RELEASE: IMMEDIATE, December
18, 2003
CONTACT: Colleen Quinn
1-866-NYSERDA.
Two New York State Energy Programs Receive National Recognition: the
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Recognizes these
programs as "Exemplary"
Albany, New York - The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
(ACEEE), a nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C., has
recognized NYSERDA's New York Energy $martSM FlexTech
program and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program as an "exemplary
program." They were chosen as part of a national awards
program to honor America's best natural gas energy efficiency programs.
NYSERDA's programs, developed under its New York Energy $martSM
initiative, were selected for their effectiveness and innovation in
helping customers achieve greater levels of energy
efficiency in their homes, businesses, and facilities.
Peter R. Smith, acting president of NYSERDA said, "NYSERDA is
extremely honored that our efforts in implementing energy efficiency
programs have been recognized by one of the country's leading energy
organizations. Under Governor Pataki's leadership, New York has developed
some of the finest public benefit programs in the country,
and these awards are a testament to that."
Dr. Martin Kushler, Director of the ACEEE Utilities Program and manager
of the research project that identified the programs, stated, "states
and utilities trying to respond to soaring natural gas costs can draw
on the proven success of the nation's best energy efficiency programs."
He added, "We also want policymakers and utility resource planners
to know that help is just a mouse-click away. We've posted descriptions
of these outstanding programs on our web site for free access."
(See http://aceee.org/pubs/u035.htm.)
ACEEE initiated this awards program in 2003 to recognize outstanding
natural gas energy efficiency programs and honor the people and
organizations responsible for their success. ACEEE selected 29
programs from around the nation for this honor, along with 5 special
case studies of multi-party collaborations and comprehensive program
portfolios.
Programs like these offer concrete examples of how utilities and a
variety of non-utility organizations can work with natural gas
customers to reduce their energy costs through energy efficiency.
With natural gas prices expected to be high this heating season,
ACEEE encourages wider development and implementation of these kinds
of programs to offer relief to customers facing high energy costs.
The FlexTech program's primary focus is to increase productivity
and economic competitiveness by identifying and encouraging the implementation
of cost-effective energy-efficiency measures for businesses. NYSERDA
has contracted with highly qualified engineering firms, to provide
a variety of technical assistance services tailored to the customer's
energy-related needs. Services include, audits, to process improvements,
to detailed analyses of specific energy-efficiency projects, and sustainable
development and green building assistance. (See Flexible Technical Assistance)
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® is a residential program that
can
help homeowners save up to 30% on their energy bill. A Home
Performance Contractor certified by the Building Performance
Institute inspects homes and provides recommendations for energy
improvements. The contractor can identify and fix a variety of home
energy efficiency problems, including poor insulation, wasted and
unbalanced heat and ineffective moisture control using
state-of-the-art technology. Financial assistance is also available
under the program. (See www.GetEnergySmart.org)
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