Chicago in January? Brrr!
- December 19, 2014
- Heat Smart
There’s not much that can entice us to brave Chicago’s legendary winter cold. Except for MEEA’s 2015 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference January 28 – 30th. Why? Because the cold we’ll feel is nothing compared to the cold thousands of families feel every day because they can’t afford heat this winter.
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The conference promises to gather stakeholders to reinforce the importance of energy efficiency in the Midwest and capitalize on shared opportunities. As an energy efficiency program, we offer an opportunity for utilities to meet federal mandates and spend assistance program resources cost-effectively. And we’re really looking forward to meeting more utility professionals and sharing our program.
We’re especially excited about the Wednesday session: Under the Influence: How are Behavior Change Programs Going Beyond Initial Influence to Achieve Sustained Energy Savings? We’re in the midst of a pilot program with Duke Energy that we think will show real progress in changing behavior.
How? We partnered with Duke to distribute Heat Smart Kits to low income families that give them the tools they need to stay warm and encourage lower thermostat settings at the same time. That reduces energy demand and saves money – an average of $200 annually. It’s a simple, proven idea with a HUGE impact.
So if you’re going to MEEA’s Midwest Conference, stop by and see us at Booth __x. We’d be happy to show you how it works. See you in Chicago!
Houston, we have liftoff – Launch day is here!
- December 15, 2014
- Heat Smart
We’ve been working hard for months on our North Carolina pilot program and we couldn’t be any more excited that it officially launches today!
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In collaboration with Duke Energy, the North Carolina Community Action Association, and I-Care (a community action agency in Statesville, NC), we asked North Carolina low-income families with electric heat in four neighborhoods to participate in our pilot program. Thirty-three families, or 40 percent of our target market, said yes. What does that mean?
First of all, it means they’ll receive a free Heat Smart kit. The kits include a warm woolen blanket for each occupied bed, weatherstripping for drafty windows and doors, and energy saving tips. For our 33 families, we’re distributing 110 blankets! And we’ve teamed up with Boy Scout troops in each area to distribute the kits as part of their community service. Secondly, participating in the program means each family pledged to turn their heat down at least seven to eight degrees overnight, from today through the end of the program on March 1.
Experience has shown this can save an average of $400 per year in households nationwide. We expect this pilot program to give us the hard data to prove it. Working with Duke Energy, we’ll be compiling results of the pilot in both energy and dollars saved, and we’ll update this post as we move forward. Advanced Energy will monitor energy use among a control group to ensure statistical accuracy. In addition, each family will complete two surveys to measure attitudes and energy awareness.
You know what else we’re super-excited about? Having the results to this pilot will enable us to expand the program to help even more low income families in the future. Our work also helps utilities and community agencies: by reducing energy demand, maximizing resources, and helping them meet federal or organizational mandates. If you’d like more information about how we can help you, just email us!
34 Families to Receive Heat Assistance Through Innovative Pilot
- December 15, 2014
- Heat Smart
For immediate release
For more information contact: Donna Montaquila, Director, Heat Smart 401.481.8107, dmontaquila@hbrickle.com
34 Families to Receive Heat Assistance Through Innovative Pilot
WOONSOCKET, RI – December 15, 2014 – Heat Smart, a national energy efficiency program headquartered in Rhode Island, kicked off an innovative pilot program in North Carolina today. Months in development, the pilot program will help North Carolina families stay warm and reduce their heat bills at the same time. Heat Smart is an initiative of Woonsocket’s Northwest Woolen Mills, America’s largest industrial woolen blanket manufacturer, known for their ability to make quality wool blankets at a low cost for disaster relief, humanitarian efforts, military supply and more.
Working with Duke Energy, the North Carolina Community Action Association, and I-Care, Heat Smart asked 77 low income families who were Duke Energy customers to participate in the pilot. Thirty-four families or 44 percent of the target audience, in the Statesville, Mooresville, Mocksville and Salisbury areas accepted. They each received a free Heat Smart kit, which includes a warm woolen blanket for each occupied bed, weatherstripping for drafty windows and doors, and energy savings tips.
“We know that wool raises body temperature the fastest of any material,” said Donna Montaquila, Heat Smart Director. “The idea behind the kit is to help families stay warm while turning down the thermostat to save on energy. Each family pledged to turn the heat down just seven to eight degrees overnight, which can take ten percent off a heating bill, saving an average $400 per year in households nationwide. In addition, our weather-stripping reduces drafts, and our educational materials help families learn how to save energy.”
Three area Boy Scout troops helped deliver the Heat Smart kits last week, and the pilot program period runs from today through February 28, 2015.
The pilot aims to measure customer attitudes and awareness of energy savings initiatives both before and after participation in the program through behavioral surveys that Heat Smart is conducting both pre- and post-pilot. Duke Energy will measure the resulting savings in both energy use and real dollar savings through analysis and comparison of energy bills, so Heat Smart will have hard data and a strong platform on which to move forward. A control group overseen by Advanced Energy will help ensure statistical accuracy.
“As families struggle to stay warm and heat assistance dollars shrink, we feel this very cost-effective program will prove worthwhile. In the future, we are looking to partner with other utility and community organizations to expand our reach,” Montaquila said.
Once the pilot is complete and families have completed their surveys, they will also receive a $25 gift certificate for their participation.
About Heat Smart
Headquartered in Woonsocket, RI, Heat Smart’s mission is to distribute quality, low-cost blankets, weatherstripping and educational materials to low income households in an effort to help them save money and reduce overall energy use. They are committed to fostering and developing additional successful partnerships with local Community Action Programs and Energy/Utility companies across the country as a cost-effective and efficient channel to distribute Heat Smart kits.
Winter Cold, Storms & Outages: We’re Keeping Families Warm
- November 20, 2014
- Heat Smart
Did you see the snowed-in pictures from Buffalo just before Thanksgiving? Brrr! That was winter sending an early warning, so we’re posting an early winter warmth reminder.
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You know Heat Smart is the energy assistance program that provides warm woolen blankets, weatherstripping and energy tips to low-income households. (Check out our post about the work we’re doing with Duke Energy!) Our kits were designed to encourage families to turn down the thermostat and save on energy.
But you may not know that the ultra warm blankets in our Heat Smart kits are also a great solution to help at-risk families stay warm during the severe cold this winter. Why? Because wool raises the body temperature the fastest of any material, and our quality wool blankets could mean all the difference to a family who cannot afford the high cost of heat this winter. If you’ve ever gone through a windy sub-zero night, you know exactly what we mean.
We’re urging community and government assistance programs as well as utility companies to order our affordable kits to distribute to your constituents or use in your programs/shelters. Utility companies can also distribute them during outages to provide that extra level of care when their customers are relying on them the most. Ordering a supply now is the key to getting blankets distributed quickly and cost-efficiently as the temperature drops and the cost of heat rises. Simply email us for details and we can respond to your immediate need.
However, we know Mother Nature has a way of sneaking up on us all. Should she catch you by surprise, or if the kit blankets do not suit your needs, the wool experts at our parent company, Northwest Woolen Mills, make a utility blanket ideal for the coldest climates. For details and ordering information, check out Style#1025. Northwest can arrange expedited delivery of large quantities direct from the mill. Their products are used in disaster relief efforts around the world.
So that’s our early winter warning – if you know of someone in charge of keeping people warm, feel free to forward this post. Meanwhile, stay warm!
