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Engage & Educate: The Energy Network's Workshops for Public Agencies
The Energy Network and Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance (VCREA) recently hosted a workshop for public agency staff who are championing energy efficiency efforts in their organizations. At this workshop, attendees heard about benchmarking policies and some of the tools available to manage building portfolios. In addition to presentations on policies and best practices from Hillary Firestone, City of Los Angeles and Marc Costa from The Energy Network, the workshop also hosted a roundtable discussion focused on current activities in the region related to benchmarking. Energy Managers, Facility Managers and Energy Champions from agencies across Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties were in attendance. The presentation from the workshop can be found here.
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Survey Says
What steps do you plan to take as a result of what you learned in this meeting?
"I plan to monitor how the larger City's are handling the benchmarking requirements and use their processes as starting points for developing our own."
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The Energy Network's workshops are designed to build capacity and expertise among agencies within the Program's territory and are open to all agencies within this area. For more information about The Energy Network's workshops, or to learn more about The Energy Network's services contact info@theenergynetwork.com.
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Upcoming Event!
Overcoming Financial and Institutional Barriers to Local Adaptation
For questions, please contact Julia Kim at jkim@lgc.org or 916-448-1198 x304
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New Call Center for Homebuyers
In June, The Energy Network launched a new resource to help homebuyers and new homeowners take advantage of energy rebates and financing to improve their homes. The toll-free Smart Homebuyer Support Line provides a one-stop shop to answer their questions and connect them with resources.
Homebuyers are great candidates for energy rebate programs, since their newly purchased homes often need repairs and upgrades. But many homebuyers don't know where to start. The Energy Network's green-certified real estate agents identified that their clients needed more support to learn about how to participate in rebate programs. Today, callers to the Smart Homebuyer Support Line can get: - A list of all rebates available in the city where they are house-hunting
- A list of contractors in their area who participate in rebate programs
- A list of lenders who offer Energy Efficient Mortgages and other renovation mortgage programs
- Free tips and educational brochures on making energy upgrades and smarter home improvements, and how to leverage rebate and financing programs during a home purchase
TEN's network of more than 700 green-certified real estate agents are now promoting the Smart Homebuyer Support Line to their clients, and distributing brochures and postcards. TEN welcomes the assistance of any local government or agency that also wishes to promote this free service. For free collateral, call 510-590-3360, Ext. 105. The Smart Homebuyer Support Line is live at 888-919-0244.
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Featured Story:
Home Upgrade and its Reach to Low-Income Residents
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Click picture for video.
Carmen Torres' Home Upgrade project was completed in collaboration with the CDC's SFHIP. Hear more about her Home Upgrade experience. |
The Energy Upgrade CaliforniaŽ Home Upgrade program as offered by The Energy Network has been collaborating with the Community Development Commission (CDC) in their Single-Family Home Improvement program (SFHIP) in order to reach low-income residents. Despite Home Upgrade not being an income-qualified rebate program, The Energy Network has strived to open the program to all residents in LA County who would benefit from energy efficient upgrades to their home. One way The Energy Network is opening Home Upgrade to residents is by working with the CDC on SFHIP. During the first half of 2016, a total of 29 incentives were disbursed to low-income Home Upgrade projects.
The collaboration of The Energy Network with Participating Contractors, the CDC, and residents has led to the increased accessibility of Home Upgrade to low-income residents in LA County which would otherwise not have the means to participate in the program. Regardless of income, the residents participating in Home Upgrade share the common interest of saving money, making their homes energy efficient, and improving their comfort.
The Energy Network is here to serve all customers alike regardless of income level and will continue to do so for the continued success of Home Upgrade in LA County.
To learn more about the CDC's Single-Family Home Improvement Program, visit their website. To get started with a Home Upgrade project, find a Participating Contractor near you at http://tenres.com/findacontractor.
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About The
Energy Network
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) authorized The Energy Network to serve public agencies and their constituencies throughout Southern California.
The Energy Network's mission is to harness the collective action of public agencies and their constituents and to help them save energy by providing needed resources and technical expertise. The pilot phase is funded through the end of 2015.
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This Program is administered by the County of Los Angeles and funded by California utility ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. |
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