The goal of the program was to acquire 3.6 average megawatts of electricity savings from existing residential customers of PacifiCorp and Portland General Electric in Oregon, in addition to 1.1 million therms from customers of NW Natural. Making these milestones a challenge was the fact that The Energy Trust was a new organization with virtually no public awareness or recognition, and electric conservation programs in the market had been virtually dormant for months.
To increase the program’s visibility, Ecos carried out a consumer marketing campaign to promote home energy reviews and deliver cash incentives for weatherization. The marketing program coordinated transit, in-theater, radio and print ads, plus trade show presence. Overall campaign impressions totaled 2 million per month.
Hailed for its innovation, the program featured the latest in diagnostic and measurement tools to confirm savings and insure customer satisfaction. It emphasized leverage through a focus on measures eligible for Oregon income-tax credits, while upgrading contractor training in both installation procedures and effective marketing. Program team members were regionally recognized experts who complemented Ecos’ capabilities in management, marketing and measure tracking with expertise in analysis of new measures, implementation and reliable savings. The program was successful largely due to the trusted relationships that Ecos built with contractors and utilities.
The program was heavily market-driven. To help contractors meet customers’ energy needs, tools such as facilitated tax-credit applications and easy access to flexible, low-interest financing were provided to leverage incentives available from the Energy Trust. Standardized incentives and simplified energy assessments, which included installation of free CFLs, sped up and simplified the process for both customers and contractors. Services were tailored to the differing needs of customers in manufactured, single-family and multifamily homes.
