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NEEC Celebrates Energy Efficiency Day 2017

September 13, 2017 By SBC

Seattle, WA- In recognition of the second annual national Energy Efficiency Day (EE Day) on October 5, 2017, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council is joining regional and national organizations, businesses, utilities, and individuals working to promote energy efficiency – the cheapest, quickest way to meet our energy needs, cut consumer bills and reduce pollution. Energy efficiency is also an economic engine, supporting 2.2 million jobs nationwide in manufacturing, operations, construction and other fields – most of which can’t be outsourced overseas. This year, EE Day offers a national light bulb challenge to encourage engagement by residents and businesses alike.

“NEEC is happy to support EEDay. Energy efficiency makes economic sense. There is no better long-term strategy than eliminating waste and increasing productivity – at home and in the workplace. Energy efficiency also provides a broader stimulus across the economy when saved energy dollars are spent on more productive outcomes” said Stan Price, Executive Director, NEEC.

NEEC advocates an affordable, energy efficient future for commercial, industrial and residential customers by:

Promoting energy efficient products and services as the cleanest and lowest cost energy resource;
Serving as the voice of the industry in state and local program and policy issues;
Providing members with the most up-to-date information within the industry.

An energy-efficient economy is free to thrive and innovate. Electricity use was 5 percent lower in 2016 than in 2010, while the U.S. economy grew by almost 13 percent over those years, demonstrating that efficiency and economic growth go hand-in-hand. Reducing the energy used by manufacturers, homes and businesses benefits everyone – especially energy bill-payers. The average household, for example, saves almost $500 every year from efficiency standards for common appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators and water heaters.

About Northwest Energy Efficiency Council: NEEC is a non-profit trade association of the energy efficiency industry in the Pacific Northwest. NEEC member companies provide energy efficiency products and services and assist in the development and implementation of energy efficiency programs.

About #EEDay2017: On October 5, 2017, a growing network of advocates, companies, government agencies, utilities and others will join to showcase the benefits of energy efficiency and take the national light bulb challenge as part of the second annual national Energy Efficiency Day. Learn more at www.energyefficiencyday.org

Building Tune-Up Accelerator Now Accepting Applications

September 13, 2017 By SBC

The City of Seattle is recruiting owners of 100 mid-size buildings (100,000 SF or less excluding parking) to enroll in the new Tune-Up Accelerator Program to get a jump-start on meeting the upcoming Seattle Building Tune-Ups requirement.

Seattle City Light and Office of Sustainability and Environment have partnered to offer financial incentives of up to $0.12 per square foot. Additional technical support from Smart Buildings Center and support and UW Integrated Design Lab is also available.

The incentive is estimated to cover at least 50% of the typical cost of a tune-up. In most cases, the simple payback from the electric energy savings alone would be 1.5 years. These incentives won’t be available after the tune-up requirement is fully implemented, so enroll soon to take advantage of the incentives before they disappear.

Find the Program Application, Tune-Up Accelerator Service Provider List and additional program details on the website. Enroll by December 1, 2017. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 206-233-7184.

Smart Buildings Center – Education Program Gets 501(c)3 Designation

September 13, 2017 By SBC

As most of you know, the Smart Buildings Center, a project of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council, is a gathering spot for business and industry groups who share our passion for the built environment (if you haven’t seen it, visit). The site also houses our free Tool Lending Library, a regional resource for lending building diagnostic tools like data loggers, IR cameras, flow measuring devices, and power meters to facility professionals in Washington and Oregon – for free. In the next step to grow the programs and opportunities focused on smart and efficient building operations, a new non-profit was recently formed – the Smart Buildings Center Education Program (SBC-EP). Recently, the SBC-EP was issued the IRS final determination letter granting it 501(c)3 status. The new SBC-EP has an educational mission to increase awareness and understanding of smart building technologies and practices. As a 501(c)3, SBC-EP will be able to solicit tax deductible contributions to support the development of this type of programming. NEEC will continue to operate the facility (the box) and SBC-EP will help develop educational content (the stuff that goes into the box). If you are interested in supporting the SBC-EP through a tax deductible donation, please contact [email protected] for more information.

The SBC-EP is governed by its own Board of Directors, but will work in close coordination with the NEEC Board. The initial SBC-EP Board includes;

Ash Awad, McKinstry

Perry England, MacDonald-Miller Facility Solutions

Dan McConnon, State of Washington

Chris Roe, Amazon

Bert Von Hoof, Microsoft

Phil Welker, PECI

NEEC Names New Executive Director

September 13, 2017 By SBC

The following article was first published on www.neec.net. The SBC is a project of NEEC.

The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) Board of Directors has selected Kerry Meade as their new Executive Director beginning October 1st. After a national search for a dynamic and energetic leader, the NEEC Board selected Kerry to lead one of the region’s oldest and most influential energy efficiency non-profit trade associations.

“Kerry brings to NEEC both a deep knowledge of the energy efficiency industry as well as a keen sense of the enormous challenge and opportunity of transitioning the Northwest to a clean energy economy,” according to Janet Stephenson, NEEC Board President. “We feel extremely lucky to get someone with her talents to lead the organization.”

Kerry will be managing a highly capable and experienced NEEC staff known for their high-quality programs and services. NEEC will continue to implement its Smart Buildings Center project, dedicated to informing and educating the market on opportunities for smart and efficient building operations.

NEEC will continue its nationally recognized Building Operator Certification program which trains and credentials facility professionals in energy smart building operations and maintenance.

NEEC will also continue to advocate for the interests of the energy efficiency business community to ensure that regional policies and programs support adoption of efficient building technologies and practices.

Before joining NEEC, Kerry held senior positions at Seattle-based EMI Consulting and at CLEAResult, in Austin, Texas. She is a graduate of Seattle University and Cornell University. She can be reached at [email protected] and 206-292-5592.

NW Demand Response & Energy Storage Summit – September 27&28

August 16, 2017 By SBC

Join the Smart Grid Northwest as they host the first focused event on demand response and energy storage in the Northwest in Portland, OR. Demand response (DR) and energy storage are two interrelated pillars for building a more flexible and resilient electric grid and optimal energy resource mix for the Pacific Northwest.

Radical changes in energy sources, distribution and usage are surging through the electrical infrastructure of the Northwest. For example, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Seventh Power Plan has recommended that at least 600 megawatts of DR should be developed to meet the region’s peaking and system adequacy needs. Similarly, utilities, C&I companies and consumers are beginning to deploy energy storage systems (and considering options at scale) that will impact system-wide demand, reliability and efficiency. To help advance these important trends, Smart Grid Northwest is hosting the Northwest Demand Response & Energy Storage Summit. Join leaders at regional utilities, and those working with them, who are exploring and implementing DR and energy storage options. Register Now!

The following article was first published on www.neec.net. The SBC is a project of NEEC.

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