Regional Initiatives Update

				*A quarterly publication of*
First Quarter 2004

Regional Initiatives Update

Commercial Motors
For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.
MotorUp Both MotorUp and New York Energy $mart motors finished strong in 2003, with MotorUp experiencing its highest counts yet of rebates and the numbers of active and enrolled dealers.
Next up for this program is a slight change in focus, with utility sponsors performing motor management outreach efforts directly to vendors and their own customer base.

Motor Decisions Matter Phase II for this program has started, which entails more closely aligning marketing efforts to reach out to Chief-level decision makers at user-firms; engaging partner associations (i.e., TAPPI, HI, etc.) and developing MDM's 1-2-3 marketing and promotional tool, consisting of presentation materials that demonstrate the value of motor management. MDM will be integrated into local and regional programs.
Finally, longtime MDM sponsor the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has agreed to collect and share data on non-OEM motor shipments. NEMA is confident that they will be able to supply initiative sponsors with state-level data by midpoint this year.

Commercial HVAC
For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.
Cool Choice Cool Choice witnessed the highest count of rebate units in the past year. The working group is scheduled to meet this spring to assess the next steps for the program.

National News With the guidance and input of the commercial HVAC working group, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) continue their discussions on the development of next-generation HVAC equipment efficiency specification, looking at in-field performance. Additionally, the group is working together to rate and list EER of small units.

Commercial Lighting
For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.
DesignLight Consortium The initiative sponsors of the recently established regional commercial lighting working group have decided to position this program as an information resource, which will better enable other locales, regions and industries to take advantage of an existing pool of information to help keep programs current. One of these tools is the DLC Knowhow series.
The last five case studies and the final design guide for this instructional series were recently completed, bringing the total to 25 cases and seven guides. To view them, log on to www.designlight.org.

National News Currently, there is a national dialogue taking place among NEEP initiative sponsors, various other regional programs and CEE to define and specify the next generation of efficient commercial lighting equipment, otherwise known as super T-8 systems. The group is investigating new working definitions for the systems, realizing the inherent differences in specifications among participants.

Building Energy Performance
For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.
The Building Energy Performance advisory group will meet this spring to start development of activities such as speaking and networking forums and market transformation programs, possibly including coordination with ENERGY STAR and CEE's Linkages project. The group is also following progress in other regions and programs, such as those from NSTAR, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and NYSERDA.

Residential Initiatives
For more information on residential initiatives at NEEP, email Director of Regional Initiatives Glenn Reed at greed@neep.org or call him at 781-860-9177, extension 19. You can also check in with Assistant Program Manager Subid Wagley whose email is swagley@neep.org and his extension is 15.
ENERGY STAR Windows One of the most significant barriers to increased sales of ENERGY STAR windows in the Northeast is limited awareness and understanding of ENERGY STAR branding for windows. To ameliorate this situation, a pilot program was developed by NEEP to deliver training to a small number of retail establishments in Massachusetts and to assess both retailers' satisfaction with the training and its effects on sales. Co-founded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and KeySpan Energy Delivery (Massachusetts), this pilot project is scheduled to coincide with the upcoming spring construction/remodeling season. APT, which developed this training and has used it effectively to promote many products, including motors and other ENERGY STAR products, was contracted to assist in carrying out this project. Many thanks to everyone involved on the thought-process and planning stages.

PEARL (Program for the Evaluation and Analysis of Residential Lighting) As the sponsors are now negotiating the lighting invitation to participate (ITP) promotions for implementation this spring, the appliances and lighting working group has been discussing ways to engage industry directly on the matter of CFL quality, and to potentially make program funding contingent on product quality and performance. The discussion addresses both excluding specific models from incentive funding, and whether manufacturers with a history of poor PEARL results should have their entire product line excluded from sponsor support. The consensus agreement on excluding specific models that failed PEARL has been a difficult decision to make. However, there were some questions on what constitutes "failure" and whether, as a group, we had to decide on a specific policy to exclude models that failed PEARL, or whether this should be handled during negotiations for each ITP promotion. There was strong disagreement on whether a manufacturer's entire product line should be excluded from sponsor support given the currently available data. The discussion is still underway.

Promotion News NEEP served on the planning committee for this year's appliance Double Your Savings campaign. The promotion will start later this spring. The region is also in the process of planning other region-wide appliance promotions.

National News This year's National Lighting Partner Meeting will be held in Austin, Tex. from April 26-28. NEEP is one of the planning committee members.

Research and Evaluation
For more information on this or other NEEP Research and Evaluation projects, email Program Manager Elizabeth Titus at etitus@neep.orgor call her at 781-860-9177, extension 11.
ENERGY STAR CFL Tracking Feasibility Study NEEP is part of a team including D&R International, Itron, Inc., and representatives of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, NSTAR, Wisconsin Focus on Energy, and California utilities involved in a study of the market channels for CFLs and conventional light bulbs. Funded by the U.S. DOE, the study is designed to "shed light" on what is required to track national and regional market penetration of ENERGY STAR CFLs based on retail sales data - the data source most likely to provide comprehensive market coverage. Results are expected in spring 2004. One outcome of the study so far is that DOE and EPA are reviewing current ENERGY STAR Partner agreements and considering updating the agreements to include more detailed provisions concerning sharing of data.

Building Operator Certification
For more information on the BOC, please contact Director of Training and Education Louis De George via email at ldegeorge@neep.org or by calling him at 781-860-9177, extension 27.
In an effort to continually improve and upgrade the content of the BOC course material, an Advanced Lighting Techniques class has been added. Feedback from prior participants in the BOC program indicated the need for further education about fluorescent high bay lighting, T5 and Super T8, and LED lighting. In cooperation with Haverhill, Mass.-based Energy and Resource Solutions, Inc., NEEP developed this course to address the need of building operators to be continually updated on the myriad of new lighting technologies and products streaming into the marketplace. The applicability of these systems to existing buildings, as well as their economic justification, are topics discussed in detail in this course. The class was launched as a pilot recently at two Level II classes in Long Island and Cape Cod, and will be incorporated into the Level II curriculum as an elective.
The BOC is being brought to building operators in Vermont for the first time. Co-sponsored by Efficiency Vermont, Burlington Electric Department, Vermont Gas Systems, and the Vermont chapter of the Association of Facility Engineers, the classes will be held at Vermont Technical College in Williston. The first of eight classes begins April 14. This latest development marks a milestone for the BOC program, as classes have been taught in all Northeast states, from Southern New Jersey and Western New York to the northern tip of Maine.

High Performance Schools Exchange
For more information on this initiative or to obtain technical information, please contact Jim Rutherford via email at jrutherford@neep.org or by calling him at 781-860-9177, extension 20.
Following a series of highly successful workshops for architects and school decision-makers in December, the High Performance Schools Exchange (HPSE) continued to gain momentum in recent months. Most recently, Program Manager Jim Rutherford took part in the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) Building Energy 2004 Conference, where he discussed informational guidelines and reference materials supporting the design and construction of new K-12 High Performance Schools.
Performing outreach to key individuals and organizations is a crucial component of the Exchange's mission. NEEP has entered into a discussion with the Rhode Island Department of Education, Rhode Island State Energy Office, and Narragansett Electric Co. on developing a working group of school decision-makers to support a unified approach to promoting High Performance Schools in that state.

Another significant achievement includes the first issue of the High Performance Schools Exchange E-zine, which was distributed to 4,000 individuals within the Northeast who are involved in schools or the design and construction of new schools. See this inaugural issue at http://www.neep.org/HPSE/newsletter/index.htm and email Jim Rutherford if you are not already on the distribution. Additional issues will come out on a bi-monthly basis.

Finally, to fully realize its objective as a regional information clearinghouse in this field, the Exchange has created a comprehensive database of helpful technical resources for those involved in the planning, design and construction of High Performance Schools.

Building Energy Codes
For more information, please email Program Manager Doug Schanne at dschanne@neep.org or call him at 203-235-0323.
Grant Development NEEP is providing technical expertise and coordination for the Northeast states working through the development and review of potential DOE State Energy Program (SEP) Grant Applications. NEEP facilitated a Building Code Advisory Committee teleconference in February to discuss the application progress as well as share ideas and concepts. This grant funding is to support state actions to adopt, update, implement, enforce and evaluate the effectiveness of their residential and commercial building energy codes. These state actions will enhance the energy efficiency of residential and commercial building stock in the United States.

The Northeast Builder Training Project Working with various project partners, NEEP facilitated New Jersey becoming the second Northeast state to launch The Northeast Builder Training Project. The New Jersey Builder Training Project moved ahead during the last quarter of 2003 with the presentation of two pilot trainings reaching a total of 53 participants. Known locally as "The Building Performance Seminar," the curriculum was customized to address the specific needs of New Jersey's building industry, with a focus on the State Energy Code requirements and the New Jersey ENERGY STAR Homes Program. Materials developed specifically for this project included a customized version of the Builder Field Guide for Residential New Construction. All this work was possible through grants from the U.S. DOE and a partnership between NEEP and the New Jersey Builder Training Project Committee, whose membership provided technical and regulatory expertise for the successful design, planning and implementation of this project.
This committee was made up of professionals from New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU); the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs; local utilities; members of the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP); and members representing the local construction industry. Special acknowledgement and thanks to Sue Ringof of PSE&G; Mark MaGrann of MaGrann Associates; David Blackwell of JS Havnonan; Mike DeWein of BCAP; Rob Austin of DCA; and Alma Rivera from the BPU. New Jersey training sessions are scheduled through May of 2004.

In other state news, Maryland is coming closer to completing its development phase this spring of a customized version of the Builder Training Program. Maryland's builders training on energy codes and beyond is scheduled for late spring through early fall.

Energy Code Training NEEP successfully presented a code update training of the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) at the Connecticut Designer and Trades Conference in Cromwell. NEEP is currently working with the state of Rhode Island to develop and present a series of energy code trainings to be presented in late spring 2004.

Energy Code Hearings NEEP is preparing for the Spring IECC's Final Code Hearings taking place in Overland Park, Kansas from May 17-20. NEEP staffers, sponsors and partners are currently reviewing proposed changes and modifications to the IECC. An Energy Code Advisory Committee teleconference will be scheduled for late April to discuss these proposed changes and their potential effects on the Northeast. NEEP will be attending the hearing in order to monitor that proposed energy code changes are headed in a positive direction for Northeast States' energy concerns.

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Regional Initiatives Update
Commercial Motors For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.	MotorUp	Both MotorUp and New York Energy $mart motors finished strong in 2003, with MotorUp experiencing its highest counts yet of rebates and the numbers of active and enrolled dealers. Next up for this program is a slight change in focus, with utility sponsors performing motor management outreach efforts directly to vendors and their own customer base.
	Motor Decisions Matter	Phase II for this program has started, which entails more closely aligning marketing efforts to reach out to Chief-level decision makers at user-firms; engaging partner associations (i.e., TAPPI, HI, etc.) and developing MDM's 1-2-3 marketing and promotional tool, consisting of presentation materials that demonstrate the value of motor management. MDM will be integrated into local and regional programs. Finally, longtime MDM sponsor the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has agreed to collect and share data on non-OEM motor shipments. NEMA is confident that they will be able to supply initiative sponsors with state-level data by midpoint this year.
Commercial HVAC For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.	Cool Choice	Cool Choice witnessed the highest count of rebate units in the past year. The working group is scheduled to meet this spring to assess the next steps for the program.
	National News	With the guidance and input of the commercial HVAC working group, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) continue their discussions on the development of next-generation HVAC equipment efficiency specification, looking at in-field performance. Additionally, the group is working together to rate and list EER of small units.
Commercial Lighting For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.	DesignLight Consortium	The initiative sponsors of the recently established regional commercial lighting working group have decided to position this program as an information resource, which will better enable other locales, regions and industries to take advantage of an existing pool of information to help keep programs current. One of these tools is the DLC Knowhow series. The last five case studies and the final design guide for this instructional series were recently completed, bringing the total to 25 cases and seven guides. To view them, log on to www.designlight.org.
	National News	Currently, there is a national dialogue taking place among NEEP initiative sponsors, various other regional programs and CEE to define and specify the next generation of efficient commercial lighting equipment, otherwise known as super T-8 systems. The group is investigating new working definitions for the systems, realizing the inherent differences in specifications among participants.
Building Energy Performance For more information about this NEEP initiative, please email Program Manager Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or call him at 207-338-9705.		The Building Energy Performance advisory group will meet this spring to start development of activities such as speaking and networking forums and market transformation programs, possibly including coordination with ENERGY STAR and CEE's Linkages project. The group is also following progress in other regions and programs, such as those from NSTAR, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and NYSERDA.
Residential Initiatives For more information on residential initiatives at NEEP, email Director of Regional Initiatives Glenn Reed at greed@neep.org or call him at 781-860-9177, extension 19. You can also check in with Assistant Program Manager Subid Wagley whose email is swagley@neep.org and his extension is 15.	ENERGY STAR Windows	One of the most significant barriers to increased sales of ENERGY STAR windows in the Northeast is limited awareness and understanding of ENERGY STAR branding for windows. To ameliorate this situation, a pilot program was developed by NEEP to deliver training to a small number of retail establishments in Massachusetts and to assess both retailers' satisfaction with the training and its effects on sales. Co-founded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and KeySpan Energy Delivery (Massachusetts), this pilot project is scheduled to coincide with the upcoming spring construction/remodeling season. APT, which developed this training and has used it effectively to promote many products, including motors and other ENERGY STAR products, was contracted to assist in carrying out this project. Many thanks to everyone involved on the thought-process and planning stages.
	PEARL (Program for the Evaluation and Analysis of Residential Lighting)	As the sponsors are now negotiating the lighting invitation to participate (ITP) promotions for implementation this spring, the appliances and lighting working group has been discussing ways to engage industry directly on the matter of CFL quality, and to potentially make program funding contingent on product quality and performance. The discussion addresses both excluding specific models from incentive funding, and whether manufacturers with a history of poor PEARL results should have their entire product line excluded from sponsor support. The consensus agreement on excluding specific models that failed PEARL has been a difficult decision to make. However, there were some questions on what constitutes "failure" and whether, as a group, we had to decide on a specific policy to exclude models that failed PEARL, or whether this should be handled during negotiations for each ITP promotion. There was strong disagreement on whether a manufacturer's entire product line should be excluded from sponsor support given the currently available data. The discussion is still underway.
	Promotion News	NEEP served on the planning committee for this year's appliance Double Your Savings campaign. The promotion will start later this spring. The region is also in the process of planning other region-wide appliance promotions.
	National News	This year's National Lighting Partner Meeting will be held in Austin, Tex. from April 26-28. NEEP is one of the planning committee members.
Research and Evaluation For more information on this or other NEEP Research and Evaluation projects, email Program Manager Elizabeth Titus at etitus@neep.orgor call her at 781-860-9177, extension 11.	ENERGY STAR CFL Tracking Feasibility Study	NEEP is part of a team including D&R International, Itron, Inc., and representatives of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, NSTAR, Wisconsin Focus on Energy, and California utilities involved in a study of the market channels for CFLs and conventional light bulbs. Funded by the U.S. DOE, the study is designed to "shed light" on what is required to track national and regional market penetration of ENERGY STAR CFLs based on retail sales data - the data source most likely to provide comprehensive market coverage. Results are expected in spring 2004. One outcome of the study so far is that DOE and EPA are reviewing current ENERGY STAR Partner agreements and considering updating the agreements to include more detailed provisions concerning sharing of data.
Building Operator Certification For more information on the BOC, please contact Director of Training and Education Louis De George via email at ldegeorge@neep.org or by calling him at 781-860-9177, extension 27.		In an effort to continually improve and upgrade the content of the BOC course material, an Advanced Lighting Techniques class has been added. Feedback from prior participants in the BOC program indicated the need for further education about fluorescent high bay lighting, T5 and Super T8, and LED lighting. In cooperation with Haverhill, Mass.-based Energy and Resource Solutions, Inc., NEEP developed this course to address the need of building operators to be continually updated on the myriad of new lighting technologies and products streaming into the marketplace. The applicability of these systems to existing buildings, as well as their economic justification, are topics discussed in detail in this course. The class was launched as a pilot recently at two Level II classes in Long Island and Cape Cod, and will be incorporated into the Level II curriculum as an elective. The BOC is being brought to building operators in Vermont for the first time. Co-sponsored by Efficiency Vermont, Burlington Electric Department, Vermont Gas Systems, and the Vermont chapter of the Association of Facility Engineers, the classes will be held at Vermont Technical College in Williston. The first of eight classes begins April 14. This latest development marks a milestone for the BOC program, as classes have been taught in all Northeast states, from Southern New Jersey and Western New York to the northern tip of Maine.
High Performance Schools Exchange For more information on this initiative or to obtain technical information, please contact Jim Rutherford via email at jrutherford@neep.org or by calling him at 781-860-9177, extension 20.		Following a series of highly successful workshops for architects and school decision-makers in December, the High Performance Schools Exchange (HPSE) continued to gain momentum in recent months. Most recently, Program Manager Jim Rutherford took part in the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) Building Energy 2004 Conference, where he discussed informational guidelines and reference materials supporting the design and construction of new K-12 High Performance Schools. Performing outreach to key individuals and organizations is a crucial component of the Exchange's mission. NEEP has entered into a discussion with the Rhode Island Department of Education, Rhode Island State Energy Office, and Narragansett Electric Co. on developing a working group of school decision-makers to support a unified approach to promoting High Performance Schools in that state. Another significant achievement includes the first issue of the High Performance Schools Exchange E-zine, which was distributed to 4,000 individuals within the Northeast who are involved in schools or the design and construction of new schools. See this inaugural issue at http://www.neep.org/HPSE/newsletter/index.htm and email Jim Rutherford if you are not already on the distribution. Additional issues will come out on a bi-monthly basis. Finally, to fully realize its objective as a regional information clearinghouse in this field, the Exchange has created a comprehensive database of helpful technical resources for those involved in the planning, design and construction of High Performance Schools.
Building Energy Codes For more information, please email Program Manager Doug Schanne at dschanne@neep.org or call him at 203-235-0323.	Grant Development	NEEP is providing technical expertise and coordination for the Northeast states working through the development and review of potential DOE State Energy Program (SEP) Grant Applications. NEEP facilitated a Building Code Advisory Committee teleconference in February to discuss the application progress as well as share ideas and concepts. This grant funding is to support state actions to adopt, update, implement, enforce and evaluate the effectiveness of their residential and commercial building energy codes. These state actions will enhance the energy efficiency of residential and commercial building stock in the United States.
	The Northeast Builder Training Project	Working with various project partners, NEEP facilitated New Jersey becoming the second Northeast state to launch The Northeast Builder Training Project. The New Jersey Builder Training Project moved ahead during the last quarter of 2003 with the presentation of two pilot trainings reaching a total of 53 participants. Known locally as "The Building Performance Seminar," the curriculum was customized to address the specific needs of New Jersey's building industry, with a focus on the State Energy Code requirements and the New Jersey ENERGY STAR Homes Program. Materials developed specifically for this project included a customized version of the Builder Field Guide for Residential New Construction. All this work was possible through grants from the U.S. DOE and a partnership between NEEP and the New Jersey Builder Training Project Committee, whose membership provided technical and regulatory expertise for the successful design, planning and implementation of this project. This committee was made up of professionals from New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU); the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs; local utilities; members of the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP); and members representing the local construction industry. Special acknowledgement and thanks to Sue Ringof of PSE&G; Mark MaGrann of MaGrann Associates; David Blackwell of JS Havnonan; Mike DeWein of BCAP; Rob Austin of DCA; and Alma Rivera from the BPU. New Jersey training sessions are scheduled through May of 2004. In other state news, Maryland is coming closer to completing its development phase this spring of a customized version of the Builder Training Program. Maryland's builders training on energy codes and beyond is scheduled for late spring through early fall.
	Energy Code Training	NEEP successfully presented a code update training of the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) at the Connecticut Designer and Trades Conference in Cromwell. NEEP is currently working with the state of Rhode Island to develop and present a series of energy code trainings to be presented in late spring 2004.
	Energy Code Hearings	NEEP is preparing for the Spring IECC's Final Code Hearings taking place in Overland Park, Kansas from May 17-20. NEEP staffers, sponsors and partners are currently reviewing proposed changes and modifications to the IECC. An Energy Code Advisory Committee teleconference will be scheduled for late April to discuss these proposed changes and their potential effects on the Northeast. NEEP will be attending the hearing in order to monitor that proposed energy code changes are headed in a positive direction for Northeast States' energy concerns.