An innovative educational program for residential energy efficiency. Final report

Abstract

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Examining Whether Smart Meters Have Been Used Smartly: A Case Study of Residential Electricity Customers in Vermont

“…One entity that may be particularly well-suited to educate electricity customers on smart meters is Extension, as Extension is often seen as an unbiased disseminator of information and thus is regarded as a trustworthy source [20,21]. Currently, Vermont's Extension agency is not doing any work in regard to smart meters [22].…”

Leveraging the Employer-Employee Relationship to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions at the Residential Level

“…This program was created in 2003 through a partnership between the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). CEPREE leverages the education expertise of Cornell and NYSERDA with the extensive network of the CCE to form an educational collaborative that can access much of New York's population (Laquatra et al, 2009). The goal of this program is to transform the energy efficiency market by creating a demand among consumers and housing providers.…”

“…Since the program's inception in 2003, CEPREE has reached over 70,000 New Yorkers in 44 counties (Laquatra et al, 2009). The program's target audience is homeowners, renters, and builders and other housing professionals.…”

“…In addition to education of the general public, CEPREE conducts events for more specialized audiences. In collaboration with a number of organizations, Cornell faculty delivered an education speaker series in 2004 to 133 homebuilders in five different locations around New York (Laquatra et al, 2009). The speaker series was focused on resources and information related to high-performance homes and Energy Star homes.…”

“…While there has not been sufficient funding to gather detailed and specific information about the behavioral changes that have resulted from CEPREE's programs, a preliminary report from 2006 noted that people who attended presentations on residential energy efficiency reduced their annual electricity bills by $400 and their annual carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 2.52 metric tons (Laquatra et al, 2009). Additionally, Laquatra et al (2009) report that a CCE 2006 system-wide survey showed that 69 percent of people who attended CEPREE's residential energy efficiency workshops went on to participate in the recommended Home Performance with Energy Star program. This adoption rate could translate to a number of other energy and greenhouse gas reduction benefits attributable to the CEPREE program.…”