Alliance Interviews Water Efficiency Leader: Niagra Conservation
  Water efficiency and conservation is a hot-button topic. The Alliance chatted with William Cutler, President of Niagara Conservation, to discuss his approaches to energy efficiency and the role Niagara has played in this process—from manufacturing innovations to education. Niagara Conservation has been a leading manufacturer of high efficiency residential water products and proponent of energy efficiency for over 30 years.
e-FFICIENCY: Do you think enough attention has been given to water conservation and the link between water efficiency and helping consumers save money?
Cutler: I think that some attention has been given to the fact that water conservation helps people save money; however, there is certainly room to educate the public, especially when you take into consideration low-income residents who could use the extra help.
Continued: www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2758
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Campaign Launched to Help Cut Winter Heating Costs
 Winter weather is here! Luckily, so is a brand-new energy savings campaign. The Power is in Your Hands campaign, launched on December 13 in Washington, DC, inspires, informs, and arms people to save money by saving energy. The launch includes the Power is in Your Hands web site, media tours in select cities, helpful tip sheets, and print ads. Read the Press Release.
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Waste Not Want Not, British-style
It seems the popularity of energy efficiency is not just confined to the United States. No Waste Like Home, a popular new reality show on Britain’s BBC Two, features some of England’s most wasteful families. The home makeover-styled program and informational website offer practical advice on how to become more energy efficient while saving money and helping the environment. For more information or to see tips: www.bbc.co.uk/homes/tv_and_radio/nwlh_index.shtml
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New Northeast Climate Pact
In an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, seven Northeast states have launched an historic accord. On December 20, 2005, the governors of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont agreed to implement the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is the first mandatory cap-and-trade program for CO2 emissions in US history. More: www.rggi.org/agreement.htm
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Local Alliance Efforts Rescue Louisiana Building Codes
 Working with coalition partners, the Alliance to Save Energy helped ensure that the Louisiana legislature adopted a statewide residential building code that included energy-efficiency requirements. A coalition of builders attempted to exclude the energy conservation portion (Section IV) of the International Residential Code from the proposed law. The Alliance and their partners sent out e-mail action alerts and worked with the Louisiana energy office to educate legislators in the Louisiana House and Senate, as well as local citizens, about the costs of inefficient energy construction practices. More: www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2704#column
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Utilities Committed to Energy Efficiency
Leaders from the utility sector have convened with state and federal agencies, regulators, energy consumers, as well as energy-efficiency and environmental organizations to establish a unified Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The plan will identify issues and develop strategies toward a national commitment to energy efficiency, which, according to the EPA, could save customers $200-300 billion on energy bills over the next 15 to 20 years.
More: www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2756
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DOE to Provide U.S. Industries Free Energy Assessments
To address the growing energy needs and offer solutions to the nation’s largest and most intensive manufacturing facilities, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program recently launched Save Energy Now. The initiative helps industrial plants find ways to reduce the amount of energy they use by operating more efficiently. The program offers 200 free Energy Savings Assessments to qualifying plants, priority assessments for small and medium-sized plants, technical assistance, training and workshops.
More: www.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow/
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Simply Insulate and Simply Save
 With more than 46 million under-insulated homes in America, NAIMA has launched a website to provide free resources to help owners increase the energy efficiency of their houses. The site also offers information to individuals repairing or rebuilding hurricane and storm-damaged homes.
Visit www.simplyinsulate.com for more information.
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Alliance Continues to Press for Greater Fuel Economy
The Alliance to Save Energy, along with the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), submitted joint comments to the US DOT in response to the Administration’s new proposed fuel economy standards for light trucks. The rulemaking would modify CAFE standards for SUVs, minivans, and pickup trucks, and restructure how these standards are set, notably by separating the trucks into size classes. The Alliance/ACEEE comments suggested incorporating larger trucks under the standard, as well as improving both the methods and the assumptions used in setting the standard levels.
Click here to read the comment letter pdf.
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Rehabbing Efficiently
A new initiative from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Rebuilding Together promises to increase energy efficiency in nearly 10,000 low-income homes. The “Energy Efficient Homes Initiative” will train Rebuilding Together affiliates to include energy-efficient practices in their revitalization efforts. In addition, API will conduct education and outreach efforts to insure homeowners have the tools necessary to continue to save money by saving energy.
More: api-ec.api.org/media/
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Tax Credits—Translated
Consumers who want to know how to reduce their income taxes while making their homes more energy efficient can now get this valuable information in Spanish. Content from the U.S. Department of Energy and Alliance to Save Energy’s Powerful $avings campaign has been translated and is available online at www.ase.org/taxcredits
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LEED on
Now you can learn about LEED accreditation from the comfort of your own home or office. The U.S Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched a new training course to educate building professionals about the LEED certification process. The three hour web-based course includes case studies, interactive exercises and a practice exam similar to the one for LEED professional accreditation. To learn more visit www.usgbc.org
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Europe’s ‘Topten’ Efficiency Portal
European consumers, businesses, and government agencies who want comprehensive information about energy-efficient products now have a place to go. The recently launched website www.topten.info represents a partnership between the WWF and nine European countries. The site features country-specific search tools, including a database of consumer products ranked by feature, energy use, and efficiency.
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Funding Available for Energy Innovation
The California Energy Commission has issued a request for proposals for their energy innovation small grant program. The project is designed to supply funding for individuals or groups to research and develop advanced, innovative energy concepts. Approximately $2.6 million in grant funding is available. Go to www.energy.ca.gov/research/innovations/index.html for application information.
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Reducing CO2 Through Energy Efficiency
 The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) hosted a side event during the two week meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP1) in Montreal, Canada to consider the relationship between renewable energy, energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. REEEP presented its achievements and plans for greater global energy efficiency in the building sector.
The Alliance to Save Energy also led a delegation to MOP1 where they worked to facilitate strong energy-efficiency initiatives within the Clean Development Mechanism—one of the many instruments of the Koyoto Protocol that helps lower greenhouse gas emissions.
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Alliance Super Powers Aired More Than 71,000 Times
New Nielson Sigma tracking reports indicate that three major broadcast networks, CBS, ABC, and UPN, have picked up the humorous Alliance Super Powers PSA and fed it to their station affiliates resulting in 132 airings across the nation. In addition, 958 local TV and radio stations have aired the Alliance national and NYSERDA taglined TV and radio PSAs more than 71,000 times for a donated media value of nearly $6 million.
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