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Welcome to the Alliance to Save Energy's monthly newsletter e-FFICIENCY NEWS - Read this newsletter online at ase.org/efficiencynews!

Industry Interview: Andy Karsner

Andy Karsner serves as Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) at the U.S. Department of Energy. He manages the nation's $1.74 billion federal applied science, research, development, and deployment portfolio, which promotes marketplace integration of renewable and environmentally sound energy technologies for transportation, generation, and efficiency. In this interview, he answers our questions about new energy-efficient building initiatives at DOE and establishing criteria for ENERGY STAR products. Read full interview.

Hesperia Unified School District Celebrated for Saving $660,000 Through Energy Efficiency

On March 3, students at Sultana High School and Desert Trails High School in Hesperia, California were awarded for their achievements in promoting energy efficiency on campus. Through the Alliance to Save Energy’s Green Schools Program, students, faculty, and staff lowered energy costs in the Hesperia Unified School District by more than $660,000 over a five-year period. In addition to saving money, the participating schools' energy savings reduced the district's CO2 emissions more than 2,000 tons. The district also returned half of the savings to the schools for further investment in energy-efficiency activities and educational materials such as textbooks and computers.

Energy Efficiency Financing Manual for India Created

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, and the Alliance to Save Energy have come together to develop the Manual for the Development of Municipal Energy Efficiency Projects in India. As the first manual on financing of this magnitude, it will facilitate market transformation and replicate municipal energy-efficiency projects on a large scale in India. The Indian Bureau of Energy Efficiency has endorsed the manual as a standard reference document for urban local bodies and other stakeholders. More information and download the manual.

Alliance Displays 'Super Powers'

The Alliance to Save Energy's humorous, award-winning Super Powers home energy-efficiency Public Service Announcement (PSA) will be appearing in a number of new venues for the campaign – at the checkout area in Wal-Mart Stores as well as on the retailer's in-store radio network, on elevators in prime commercial real estate in major cities, in comic books, and as an animated non-audio video billboard in the heavily-trafficked Gallery Place/Verizon Center location in the nation's capital. The Alliance's PSA campaign has racked up nearly $30 million in donated media on TV and radio networks and stations around the country, not including out-of-home placements in airports, medical offices, and the Panasonic Billboard in Times Square.

Students Help to Create “Bright Future” in Virgina

On April 22, 2008, Earth Day, the Bright Futures Project of Fairfax and Arlington County Schools will launch a 2-week, student-led drive to replace one incandescent bulb with one compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) for each child enrolled in the county school systems. That's 167,000 bulbs in Fairfax County and 18,600 bulbs in Arlington County. Through the initiative, the students will educate themselves and the public at large about the economic and environmental benefits of energy-efficient CFLs. Read more.

California Climate Recommendations Name Energy Efficiency as Most Cost-Effective

In February, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Global Warming Economic and Technology Advancement Advisory Committee (ETAAC) released its recommendations for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission control technologies. While average US GHG emissions were 23.4 tons/person in 2003, CARB’s goal is to lower California emissions currently calculated at 14 tons/person to 10 tons/person by 2020. The report found that the most cost-effective GHG emission reduction opportunities continue to be investments in energy efficiency. Read more.

Natural Gas and Hybrid Vehicles Still Stars, Diesels Still No-Shows in Annual Ranking

With the auto world focused on fuel efficiency in the face of $100-per-barrel oil, new fuel economy requirements, and concern about climate change, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recently named the year’s “greenest” and “meanest” vehicles at GreenerCars.org, along with environmental scorings of all model year 2008 cars and passenger trucks. Earning the “greenest vehicle” title for the fifth consecutive year is Honda’s natural gas-powered Civic GX while the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrids claimed spots two and three. Select diesel cars received recognition for being the year’s most environmentally unfriendly vehicles.

The Case for Investing in Energy Productivity

A recent report from McKinsey Global Institute explores investment and key actions needed to capture energy productivity – the level of output one achieves from the energy one consumes. In light of increasing global energy demand, climate change issues, and economic worries, the report finds that it is possible to cut projected global energy demand growth to 2020 by at least half by capturing opportunities to increase energy productivity. Read the report (login required).

Alliance to Save Energy featured in "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth"

The Alliance to Save Energy is featured as an energy efficiency resource in the book, "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth,” released on April 1. The updated version of the 1990 #1 best-selling book continues to promote simple environmental practices but also emphasizes interactive partnerships between individual readers and environmental organizations. The Alliance is honored to be featured given the success of the original book, which was translated into 23 languages and adapted into a children’s version that ranked #2 on the New York Time’s best seller list.

Wal-Mart Soliciting Green Solutions

In late February, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. launched a web-based tool to help identify new ways to make its operations more environmentally friendly. Inventors and investors of sustainable technologies or practices can submit ideas that could pay off with a contract from the world’s largest retailer. Wal-Mart hopes to implement the most practical ideas within two years, especially if they can improve the company’s bottom line. In the last few years Wal-Mart has initiated programs to reduce carbon emissions, cut packaging waste, and sell more environmentally friendly products. Read more.

The 30% Solution

A national campaign to boost new home energy efficiency sees historic first round gains, but falls short of its goal of "The 30% Solution." Meeting at the International Code Council's (ICC) Forum to update energy codes for new homes, the 2009 development committee recommended adoption of proposals by the Alliance-based Energy Efficient Codes Coalition (EECC) and others which, if fully implemented, would dramatically reduce wasted energy from new homes. The first round wins – the most significant in over a decade – could be short-lived if the ICC membership rejects the recommendations at its meeting in Minneapolis this September. Opponents of tougher codes are powerful and well positioned in the housing market; however, the EECC believes the opportunity for cost-effective energy improvements can prevail.

E-mail coalition coordinator Bill Fay or log on to the EECC website to find out how you can help us hold and expand on our gains through the EECC's comprehensive, integrated national campaign to boost new home energy efficiency by 30%!

Win an iPod!

The Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) is conducting a Building Energy Code Usability and Compliance Survey designed to assess issues faced by engineers, designers, builders, and code officials in their use of the energy codes. If you use ASHRAE 90.1, IECC, Title 24 or other commercial building energy codes or if you enforce commercial or residential building energy codes, this short online survey (5-10 minutes) is for you. Take the BCAP - Building Energy Code Survey today to answer questions about your experiences using and/or enforcing energy codes and enter a drawing to win a 160GB Video iPod classic!

The Alliance to Save Energy Goes Local in Maryland

Governor Martin O’Malley’s Empower Maryland Energy Efficiency Act (HB 374 and SB205), one piece of an effort to transform Maryland’s energy policy, was recently enacted in the waning days of the legislative session in Annapolis. The centerpiece of the EmPOWER Maryland Energy Efficiency bill is the goal of reducing statewide consumption and peak demand by 15% by the year 2015. Read full article.

Orion Energy Systems Completes Initial Sale of CO2 Credits

Orion Energy Systems, Inc. has successfully completed a sale of 2000 tons of CO2 credits generated by a customer utilizing Orion's energy efficient lighting system. Orion, a leading power technology enterprise, replaced the customer's existing high intensity discharge fixtures with its patented high intensity fluorescent lighting system. Orion's energy efficient lighting system reduced this customer's consumption of electricity by over 1.8 million kilowatt-hours per year, resulting in annual energy savings of approximately $100,000. Over a three-year period, CO2 emissions were reduced by 2000 tons, measured and verified based on the reduction in electricity demand from this project.

Upcoming Events

The Athens Summit – Global Climate and Energy Security
May 5-7, 2008, Athens, Greece
Contact: Mary Kovani

The Athens Summit will bring together top government officials, corporate leaders, academia and analysts from the advocacy arena together for a dialogue on the leading environment and energy issues of our time.

Platts Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Forum
May 20-21, 2008, Washington, DC
Contact Phone: 866-355-2930
Contact Email: registration@platts.com

The forum will explore how utilities are affected financially by their investments in energy efficiency and how they can assure a return on their investment. More than 25 utility regulators will debate decoupling, 2007 energy bill, and potential loss of sales associated with energy efficiency efforts.

e-FFICIENCY News: April 2008

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