And the RCMmy for Database Management goes to...

Last Wednesday, part of the CEC Commercial Conservation Services team ventured down to PSE headquarters in Bellevue, WA, for the annual RCM meeting. RCMs are Resource Conservation Managers, energy management professionals that work with school districts, government agencies and commercial or industrial customers, to help them reduce energy and resource use and cut costs.

Although RCMs generally focus on managing a single larger customer, the CEC’s Commercial Conservation Services team has its own RCM, Martin Selch, to help the 230+ businesses participating in the Community Energy Challenge  get the support and expertise they need to cut back on energy use. In general, the RCM approach has mostly overlooked the small business sector because the savings per business can be relatively minor and it is hard to justify a dedicated employee to manage their energy use. The CEC decided to take an innovative approach in applying the RCM model to a large group of small businesses to attempt to achieve aggregate savings on par with the savings that a large institution, such as a university, achieves when it adopts a comprehensive energy saving strategy.

For a bit of fun, at every annual RCM meeting PSE awards the RCMmys (R.C. Emmy, get it?), a shiny gold trophy to recognize and reward those RCMs who have performed admirably in a variety of categories. In 2011 the Community Energy Challenge’s Martin Selch was awarded the RCMmy for best Facility Action Plan, and this year we were proud to take home the 2013 RCMmy for Database Management. The trophy is now sitting proudly on our database manager, Nancy Orlowski’s, desk. Rock on, Nancy!

“Here to present the 2013 RCMmy for Excellence in Database Management is someone who knows data better than I know my own mother, Vince Kammeyer, Senior Business Support Analyst on PSE’s Building Performance Team.”

Vince:
“Data management is second nature to me.  I see .csv files and tabular columns of random numbers in my sleep. If you think you have what it takes to win in this category, then you probably do. Pay attention to that data, because it wants to be your friend!  Without further ado, I am pleased to announce this year’s nominees.” 
 
Vince:
“The SC team are excellent at communicating UM adds for new sites & accounts, and completing UM maintenance tasks accurately.  They also let me know when sites/accounts/meters are no longer needed for UM & EIS, and they are super-nice & fun to work with!”

10 Holiday energy saving tips

An energy efficient figgy pudding

1. Switch to LED Christmas lights to save 80% on energy costs.

2. You don’t need to preheat the oven when you are cooking a turkey, and you can turn the oven off a few minutes before it is done cooking.

3. When cooking on top of your range, match the size of the pan to the heating element. This can save you up to 40%!

4. To keep your Christmas lights from running all night, put them on an automatic timer, both indoors and out.

5. Set your thermostat between 66°F and 68°F. You'll stay comfy, and for every 1°F you lower your thermostat, you can reduce your energy use by 1-3 percent.

6. Install a new furnace filter at the start of heating season, and clean or replace it monthly to keep your furnace running efficiently.

7. Keep your refrigerator and freezer well stocked. A refrigerator or freezer full of cold food and drinks stays cooler when you open the door.

8. If you are baking in glass or ceramic pans, you can turn the oven temperature down 25 degrees, and foods will cook just as quickly.

9. If you use a wood-burning fireplace, keep the dampers closed to keep the heat in when the fireplace is not in use.

10. Weatherize your home to save an average of 20-30% on your energy bills! Contact the Community Energy Challenge to sign up for your home energy assessment today.

Incentives available for residential (and commercial) solar projects!

Incentives for residential solar projects are once again part of the many tools offered to CEC homeowners to make becoming energy efficient even easier and more affordable. Any home that has had an energy assessment and has completed all of the recommended weatherization measures in Tier 1-3 is eligible for cash incentives to install solar panels with one of the CEC's vetted local solar installers. Approved projects will receive $1/watt up to $3,000 total for the project.

The CEC also continues to offer a low-interest rate financing opportunity through Banner Bank. In many cases energy savings and incentives can cover the loan payment, making this an attractive way to finance a solar project.

If you are interested in installing solar panels on your home or business, or would like more information, contact the Community Energy Challenge at 360-676-6099.

Low-interest loan opportunity available for CEC participants

Making energy efficiency easy and affordable is the mission of the Community Energy Challenge (CEC). By providing local homes and businesses with a One-Stop-Shop for energy assessments, personalized recommendations, energy advisors, vetted local contractors, quality assurance, and financial incentives, the CEC has helped over 400 homes and 200 businesses in Whatcom County save energy and money. Thanks to a public/private partnership between Banner Bank, Whatcom County and the Cities of Bellingham and Ferndale, one of the most innovative tools the CEC offers is a first-of its-kind low interest rate loan program for participants.

National solar tour kicks off in Bellingham, and the CEC will be there

The tour will kick off at Itek Energy and the Community Energy Challenge will be there. Come down and see us and learn more about solar technology and how it can work for you. Itek provided us with this information about the event:

On October 6^th the American Solar Energy Society’s (ASES) national solar tour is coming to Bellingham.  Bringing together installers, manufactures and system owners alike the Bellingham solar tour is your chance to explore the potential of solar energy here in the Northwest. Starting the day’s festivities at 9 am will be an opportunity to tour the facility of Bellingham’s newest addition to the renewable industry by walking around Itek Energy solar panel manufacturing plant. Join us for some coffee and a bit to eat while exploring the process of solar manufacturing. You will also have an opportunity to meet with local installers, Ecotech, Western Solar and Advanced Solar Energy LLC, as well as other energy efficiency professionals and representatives from the Community Energy Challenge, a local program that helps home and business owners access financial incentives and low-interest loans for energy efficiency projects, including solar. After discussing potential sites with local installers attendees will then have the opportunity to travel to the individual sites around Bellingham and discuss with system owners how solar has worked for them until 4 pm. With sites ranging from the North Fork Brewery to the Bellingham Coop, the adaptability and diversity of solar will be a highlight of this year’s tour. For more information regarding this year’s Bellingham tour, feel free to visit http://solarwa.org/2012tour/sites/bellingham.

 

See Mindport in a new light

Mindport, a museum that creatively showcases works of art and scientific principles through hands-on exhibits at their downtown Bellingham location, has some new technology to show off: all of the incandescent lights in the museum have been replaced with cutting edge, efficient LEDs. As a business participant in the Community Energy Challenge, they were eligible to have much of their lighting switched out for free, and the CEC helped them take advantage of utilities rebates to purchase the remainder of the lights they needed at a discounted rate. Getting the right color, quality, and intensity of lighting to set the mood for the exhibits was a primary concern, so CEC staff worked with Mindport to try different LED samples until they settled on just the right replacement.

 

“Emily & Martin made the changeover a fun & interesting process,” said Carol Oberton, Public Relations Coordinator at Mindport. “They worked with our lighting concerns regarding the quality of our patron's experience, kept to our timeline and provided support whenever we had a question. Our first monthly electric bill after the lighting changeover was $100 less than previous bills.”

If you own a business in Whatcom County, you may be eligible for up to $750 in free efficient lighting for your business through the CEC. Contact Emily at emily@sconnect.org to learn more.

Help the Community Energy Challenge Reach Our Goals, Get $20

The Community Energy Challenge has been a big hit in and around Bellingham, but participation rates among homes in the other cities of Whatcom County are lower. We know that our best source of advertising is word of mouth. So for a short period, we are offering an extra incentive to refer your friends and family to the program.

Community members who refer customers residing in the small cities to the Community Energy Challenge will receive $20 for each referred customer who purchases a home energy assessment (assessment must occur within an incorporated small city of Whatcom County [Blaine, Everson, Ferndale, Lynden, Nooksack, and Sumas])*. Referred clients receive a free PSE HomePrint Assessment, which includes up to 50 free CFL light bulb replacements**.  This promotion is available through May of 2012.

New customers can sign up online HERE, or call: 360-676-6099. When they are asked how they heard about the program, they just need to give us your name (and contact information if we don't have it). It's as easy as that.

* Employees of CEC partner organizations are not eligible for this promotion.
** Certain restrictions apply