DOE HQ F 413.32 Energy Star Award Application

DOE HQ F 413.32
(05/2015)
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2015 ENERGY STAR POY Award Application for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery

2015 ENERGY STAR® Award Application
Partner of the Year – Energy Efficiency Program
Delivery
Eligibility: This award is open to utilities, state agencies, regional energy efficiency nonprofit
organizations, associations, and other organizations that sponsor sustained energy efficiency and
environmental programs.
Please note that for-profit energy service and product providers are not eligible for this award
category and are redirected to the application for Service and Product Providers under the
Partner of the Year category.
Description of Award: This award recognizes organizations that have demonstrated leadership and
best practices in implementing energy efficiency program and/or program portfolios that incorporate
ENERGY STAR as a key strategy. Recipients of awards in this category distinguish themselves
through their use of ENERGY STAR tools, strategies and resources as a cost-effective approach to
delivering near-term program results while also effectively overcoming market barriers to efficiency
such that more efficient products, homes and buildings become the norm. Organizations applying for
this award are strongly encouraged to address how they are transforming the market for energy
efficiency in the long term.
The goal of this award is to recognize comprehensive, high-performing energy efficiency
programs and/or portfolios that have directly leveraged ENERGY STAR to achieve (or to be
positioned to achieve) significant impact in the marketplace advancing energy efficiency and
related greenhouse gas emission reduction objectives.
Program Categories: Applicants may apply in one or more of the following four Program Categories.
Applicants promoting ENERGY STAR in more than one ENERGY STAR program area (i.e., Residential
New Homes, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, ENERGY STAR Certified Products, and/or
Commercial and Industrial) are strongly encouraged to submit one comprehensive application to most
effectively convey their organization’s strategic use of the ENERGY STAR platform and partnership in
advancing energy efficiency, irrespective of internal organization/program management structures.
NOTE: For organizations that have been recognized with ENERGY STAR Awards in past years,
the award evaluation committee will evaluate applicants not only on their ability to sustain
successful strategies from prior years, but on the new strategies and activities initiated in 2014.
Applicants are encouraged to respond accordingly in their narratives.
Contact your regional account manager for additional details or guidance if applying for multiple
awards.

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2015 ENERGY STAR POY Award Application for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery

Category 1. Residential New Construction: Programs that promote the construction of
ENERGY STAR certified homes by implementing program elements such as the following:
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Design approaches that are based on the local housing market and unique program
goals and reflect the most important regional factors for program success;
Marketing strategies that increase awareness of ENERGY STAR certified homes;
Training sessions to help stakeholders be successful program participants;
Strategic incentive structures that help to offset upgrade costs and encourage
participation;
Outreach approaches that create strong relationships with stakeholders, communicate
procedures and expectations, and share important program information;
Quality assurance protocols to ensure the integrity of the ENERGY STAR label and the
EEPS program; and
Measurement and evaluation processes to assess progress and attainment of goals and
facilitate continuous improvement in the implementation of the program.

Category 2. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR: Innovative Sponsors and Partners of
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Programs that promote Home Performance with
ENERGY STAR by implementing program elements such as the following:
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Marketing strategies that increase the use of and awareness of Home Performance with
ENERGY STAR;
Business friendly approaches that produce a high conversion ratio from the home
performance assessment to Home Performance with ENERGY STAR project delivery for
your participating contractors;
Program delivery approaches that produce high impacts for homeowners, such as
greater energy savings, improved safety and comfort, and enhanced building
functionality;
Workforce infrastructure development that strengthens home performance and trades
based contractor networks with mentoring, training, and recognition; and
Leadership in the national, regional, state or local arenas to foster partnerships,
collaboratives, and advancement of the home performance industry.

Category 3. Certified Products: Programs that are designed to overcome market barriers to
widespread adoption of ENERGY STAR certified commercial and residential products and/or
related best practices, such as power management of office equipment, consumer education on
proper thermostat use, etc.
Category 4. Commercial and Industrial: Programs that deliver improved whole–building
energy performance in existing commercial buildings; target and track performance for new
construction; and/or achieve facility-wide improvement in industrial plants, by using ENERGY
STAR tools and resources to overcome market barriers. The evaluation committee will look for
several specific actions, including but not limited to:
• Implementing Building Performance with ENERGY STAR;
• Increasing the use of Portfolio Manager by making whole-building energy data more
readily available to customers, in particular through use of the Portfolio Manager web

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2015 ENERGY STAR POY Award Application for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery

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services;
Promoting the National Building Competition, the Challenge for Industry, and earning the
ENERGY STAR for buildings; and,
Setting energy design goals using Target Finder and achieving Designed to Earn the
ENERGY STAR for new buildings.

Submissions must consist of (1) an executive summary of no more than 300 words, and (2)
a narrative of no more than three pages per program category as described above; (3)
Supplemental materials are optional.
Please note the following (applies for both the executive summary and narrative):
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Accomplishments—Applicants should provide a detailed description of your 2014
accomplishments demonstrating how you have met the required criteria below.

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Cumulative Accomplishments—When highlighting cumulative accomplishments,
please ensure that you include a timeframe (e.g., saved $3 million in 2014 and more
than $10 million since 2001).

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Activities must be ongoing or completed during calendar year 2014

1. Executive Summary (no more than 300 words)
Please provide a brief overview of your organization and the highlights of key accomplishments
that make you eligible for this ENERGY STAR award. Include all of the following information:
company revenue; location of company headquarters; brief summary of company (2-3
sentences); and a summary of your top three 2014 ENERGY STAR accomplishments. In the
event that you are chosen to receive an award, this text will be used to prepare a summary of
your organization's achievements. The Executive Summary will not count toward the narrative
page limits outlined below.

2. Narrative (no more than three pages per program category).
It is recommended that each item, as defined below, be addressed explicitly in the application.
New and emerging programs are encouraged to apply, and scores will be weighted accordingly
(i.e., more heavily based on program design and anticipated market effects than proven energy
and emission savings.)
Candidates must include the following in their submissions:
a. Category: From the list above, please identify all target Program Categories for your
program(s)/initiative(s). If you address multiple Program Categories, please ensure that
each category clearly addresses the following criteria.
b. Program design: Describe your program design in terms of goals, market barriers
addressed, strategy for overcoming market barriers, key activities, and discuss why this
approach is the best practice for your market. Applicants with new programs/program
designs should focus heavily on this section, clearly explaining their program logic and why
it is likely to lead to sustained market change.

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2015 ENERGY STAR POY Award Application for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery

c. Incorporation of ENERGY STAR: Describe how you have incorporated the ENERGY
STAR platform (i.e., messaging, tools, and strategies) as a central pillar of your initiative.
Participation in EPA-led national promotions may be included in this application to the extent
they are part of a larger program strategy. Please provide relevant examples in electronic
format as part of your supplemental materials.
d. Market Effects: Please provide qualitative and numerical data to support your case that
the market has changed or will likely change in a sustained way as a result of your initiative
(e.g., improved energy performance of buildings and homes in your region, changes in
ENERGY STAR awareness or availability/sale of ENERGY STAR certified products, homes,
or services). To the extent possible, also indicate the size and importance of the market that
has been (or will be) affected within the context of your service territory, state, or region.
Examples of market effects include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Energy savings, peak demand reductions, and air pollution reductions achieved through
residential, commercial, and/or industrial sector programs that explicitly leverage
ENERGY STAR.
• Increase in salesperson/contractor knowledge; change in business practices.
• Increase in participation by key suppliers, including energy service companies, software
vendors, financial institutions, trainers, manufacturers, distributers, equipment suppliers,
architects, engineers, contractors, or retailers.
• Increase in service availability.
• Increase in third-party advertising by market participants.
• Increase in consumer awareness; change in consumer attitude.
• Breadth and reach of publicity activities.
• Increase in participation in the ENERGY STAR Program.
• Decrease in costs to administer a program through better efficiency and/or streamlining
operations.
• Estimated year-to-date energy savings.
e. Program Category-Specific Market Effects: Applicants must provide the following
information specific to the Program Category(ies) covered in your application:
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For Residential New Construction:
o Please provide specific program numbers for 2013 and 2014 and the percent change
in these numbers from 2013 to 2014 for the following:
 Number of new homes in the service territory that were ENERGY STAR
Certified.
 Number of builders and Home Energy Raters partnering in the program.
 Number of media impressions to demonstrate growth in consumer awareness
of ENERGY STAR Certified Homes.
o Description of efforts to engage the local HVAC industry about quality installation and
their participation in the ENERGY STAR program.
NOTE: Sponsors implementing tiered incentive programs where the ENERGY STAR
Certified homes program is not the entry-level tier should only report results from
those that participated at the ENERGY STAR level.

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For Home Performance with ENERGY STAR:

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2015 ENERGY STAR POY Award Application for Energy Efficiency Program Delivery

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Innovative solutions to grow Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, such as
motivating homeowners to take action, increased recognition for whole house
solutions, diversity and strength of the contractor workforce, and/or economic growth.
Completed projects1 by participating contractors.
Assessment to completed project conversion rates.
Support for development of local contractor networking and advocacy.
Activities to recruit and train participating contractors as demonstrated by production
rates, retention, number of Housing Innovation Award winners, Century Club
Contractors, etc.
Improved contractor performance as measured and verified though a quality
assurance system.
Substantiated measurement and verification of performance of improved homes.
Integration of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR into local market
infrastructure (e.g. MLS, appraisers, insurance companies, code enforcement, etc.).
Success in coordinating with other organizations (e.g., utilities, manufacturers, state
and local governments, retail, financial organizations, non-profits, trade associations)
to grow overall market acceptance of the home performance delivery.

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For ENERGY STAR Certified Products:
o Increase in sales or market share of ENERGY STAR certified products vis a vis noncertified models.
o Increase in shelf space devoted to ENERGY STAR certified products.
o Increase in dealer stocking for certified products.
o Number of older/inefficient units permanently removed from service (e.g., properly
recycled).

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For Commercial and Industrial:
o Increase in use of EPA’s ENERGY STAR measurement and tracking tool, Portfolio
Manager, and the Target Finder, for new construction.
o Number of customers participating in the National Building Competition or Challenge
for Industry.
o Increase in buildings earning the ENERGY STAR label.
o Number of customer buildings benchmarked and evaluated through Building
Performance with ENERGY STAR.

f. Data Sources: Please reference data sources used to support your market effect claims.
As relevant, briefly (1-2 sentences) describe the data collection method, sample frame, and
respondent population (e.g., telephone survey, large-share sample of heating and cooling
contractors).
3. Supplemental Materials (optional): Applicants may submit electronic samples of program materials
and evaluation reports to accompany the narrative description. Absent electronic submission of
collateral marketing materials, EPA will validate incorporation of the ENERGY STAR label by reviewing
use of the ENERGY STAR logo and educational content of the applicant’s website. In all cases, EPA
reserves the right to consider online resources in reviewing applications.

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HPwES completed projects include a test-in/assessment, the work or installation of energy saving measures,
and a test-out.

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