In this issue
		Energy Services Bulletin home page
		Online Key Account Tool Box supports public utility programs
		Fuel cell plant joins Alameda County renewable energy collection
		Revitalized communications promote efficiency, ease rate hikes
		New cooling technology aids South Dakota's pursuit of efficiency
		Fort Mojave tribal casino gets cooling system makeover
		Brigham City bike promotion raises energy efficiency awareness
		Lompoc LED light rebate promotes efficient holiday decorating
		Dairy, utilities learn from South Dakota's first digester
		Outreach programs help busy utilities educate consumers
		Energy Services seeks customer input
		Topics from the Power Line: Radiant heater a good choice for auto repair shop
		Energy shorts
		Technology spotlight: Low-mass, surface-mounted radiant heating panels in homes and offices
		Calendar of events

Brigham City bike promotion raises energy efficiency awareness

Energy Conservation Specialist Tom Ammons presents a new mountain bike to drawing winner Lori Metcalf. The drawing was open to any Brigham City utility customer who had completed an energy efficiency upgrade in the last two years. (Photo by Brigham City Light and Power)

There are a lot of good reasons to save energy, such as reducing your electric bill, protecting the environment or, for customers of Brigham City, Utah, Light and Power, the chance to win a new mountain bike.

Residential customers who had made an energy-efficiency improvement in their home were eligible to enter the drawing. At the end of October, Energy Awareness month, Brigham City Mayor Lou Ann Christensen drew the winner from 360 entrants and Lori Metcalf received the bike.

The goal of the give-away was to acknowledge citizens who participated in conservation and to raise awareness about energy efficiency. "Bicycles are 100-percent efficient, after all," Energy Conservation Specialist Tom Ammons pointed out.

Qualifying measures provide options

Entrants had until Friday, Oct. 27, to complete the upgrade, said Ammons, but they could get credit for any improvement made over the last two years that they had not reported. Measures included:

• Upgrading or replacing an appliance with an energy-efficient model
  
  
• Installing compact fluorescent lights in the home
  
  
• Repairing or having maintenance done on a central air conditioner
  
  
• Using a swamp cooler instead of a central air conditioner
  
  
• Discontinuing the use of space heaters in the winter
  
  
• Participating in Brigham City's refrigerator recycling program
  
  
• Making building envelope improvements (sealing, insulation, new windows)
  
  
• Replacing an electric heating or electric water-heating system with natural gas
  
  
• Any other efficiency measures that lowered kWh usage

Switching to CFLs was the most common measure, Ammons noted, helped along, no doubt by a promotion the city launched in 2003. Residents who asked for an energy-efficient light received an 11-watt and a 15-watt bulb. "The program has been very successful for raising awareness of an easy way for consumers to reduce their electricity use," he said.

Refrigerator and freezer recycling came in a close second, also thanks in part to a city program. Metcalf replaced her old freezer with new efficient freezer, in addition to installing CFLs in her home.

The most unusual efficiency measure was reported by a resident who said he no longer slept with the television on. "I found that one interesting," commented Ammons.

Spreading awareness is main goal

Registration for the give-away began in August at an annual community event called Nights Out, sponsored by the Brigham City Police Department. The city electric department used the opportunity to give a safety presentation and talk about conservation. Fire Safety Week presented another opportunity to discuss conservation measures with residents and register them for a chance to win the bike. Residents could also register on the city Web site. "The page received more than 600 hits," Ammons said.

Newspaper ads, posters and flyers promoted the contest, as did hanging the bike from the ceiling in the City Hall lobby. "People ask what it is doing there and that gives us an opening to talk about energy efficiency," Ammons explained. "It also gets kids excited."

The utility took the relaxed approach toward documentation, Ammons admitted. People presented receipts for light bulbs or for work done on their homes. If service crews were in an area, they might drive by a house where an entrant had installed energy-efficient windows to see if the windows looked new. Appliance purchases were cross-checked with dealers, although Ammons said, "We mainly relied on the honor system. The most important thing was to get residents to think about measures they could take to save energy."

Estimating the savings from the measures for residents entering the give-away helped to put conservation into terms consumers understand. For example, a flyer Ammons distributed at events showed the savings in dollars from replacing one incandescent light with a compact fluorescent light. "Showing people how much they could be saving encourages them to do more," said Ammons, "or to complete upgrades they have just been thinking about." 

Experience in promoting efficiency

Brigham City Light and Power has had almost 15 years of practice motivating people to use energy wisely. "We started the conservation program in 1993 after some of our employees attended an integrated resource planning workshop sponsored by Western," Ammons recalled. "The city has been actively involved ever since, trying out different measures to get residents to participate. Over the years, more citizens have taken an interest in conserving our resources."

Past promotions have included the CFL give-away, refrigerator/freezer recycling program and free energy and lighting audits for small business and residential customers. The city buys T-8 lighting fixtures and passes them on to customers at cost when they retrofit their lighting.

The secret to a successful promotion is to find out what the customer wants, Ammons said. "Then put it out there for them, and let them know about the benefits. It's about making the effort, and Brigham City is willing to do that."

The effort paid off with the bike give-away, and Ammons would like to repeat the drawing next year with an energy-efficient freezer as the prize. "An appliance would attract a different audience," he said, "but we won't be able to hang it from the City Hall ceiling."