Weatherization Assistance Program Evaluation

OMB Control Number: _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _

Expiration Date: Month, DD, Year

National Weatherization Assistance Program Evaluation

Household Natural Gas Usage Form

This data is being collected to assist in the evaluation of energy savings attributable to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program.

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average twenty-four hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Office of the Chief Information Officer, Records Management Division, IM-11, Paperwork Reduction Project (1910-XXXX), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC, 20585-1290; and to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), OIRA, Paperwork Reduction Project (1910-XXXX), Washington, DC  20503.

All of the information obtained from this data form will be protected and will remain confidential. The data will be analyzed in such a way that the information provided cannot be associated back to your utility or the housing units and buildings that your utility served.

STEP 1 – Review List of Customer Accounts

This form is accompanied by a list of households that have voluntarily participated in the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). These program participants have indicated that your company furnishes natural gas services to their household and have signed an Authorization Form that allows you to release data to ORNL for purposes of program evaluation. The list of customer accounts includes the following information:

Field	Purpose	Notes
Utility Company ID	Internal reference number	Developed by Evaluation Team
WAP Project ID	Internal reference number	Developed by Evaluation Team
Customer Account Number	Identifies record to be extracted	Collected by local agency from client at the time of service delivery
Customer Last Name	Last name of program participant	Individual who signed the utility data Authorization Form
Customer First Name	First name of program participant
Service Address (Line 1)	Service address	Address at which the weatherization services were delivered
Service Address (Line 2)	Supplemental address information
City	City
State	State
ZIP	ZIP

Please review this list of customers and confirm that the listed account numbers are consistent with your records.

STEP 2 – Prepare a Data File with Customer Usage and Charge Information

Please furnish an electronic data file with monthly natural gas usage and charge information for the period from January 2006 through April 2010. The extract should furnish one record for each month for each customer. The required information includes:

Field	Purpose	Notes
Utility Company ID	Internal reference number	Developed by Evaluation Team
WAP Project ID	Internal reference number	Developed by Evaluation Team
Customer Account Number	Identifies record to be extracted	Collected by local agency from client at the time of service delivery
Customer Last Name	Last name of program participant	Individual who signed the utility data Authorization Form
Customer First Name	First name of program participant
Service Address (Line 1)	Service address	Address at which the weatherization services were delivered
Service Address (Line 2)	Supplemental address information
City	City
State	State
ZIP	ZIP
Meter Read Date	Date of the read	MM/DD/YYYY or MM/DD/YY
Days in Billing Period	Allows computation of start date	XXX
Meter Reading Code	Allows assessment of data quality	A = Actual E = Estimated P = Phone / postcard customer read C = Corrected F = Final
Usage Amount	Furnishes consumption amount	Report units in next column
Units	Furnishes units	C = CCF M = MCF T = Therms D = dTherms O = Other
Usage Charge ($$$.cc)	Furnishes charge amount	Report usage charge only (exclude service charge and charges for other services)

We are interested in the monthly natural gas consumption of each housing unit, even if a change of occupancy has occurred. We will review the monthly customer name data to identify a change of occupancy

STEP 3 – Return Data File via CD or FTP

Your case manager will furnish instructions for delivery of the data file. The data can be delivered on a password protected CD or via a secure FTP site.

NATURAL GAS USAGE DATA FORM EXAMPLE

Utility Data Request ID

Project Housing Unit ID

Account Number

Last Name

First Name

Service Address

Service Address Line 2

City

State

ZIP Code

Meter Read Date (mm/dd/yy)

Days in Billing Cycle

Meter-Read Code A/P/E/C/F

Usage (report units in next column)

Units C/M/T/D/O

Charge ($$$.cc)

National Weatherization Assistance Program Evaluation

Household Natural Gas Usage Form

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the National WAP Evaluation?

We are evaluating the performance of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which is a program that installs energy efficiency measures in the homes of low-income clients. A primary component of the evaluation is to determine the natural gas savings achieved by the Program in housing units heated primarily by natural gas.

What is the purpose of this form?

These data are being collected to estimate change in natural gas use in homes weatherized by the Weatherization Assistance Program.  The data you supply will be used in statistical procedures to estimate natural gas savings.

How do I know this is a valid U.S. Government survey?

All U.S. Government surveys are required to be reviewed by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB). An OMB approved survey will have a valid OMB number and expiration date on the data collection form. You will find the OMB approval number and expiration date at the top right-hand corner of this form. In addition, if you wish to contact someone at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to verify that this is a valid survey, call Bruce Tonn at 865-574-4041 or you can email him at [email protected].

What data are to be reported and in what format?

The monthly billing data should be provided to us in electronic format. At a minimum for each month, the billing information should identify the account number, the customer name, the service address, the date the meter was read, the meter reading or the consumption, the consumption units, any code associated with the reading (e.g., estimated value), and the usage charge. See the attached form for an example of how we would like the data formatted. We are interested in the monthly energy consumptions of each housing unit, even if a change of occupancy has occurred.

How do I know that this information request does not violate my customer’s privacy?

We have obtained fuel release forms for all the account numbers shown above. Please contact us if you need to see copies of these signed forms.

In addition, the information that you provide will be protected and will remain confidential. When analysis results are reported, energy use and savings will not be associated with the housing units, account numbers, or the names of the clients in any way.

Who is conducting the survey?

The sponsor of this survey, the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Branch of the U.S. Department of Energy, has contracted with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to conduct this evaluation. ORNL has subcontracted with APPRISE Incorporated and their partner the Energy Center of Wisconsin (ECW) to collect the information for this evaluation. You will return your completed forms on CD to ECW or will upload your data file to the secure website identified by ECW.

How long will it take to complete this form?

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 24 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

How may I report these data? What format can I use?

We are furnishing a data file with account number, name, and service address. By merging these data will your records, you will be able to develop an electronic data file with the required information. You should send this data file by mail to ECW on a password protected CD or upload this data file to the secure FTP site furnished by ECW. Under special circumstances, you can furnish data in other formats. Please consult with your case manager at ECW to discuss other options.

3