The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) recognized outstanding utility-funded energy efficiency programs for its Leaders of the Pack awards, naming winners in 10 categories and identifying other exemplary programs deserving recognition.
“These exceptional efficiency programs are leading the way for saving energy, cutting pollution, and lowering energy bills,” said Jasmine Mah, senior research analyst at ACEEE and lead researcher for Leaders of the Pack. “Utilities and third-party program administrators seeking to establish or improve energy efficiency programs can look to this diverse set of leaders as models.”
ACEEE staff reviewed nearly 100 nominations from across the country. The committee evaluated programs on factors such as ambitious long-term goals, interim metrics to measure progress, effective marketing reaching target audiences, performance evaluation for ensuring effectiveness, and community engagement, especially with historically underserved communities.
The 2024 Leaders of the Pack are:
• Residential Weatherization (buildings with one to four units): Casa Verde Program, CPS Energy (Texas). The program uses census tract data to serve the most burdened households with insulation, air sealing, and LED lights, saving them an average of $30 to $40 a month.
• Residential Weatherization (multifamily buildings): Wattsmart Multifamily Program, Rocky Mountain Power, and ICAST (Utah). The program brings HVAC, appliance, window, and building shell improvements to nearly 10,000 housing units annually and offers larger incentives for upgrades in affordable housing. Program administrators are compensated based on the energy savings the upgrades deliver.
• Low-Income Households: Illinois Home Energy Solutions, ComEd, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, Nicor Gas, and Resource Innovations. The joint utility program provides comprehensive energy retrofits with weatherization, health and safety upgrades, and heat pump installations. Nearly a quarter of the budget goes toward health and safety measures that must be addressed prior to deep retrofits.
• Workforce: Clean Energy Jobs Program, PSE&G (New Jersey). During four months of on-the-job training, participants are paid by a contractor, after which the contractor is encouraged to hire the participant for a full-time position as a weatherization specialist, HVAC technician, or energy auditor. The program has trained 2,400 clean energy workers since 2020, exceeding its target.
• Home Electrification: Beneficial Electrification in Residential Buildings, Efficiency Maine. More than 100,000 heat pumps have been installed in Maine since 2019, driven by Efficiency Maine’s electrification program. In 2023, the program served over 25,000 participants, equivalent to 4.5% of all Maine residences that are occupied year-round.
•Commercial Buildings
- (Large): Strategic Energy Management Partnership, Rhode Island Energy. The program focuses on large energy consumers and integrates energy efficiency into the operations of health care facilities, shopping centers, universities, and other large commercial operations.
- (Small): Main Streets, Eversource, and Mass Save (Massachusetts). Focusing on commercial buildings in disadvantaged communities, the program reaches small businesses that would likely not otherwise receive efficiency upgrades. It offers enhanced financial incentives that can cover up to 90% of project costs.
• Health: Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (Maryland). The initiative combines multiple federal, state, and local funding sources to bring comprehensive upgrades to homes in Baltimore. It serves many homes that would otherwise be deferred from weatherization and energy efficiency programs because of the need to first address health and safety issues.
• Industrial: Strategic Energy Management, ComEd, and CLEAResult (Illinois). The program delivers process efficiency and energy savings measures to industrial facilities for manufacturing, food and beverage preparation, wastewater treatment, and other operations.
• Joint Utility and Government: Public Sector Energy Efficiency Project Delivery Program, Southern California Regional Energy Network. The program reduces energy use in city, county, water agency, and school district facilities through energy audits, cost-effective efficiency measures, and construction management support.
• Zero-Energy-Ready New Construction: Path to Net Zero Program, Energy Trust of Oregon. The program provides design assistance, installation incentives, and certification to new buildings that have the potential to create as much energy as they consume over a year.
Additional information on these Leaders of the Pack as well as up to four exemplary programs in each category can be found on the awards webpage. ACEEE previously recognized top energy efficiency programs in 2019, 2013, 2008, and 2003. Over the years, efficiency programs have evolved to include a greater emphasis on energy equity, electrification with comprehensive weatherization, and reducing carbon emissions.
