Periodic news and updates from the Michigan Energy Efficiency Contractors Association (MEECA).
MEECA Annual Awards Celebration in 2 Weeks!
Registration remains open for the 7th Annual Awards Celebration at 3:00PM, Thursday, April 15th. The program will include a keynote session with MPSC Commissioner Katherine Peretick.
We will also recognize outstanding professional achievement during a difficult 2020 by businesses and individuals who succeeded in saving energy, helping ratepayers reduce utility bills, and delivering climate solutions.
We hope you can join us on April 15th!
Special thanks to all of our sponsors including our 2021 Title Sponsor:
Industry News & Announcements
University of Michigan Carbon Neutrality Commission submits final report
The President’s Commission on Carbon Neutrality has submitted its final report and recommendations for the University of Michigan to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Net Zero Carbon Apartments in Grand Rapids
Bazzani Building Company announced the Grand Opening of Bradford Station. The 16,500 SF, all-electric building is fully compliant with the Grand Rapids 2030 District and is planned for LEED for Homes certification.
DTE Energy Efficiency Assistance Program Wins Impact Award
From the citation: “With the economic hardships felt by so many Michiganders during the pandemic this past year, DTE doubled down on its commitment to serve its most vulnerable customers with safe, reliable and affordable energy, when the need for assistance is greater than ever.”
MiBiz: Michigan’s top energy regulator discusses grid reliability after Texas power crisis
ACEEE Blog: Grid Operators Can Seize Efficiency Opportunity in FERC’s Distributed Resources Order
“Electric grid operators have a promising opportunity to use energy efficiency to boost grid reliability, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce system costs.”
ACEEE Blog: Texas Blackouts Offer a Lesson for Reducing Dangerous Spikes in Energy Demand
“Better-sealed homes not only reduce energy consumption. They also help residents who have lost power stay warm longer… And well-weatherized homes are similarly important in summer storms, when power outages can leave people without air conditioning for days.”
Public Policy Update
Recent Policy Engagement by MEECA
Executive Director David Gard was appointed to the Buildings & Housing Workgroup of Gov. Whitmer’s Climate Solutions Council.
Other policy venues in which MEECA has been engaged include:
• Monthly EWR Collaborative meetings. Visit the website to review agendas and presentations of previous meetings.
• Periodic virtual roundtables with LARA Director Orlene Hawks in which MEECA has raised workforce development as a topic of focus.
• MPSC MI Power Grid stakeholder groups: currently Integrated Resource/ Distribution/Transmission Planning and New Business Models and Technologies
• Stakeholder meetings to review the design of the EWR and DR statewide potential studies commissioned by MPSC and due in August 2021. MEECA also submitted written comments.
Policy Developments
The U.P. Energy Task Force has submitted its final report to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer with 16 recommendations that would improve affordability, enhance reliability and promote energy security for residents of the Upper Peninsula.l
President Biden unveils his infrastructure plan. According to ACEEE, “Biden’s plan includes major efficiency investments that would cut carbon emissions and the energy costs that are such a challenge for many families and businesses.”
A key figure in implementing Biden’s plan would be Energy Secretary and former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm.
According to the MPSC’s Annual Report on the Implementation of EWR Programs, for every $1 spent on EWR programs in 2019, customers should realize savings of $3.30.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put forth her FY22 Executive Budget Recommendation, which includes a $5 million investment in Michigan Saves, the nation’s first nonprofit green bank.
New Member
E3 Prime Environments’ focus is on commercial, industrial, multi-family and non-profit buildings, as well as agricultural applications. Our project development work includes identifying opportunities for saving energy and water-including the adoption of renewable technologies, developing 20 year financial analyses to define the financial impact of recommended upgrades, providing project management support and connecting property owners with lenders.
We also provide a number of cost reduction services that lower operating expenses. These include niche engineering based tax incentives, specialized cost recovery programs and utility choice programs – all important contributors to bottom line performance.
Building owners hire us to solve funding concerns while creating ideal building environments in terms of energy and water consumption, comfort, productivity and sustainability.
Contractors work with us to help them realize the increased project hit rates, and access to larger and more profitable jobs, that result from these owner benefits.
Renewing Members
DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric utility serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas utility serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE Energy portfolio includes non-utility energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading.
Government agencies and utilities around the world are increasingly introducing programs to help businesses and households use energy more efficiently. Drawing on more than 40 years’ experience, DNV helps program sponsors design, implement and track energy efficiency programs on budget, with verifiable results and high customer satisfaction.
Improving energy efficiency helps users control energy costs, improve comfort levels, increase productivity and safeguard the environment. It also helps utilities manage supply and demand, optimize their capital expenditure and build lasting customer relationships.
Wright Energy Partners was formed to help businesses take advantage of the savings and beauty LED’s offer without incurring significant up-front costs. Our core values have helped us earn a flawless track record among our customers, energy companies, and financial institutions who help us serve them.
Behler-Young is made up of a high-performance team that delivers superior customer service by providing the best HVAC/R solutions for licensed mechanical contractors.
Our team members provide superior technical training and support and have an average of 12 years of HVAC experience. We have a broad product availability with best-in-class logistics, filling and delivering 98.8+% of orders.
We are a trusted partner before, during, and after the sale, as demonstrated by our strong customer satisfaction rating. We are innovative, curious, and are constantly exploring new markets and ways to serve our customers better.
E Three Inc. offers a professional team approach to solve the energy management issues that are evident in a large percentage of buildings today. Choosing E3 gives you over 70 years of combined engineering, architectural, and building management experience with licensed professionals that aim to fully integrate their skill and expertise into your project and building. The team at E3 provides a completely catered approach to improving energy management, where the clients’ best interests always come first and where your buildings’ success is our success.
GLREA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that represents individuals, organizations and businesses that support the adoption and expansion of clean renewable energy in Michigan like solar and wind. GLREA’s mission is to educate and enable homeowners, farmers and business to save money and protect our environment by installing a renewable energy system. GLREA works to establish policy that supports the free market expansion of renewable energy.
Resources for Contractors
Tips for Winning More Business
Curt Monhart with MEECA member E3 Prime Environments has a new blog series on improving the success of job proposals. Be sure to check out Tired of Getting Too Few Yeses to Your Proposals? followed by Identify the Total Added Value of Your Products and Services and Stress Your Value-Added Differentiators.
Related to this topic, Curt invites any company involved in performing energy efficiency upgrades to complete a short survey which will be used to help contractors improve the conversion rates—and profitability—of their energy efficiency proposals. The survey takes less than two minutes and all respondents will be anonymous.
Bringing Heat Pump Water Heaters into the Mainstream
The Advanced Water Heating Initiative (AWHI) Playbook and 2020 Project Report summarizes the activities of AWHI through the end of 2020. Other resources include the 2020 Progress Snapshot and an on-demand webinar about the Advanced Water Heating Initiative.
2021 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference Session Recordings
To see the full program agenda, click here.
LARA Trades Connection Newsletter: March 2021 Edition
Upcoming Events
Michigan EIBC’s 9th Annual Energy Innovators Conference
9:10AM, Wednesday, April 7
State of the Market: Demystifying Dehumidification in Indoor Horticultural Environments
1:00PM, Wednesday, April 7
2021 National Home Performance Conference
April 12-16
10:00AM, Thursday, April 15
MEECA 7th Annual Awards Celebration
3:00PM, Thursday, April 15
U.P. Clean Energy Conference Series: U.P. Task Force Report
1:00PM, Friday, April 16
Pivoting with Purpose: Achieving utilities’ future goals by innovating the outreach process
12:00PM, Tuesday, April 20
Calculating for Safe & Healthier Spaces (Building Science and COVID-19)
Free webinar, CEUs available
2:00PM, Wednesday, April 21
Great Lakes Climate & Health webinar series: Decarbonizing Healthcare
7:00PM, Tuesday, April 27
EPRI Electrification 2021: Building to Zero
May 17-20
Funding Opportunities
EGLE Office of Climate and Energy
Energy Services provides incentives in the form of sponsorships, rebates, grants and loans for energy related projects. Eligible applicants range from communities, K-12 public schools, manufacturing, agriculture and rural business sectors, and other public entities depending on the program.
Activities for these programs may include, but are not limited to, benchmarking, Energy Star certification of public facilities, training, sponsorships, guidance documents, and energy project implementation. These activities encourage cost effective energy upgrades that reduce operating costs for building owners, support community development and local job creation, and free up capital for long-term reinvestment in communities and businesses.
