The Urbana Climate Action Plan’s Goal 1: Action 1 calls for creating “programs to encourage businesses to retrofit existing buildings.”  The U-C Kilowatt Crackdown will challenge businesses and property managers to benchmark their buildings’ 2013 energy performance on the free Energy Star Portfolio Manager and then track and improve their energy performance for 2014.  This program may be replicable the following year dependent on participation and future interest.

Key Phrases

• • Challenge yourself to cut costs and improve performance.
• • Fun, easy, convenient, popular.
• • Pledge today to cut costs and avoid waste.
• • Leading businesses are joining the Kilowatt Crackdown
• • Benchmark,  improve, awards

Driving Participation

• • Registration/Pledge may be conducted with an online webform and through a postcard mailed back to the City.  Participants could be listed on a website serving as a public commitment.
  • o Building name, address, contact name, phone, and email
• • Opinion makers may be invited to offer a quote or appear in a video to establish participation as a social norm.
  • o Newscaster, football coach, leading business person
• • Interns may be trained to provide Energy Star Portfolio Manager support for participants to increase program convenience and actively seek out participants.
• • Awards for top performers may follow in early 2015.
  • o Certificate for all who submit SEP
  • o Buildings achieving 10 or 20% reduction in EUI
  • o Energy Star Certified
  • o Greatest Percentage EUI reduction
  • o City Bragging Rights Award for most new Energy Star Buildings per capita

Inputs

• • ES Div. staff time
• • Planning Div. staff time
• • Urbana $2,000 for advertising, printing, awards
• • Champaign $2,000 for advertising, printing, awards
• • CCRPC website and registration management
• • Partner Service Providers’ staff time
  • o IGBA for small and large businesses
• • Provide basic energy efficiency installations (CFLs, Faucet Aerators, LED Exit Signs, Pre-rinse spray valves) and help businesses attain more incentive dollars and installations through ActOnEnergy programs.
• • Recruit ‘Energy Specialist’ interns to assist buildings with benchmarking
  • o SEDAC for large businesses
• • Perform benchmarking for buildings and provide recommendations for improvements
• • Consider amending qualifying square footage for participating buildings
• • Recruit ‘Energy Specialist’ interns to assist buildings with benchmarking
  • o Ameren
• • Business Energy Assessments and Incentives
• • Funding
• • Branding
  • o DCEO
• • Andrea Rice
• • Promotional Partners
  • o Chamber
  • o UBA
  • o City of Urbana
  • o City of Champaign
  • o News media
  • o EDC

Outputs

• • Handbills, advertisements, awards
• • 25 commercial buildings benchmarked
• • 15 commercial buildings reduce energy consumption
• • UPTV video, Smile Politely ad, News-Gazette ad, Facebook promotion
• • Promotional speaking opportunities with Chamber, UBA, Developer’s Luncheon, CCNet, Green Drinks
• • 5 earned media in print, web, radio, tv
• • SEPs and awards

Outcomes

• • 15 buildings reduce GHG by an average of 20%

Timeline

• • July 2013 Determine Ameren role
• • July 2013 Firm up partner roles, process, and website plan
• • Aug. 2013 Agree partner roles and process
• • Sept. 2013 Finish website and printed piece
• • Sept. 2013 Work with Marketing meeting to promote
• • Oct. 2013 Invites to Benchmark
• • Oct. 2013 Invites to lunch and learn
• • Nov. 2013 Lunch and learn with recorded ESPM 101
• • Dec. 2013 Lunch and learn with recorded ESPM 201
• • 2014 Check-ins
• • Jul. 2014  Data check in
• • Dec. 2014 Share media advisory templates
• • Jan. 2015 Invites to share SEPs
• • Feb. 2015 Invites to awards
• • Mar. 2015 Awards
• • Apr. 2015 Follow up with participants on interest