MEECA and title sponsor DNV GL are proud to bring you the 2019 Annual Banquet & Awards Celebration. Each year this event provides one of the best opportunities to network with other energy efficiency professionals in Michigan.
This edition of the monthly newsletter comes during an unusally cold period for the Midwest. As reported in the Detroit Free Press this week, the current bout of frigid temperatures had utility companies and Gov. Whitmer calling on gas and electricity customers to dial back their energy consumption. Check out the full story here.
MEECA’s 5th Annual Banquet & Awards Celebration
March 6th is not that far away.Dont’ forget to sign up for the EE industry’s premier networking event of the year! Click here to learn more about registration and sponsorship opportunities.
EE in the News
Building Operator Certification Training
The Michigan Energy Office is offering a $400 discount to public and nonprofit building operators who attend building operator certification (BOC) classes this year. In addition to MEO’s discount, participants may also be eligible for utility rebates and a veteran’s discount. The BOC Level 1 class will be held in Kalamazoo starting in March, in Flint starting in May, and in Escanaba starting in July. Register here for the Level 1 courses and/or the supplemental courses. The BOC Level 2 class will be held starting in September at the Consumers Energy Training Center in Okemos. Register here for Level 2. People interested in the MEO and other discounts should email Karin Gredvig at kgredvig@mwalliance.org. More information on the BOC program is available at http://boccentral.org/.
PACE Continues to Expand in Michigan
Jackson and Emmet Counties have joined the growing ranks of Michigan jurisdictions that have adopted Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. In related news, MEECA member Levin Energy Partners has been entirely rebranded to Lean & Green Michigan with the departure of founder Andy Levin to serve in the U.S. Congress. Bali Kumar recently assumed the role of CEO at Lean & Green Michigan.
Utility Leader named as Crain’s Newsmaker
Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe was selected as a Crain’s Detroit Business “newsmaker of the year” for her leadership on clean energy issues. Visit this link for more about Ms. Poppe’s selection.
EIA Natural Gas Forecast
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects relatively flat natural gas prices, continued record production through 2020. See the full write-up in EIA’s January 2019 Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO).
New Report Highlights Exemplary Utility EE Programs
ACEEE’s new report “The Leaders of the Pack” is the organization’s fourth national review of EE programs. It highlights 53 models worthy of emulation in 14 program categories. To see which programs from Michigan made the cut, click here.
Fun factoids from the American Energy Society
* Globally, PC gamers use about 75 billion kWh of electricity each year, equivalent to the output of 25 electric power plants.
* During the winter months, about 40 percent of US households set their thermostats at 70 degrees and leave it unchanged.
House Re-Imagined
MEECA board member Doug Elbinger with Newman Consulting Group LLC recently published a piece on updates on the market for manufactured, modular, passive homes. He features an 800 square foot modulTWO home from the startup company PassivDom that can be sited anywhere and is completely autonomous. Doug’s article is available here.
It’s time for the nation to amplify its energy efficiency efforts
Edward Rightor, retired director of Strategic Projects at The Dow Chemical Co., is calling for the US to ramp up EE efforts. Read his recent op-ed in the Midland Daily News.
Public Policy Corner
House and Senate Energy Committees Announced
Assignments to the Michigan House Energy Committee and Senate Energy & Technology Committee were recently announced. For complete membership lists of all standing committees, visit this link for the House and this link for the Senate. MEECA looks forward to working with all of the committee members to strengthen Michigan’s energy efficiency industry.
Interview with Michigan’s Top Utility Regulator
MPSC Chair Sally Talberg spoke with Andy Balaskovitz of Midwest Energy News about the ongoing transition of Michigan’s energy system. Talberg, who received MEECA’s Public Servant of the Year award in 2017, concluded, “Its an exciting time. The pace of change is pretty remarkable with the cost reductions we’re seeing in renewable energy and other technologies.” To read the full interview, click here.
A Tale of Two Governors (who both supported energy efficiency)
MEECA member Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance reports on outgoing Governors Snyder (Michigan) and Dayton (Minnesota) to highlight the broad political appeal of energy efficiency in the Midwest. The full blog can be found at this website.
Welcome to our Newest Members!
Quality, pride in workmanship, supplying superior service to meet your needs. These are all traditions that date back to 1879 when James DeForest Candler founded his roofing company. They are traditions that remain foremost in the products and services that we provide in our second century of business.
Today, J.D. Candler Roofing Company is a multifaceted organization specializing in complete installation and roof asset life cycle management of industrial, commercial and institutional roofing systems.
International Radiant & Mechanical Systems, the leading supplier of heating and ventilation equipment in metro Detroit has years of experience and success in tackling the most difficult heating and ventilation projects. Our staff ensures our customers receive the best service possible. The loyalty of our customers, vendors and employees contributes to our growth and future capabilities.
As 2018 draws to a close, we highlight some of our work over the past twelve months in support of our member companies. For more details on these stories, click on the links below for each month to revisit that edition of the 2018 newsletter.
This month’s abbreviated holiday edition of the newsletter provides an opportunity to look back on a productive year for MEECA and our partners. As 2018 draws to a close, we highlight some of our work over the past twelve months in support of our member companies. For more details on these stories, click on the links below for each month to revisit that edition of the 2018 newsletter.
Image: Sonya Pouncy of MEECA member Energy Sciences conducting a recent training session on the new Michigan Energy Code.
On August 14th MEECA joined forces with Energy Sciences to offer a seminar on the new Michigan Energy Code and updated ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013. Behler-Young hosted the event at its Grand Rapids headquarters. Over 30 people came away with a better understanding of how to implement the current commercial code. A similar training event is being planned for Detroit this fall with the Michigan Energy Office sponsoring both sessions. Click this link to read more about this story.More
The MEECA Annual Golf Outing on July 18th attracted ninety-seven players to Hawk Hollow Championship Golf Course in Bath, MI—an increase of more than 25 percent over the inaugural event in 2017! Everyone enjoyed a fun-filled day of golf and networking. To see who won the team and individual competitions and view pictures from the event, click here. More
MEECA is pleased to co-host a training session on the updated state energy code and ASHRAE Standard 90.1 on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 in Grand Rapids. This training will be conducted by Energy Sciences at the headquarters of Behler-Young. Three AIA Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) are available.
Click here to view a brochure with more details about this opportunity. Space is limited, so register soon at the event website. MEECA members receive a discount.
This Michigan Energy Code and ASHRAE Standard 90.1 training is sponsored by the Michigan Energy Office.
MEECA’s 2nd Annual Golf Outing on Wednesday, July 18th is just around the corner. Last summer’s inaugural event attracted 76 golfers and was judged a huge success. With less than three weeks to go, nearly 100 people have already registered for this year’s outing. A limited number of foursomes and individual spots are still available for purchase. Follow this link for more details.More
MEECA Event Highlights The Whitney Restaurant’s Recent EE Makeover
Image: Jim Newman of Newman Consulting Group, LLC describes The Whitney’s recent EE renovation.
On May 10th MEECA hosted a reception at The Whitney, a National Historic Landmark on Woodward Avenue in downtown Detroit. Nearly forty people gathered to network with fellow energy efficiency professionals. They also learned about the 120-year-old building’s recent renovation featuring multiple energy-saving measures. Click here to read more about this successful MEECA program.
Special thanks to our sponsors for this event: Dustmen Electric LLC, Midwest Illumination, and Carter Mechanical!More
Former Detroit Free Press photographer, Douglas Elbinger will have his first exhibit in Detroit in over thirty years. The photographic portraits on display at the Fourteen East during the month of May are a selection of images from his virtual gallery which you can view and share at this link Heroes of the Revolution. Photographs include rare images of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and many Detroiters you will recognize.
Douglas Elbinger has been making photographs since the age of 14. Doug’s career began as an assistant to the legendary Detroit Free Press ‘chief’ photographer Tony Spina. While still in high school he photographed the Beatles on stage with them during their August 1966 concert in Detroit. Since then Doug has traveled the world seeking interesting people and places to photograph. Highlights from his early photo-journalism career include Robert F Kennedy’s presidential campaign and the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. For over fifty years, Elbingers’ photos have appeared in countless books, magazines, newspapers, annual reports, album covers, trade journals, catalogs, and web sites. People everywhere count on Doug to “put them in a good light”.