Follow up on responsibilities

NJ Model

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• Education Notebook and Note cards

• Partnership Agreement Form

• Action PlanReduce Costs of: Actions/Measures Estimated Annual Savings

Electricity Gas

Home heating

Home cooling

Water heating

Appliances

Lighting

Other

Customer MotivationSurvey Results

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NJ Comfort Partners

Niagara Mohawk

It is somewhat or very difficult to pay energy bills

76% 92%

Reducing bills is a benefit of saving energy

71% 74%

Reduce energy usage or bills is the most important benefit of the program

--53%

Program ImplementationObservation Results

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NJ Comfort Partners Ohio Electric Partnership Niagara Mohawk

Partnership agreement not explained

Program not described Energy use is reviewed

Education notebook not used Bill not explained Cost of use is calculated

Visit not explained Information on uses is collected

Explain diagnostic steps

Bills not reviewed Costs not estimated Discuss appliance usage

Actions not discussed Actions sometimes discussed during walkthrough

Actions discussed during walkthrough

Work and actions were explained during walkthrough

Action form not used Actions not reviewed at end of visit

Cost savings estimates not provided

Action commitment not discussed

Action form not filled out

Program ImplementationSurvey Results

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NJ Comfort Partners

Ohio Electric Partnership

Niagara Mohawk

The service provider’s responsibility is to reduce energy usage or energy bills

30% 48% 44%

The customer’s responsibility is to reduce energy usage or follow recommendations

30% 55% 54%

The benefit of the program is reduced energy usage or bills

40% 67% --


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NJ Comfort Partners


Energy bill was explained 52% 70%

Written list of actions was provided

42% 56%

Estimate of $ savings from actions was provided

26% 60%


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NJ Comfort Partners


Niagara Mohawk

At least 1 non-prompted action

17% -- --

High energy savings potential

-- 31% 60%

Low energy saving potential -- 47% 23%

No action -- 22% 13%

Achieving Impact

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Direct Install

WorkshopMass

Mailing# of CFLs Received 9.8 4.3 4.0# of CFLs Installed 9.8 3.2 2.8# of CFLs In Use 9.1 3.2 2.7# of CFLs used > 30 minutes/day

5.7 2.6 2.1

# of CFLs used > 4 hours/day

2.8 1.1 1.3

Source: APPRISE, 2007. From CO First Response Program evaluation client survey.

Achieving Impact

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Water Thermometer Use

Direct Install

WorkshopMass

Mailing

Recalled Receipt 42% 78% 54%

Understand How to Use 39% 67% 41%

Used Thermometer 20% 48% 22%

Changed Water Temperature Setting

18% 42% 26%

Achieving Impact

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Question: Have you made any other changes to reduce your energy use as a result of the program?

Achieving Impact

36Source: APPRISE, 2007. From CO First Response Program evaluation client survey.

Direct Install

WorkshopMass

Mailing

Reduced Use of Heat 9% 27% 13%

Reduced Use of Air Conditioning 3% 7% 10%

Discard Unused Refrigerators 5% 9% 4%

Turn Off Computers Not in Use 7% 11% 8%

Turn Off Lights Not in Use 6% 21% 13%

Wash Clothes in Cold Water 9% 19% 10%

Question: What other action have you taken to reduce your energy use as a result of the program?

Achieving Impact

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Direct Install

WorkshopMass

Mailing

Program was Very Helpful 64% 81% 53%Energy Bills are Lower 53% 51% 39%

EVIDENCE OF IMPACTS

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Ongoing Communication

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Source: APPRISE, 2007. From PECO LIURP evaluation client survey.

How many of the LIURP monthly energy saving letters have you read?

Obs.Mean Electric Savings (kWh)

All 64 1038Most 35 900Some 44 627One/None 17 552Don’t Remember Letters 73 877

Behavioral Impacts

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Source: APPRISE, 2007. From PECO LIURP evaluation client survey.

What energy-saving actions have you been able to take since the provider came to your home? (Action mentioned with greatest expected savings)


Avoid space heaters 7 2253Disconnect unused refrigerators/freezers 8 1395Reduce use of electric dryer 4 1250Use CFLs 69 1148Accept LIURP services 15 1148Turn off unused lighting 29 1021Turn off unused television/computer 17 777Other/don’t know 15 518Alter thermostat settings 15 369Weatherization measures 37 365New appliances 4 203None 13 13

Behavioral Impacts

41Source: APPRISE, 2007. From PECO LIURP evaluation client survey.

Reduced use of _____ as a result of participating in the program?


All Customers 233 854

Electric space heater**yes 105 1150

no 128 611

Air conditioneryes 136 947

no 97 723

Electric dryeryes 71 995

no 162 792

Dishwasheryes 64 641

no 169 935

Behavioral Impacts


Reduced use of _____ as a result of participating in the program?


All Customers 233 854

Dehumidifieryes 18 1058

no 215 837

Number of lights left on all night*yes 43 1174

no 190 781

Lightsyes 161 879

no 72 797

Behavioral Impacts


Average number of hours CFLs are used


1-2 29 649

3-4 54 819

5-6 58 705

7-24 32 1012

Don’t Know 60 1044

Behavioral Impacts


What do you feel is the most important benefit of the program?


Lower Energy Bills 72 1015

Energy Education 69 796

Safer/More Comfortable Home 17 769

Specific Services 23 671

Lower Energy Use 24 523

New Appliances 6 433

Compliant 3 1318

Don’t Know 19 1227

SUMMARY

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Summary• Benefits of communication and education

– Increased sales/acceptance– Increased impact

• Opportunities– Many have behavioral change opportunities– Evidence shows that we can reduce usage

• Maximizing Impact– Explain, motivate, reinforce

• Evidence of Impacts

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Contact Information

Jackie Berger

APPRISE

32 Nassau Street, Suite 200

Princeton, NJ 08542

609-252-8009

[email protected]

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Client Communication and Energy Education Jackie Berger ACI NJ March 5, 2010.

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Transcript of Client Communication and Energy Education Jackie Berger ACI NJ March 5, 2010.