It’s Easy Being Green!

One of the best elements about conservation is how easy it is. Yes, there are countless expert projects across the board (crawling through a 12 inch crawl space to add new insulation for one) but there are many other projects that require very little effort on the customer’s end.

Dominion’s programs are an easy way for us to help our customers maximize their energy savings. Here’s a quick rundown of what programs we currently offer in our Virginia service area:

• Lighting Program (Home). We all know Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) are great for cutting consumption, and thanks to a discount brought to you by Dominion, they are also an affordable energy saving option. The bulbs available for purchase at a discounted price through our program are high quality GE and Feit Electric bulbs, producing great light output. A 13W CFL bulb is equivalent to a 60W incandescent; CFLs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to 10 times as long. With Dominion’s discount, you can purchase a pack of bulbs for just a few dollars. dom.com/LightingProgram
• Smart Cooling Rewards (Home). Another easy program to sign up for and not think about again. The concept is simple: Dominion will pay you $40 each program summer season to cycle on and off your air conditioner or heat pump system during periods of high demand. Typically cycling will occur for about four hours per event, between 2 PM and 6 PM, and will not occur on weekend or holidays. In less than one year, over 20,000 folks have enrolled in the program. Visit our website to find out if you’re eligible to participate. dom.com/SmartCooling
• Home Energy Improvement (Home). Simple concept producing great conservation results. Income-qualifying customers receive a free in-home energy audit and installed energy efficient measures. An energy specialist conducts an energy audit in your home and installs energy efficiency improvements in the same visit with your permission. Some of the improvements may include: attic insulation, weather-stripping, wrapping pipes, sealing cracks, installing CFL bulbs, caulking windows, replacing air filters, and installing a low-flow shower-head. dom.com/HEI
• HVAC Rewards (Business). If you’re a business owner, building manager, or energy specialist for your company, you probably know that HVAC systems account for almost 40% of your business’s energy costs. Select a participating contractor to upgrade your old HVAC system to a more efficient unit and apply for a rebate from Dominion. Your new unit must feature a rating that is greater than the current national minimum efficiency standards. dom.com/HVACRewards
• Lighting Rewards (Business). Similar to our HVAC program, Dominion provides a rebate when you install more efficient lighting in your business through a participating contractor. Whether it is upgrading from T12s to T8s, replacing incandescent bulbs to CFLs, installing LED exit signs, or installing more efficient ballasts, there is a large opportunity to conserve with lighting. dom.com/LightingRewards

All of these programs were launched in Virginia in spring 2010 and have picked up momentum, all achieving big energy conservation savings since the program began. Check out the web sites to get detailed information on the programs and learn how to enroll in a program or find a contractor.

NOTE: These programs will soon be available in Dominion’s North Carolina service area. More information coming soon!

March Madness!

If you live in the Richmond area, you’re sure to know of all of the basketball excitement with March Madness!!

This tournament has gone incredibly well for the River City.

Not only do we have one team in the Sweet 16, we have two! Both the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University are giving their best shots to advance to the Elite 8 and continue their journey to become National Champions, and the city is pulling for them!

If you’ve been watching the tournament on TV, you’ve probably seen one of our newest advertising campaigns. We call it “Advice.” It’s a humorous and informative ad where the coach gives advice to his players, and not necessarily about the game: “We may not know much about basketball, but we can net you some money saving energy tips.”

The print advertisement continues to build on the momentum of March Madness with the following energy saving text…

One of the ways to play defense against energy costs is by turning off electronics and other appliances when you’re not using them. But just turning things off isn’t always a slam-dunk. If there’s a little red light on, or the appliance stays warm, that means it’s probably still using energy. And that costs money. But plugging electronics and other appliances into power strips allows you to turn everything off by flipping a single switch - so everybody wins.

To learn even more ways to conserve energy, please visit dom.com (keyword: energy saving tips).

So when you’re watching the University of Richmond and VCU shoot some hoops this week, make sure you take some time to cut energy use and keep conservation top of mind.

Go Spiders and Rams!

Get the Kids and Teens Involved!

When it comes to conservation, the kids, pre-teens, and teens often get left out since they’re not the bill payer of the family. I’m sure you know a kid who walks through the house, flipping on every light then taking an afternoon nap on the back porch swing. Or maybe a teenager who opens the refrigerator, for hours at a time, hoping the food will appear? What about the youngster who plays his video game console for ten minutes, then goes outside to play flag football, leaving the gaming console up and running?

It’s not really fair that they get to run around the house turning everything on, is it? I’m sure you’re saying to yourself ‘They’re the ones using all of the energy. They don’t care one bit!’ And you’re probably on point; they probably don’t even know they’re causing a ruckus. Odds are you know one of these youngsters and they might even live in your home!

What can you do to get them to help keep some money in your pocket when the bill comes?

Here are a few ideas I’ve heard from local families on how to cut back as a family…

• First, make it fun. I know a few families who have an Energy Challenge. If you can reduce your energy consumption for 6 straight months (compared to the last year’s energy usage for that same month), then you take them to a theme park, take the kids to the state fair, or have a shaving cream fight in the back yard.
• Make it easy for them. Put everyone’s cell phone charger on power strip in the kitchen and during the day when you’re at school and work, turn the strip off. Do the same thing for the video game consoles and TV.
• Make it memorable. Take a photo of your open refrigerator right after you’ve gone to the grocery store and stocked it with the week’s food. Put the photo on the outside of the fridge so everyone knows what’s in there (or, what was at the beginning of the week).
• Don’t tell them! Check the water temperature of your ‘water heater’ (it’s not a hot water heater, that’d be redundant!). If your temperature is set too high, scale it back to 120F. You can cut your water heater costs by 6-10%.
• Last resort I’ve heard people do, pay the kids! Let’s say your highest bill the last year was $200. Each month you budget for $200, and when your actual bill is lower, the kids split it. Simple. If your highest bill was $218 in August of last year and your upcoming March bill is $122, you split the $96 by your two kids, each one takes home $48 and that’s their allowance for the week. I wish I had that growing up.

Not only are these ideas fun for the kids, it gets them interested in saving money and helping around the house. Oh, and one last idea. Take your kids to a home improvement store and teach them about these things, like insulation, air filters, weather stripping, and CFL light bulbs.

Another good help is the Dept. of Energy’s site. They have a great Lose your Excuse interactive web site and one for Energy Star Kids.

How About Creating an Earth Day Resolution?

It’s that time again! With spring on the horizon, the Energy Conservation Team is prepping for another busy April in celebration of Earth Day - or should I say Earth Month!

To get ready for this wonderful (and warm!) time of year, commit to some green changes in your life.

Support Dominion Green Power℠ in 2011 and start your Earth Day off right!

By matching 100% of your monthly electricity use through the Dominion Green Power program, you can make a huge difference in 2011 - the equivalent environmental impact of not driving your car for a full year.*

With two easy Green Power enrollment options, 100% and Block, this is a resolution we can all keep. For more information, visit www.dom.com/VaGreenPower or call 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357).

*Based on average monthly electricity usage of 1,000 kWh over one year. Average annual estimates based upon EPA estimates.

Step 1: Awareness

In our line of work, we often receive requests to come and speak to groups on energy conservation. I’ve spoken to all different types of groups and have usually found the younger crowds to be the hardest to reach (since they typically don’t pay the bill)…but yet, probably the most important. They are our future home and business owners, and are typically already heavy consumers because of their love of all things that plug-in.

Last week, I went to speak to a Corporate Sustainability class at Virginia State University on the topic of energy conservation.

For weeks prior I thought about what I could possibly tell them that would not only capture their attention, but also make them interested in the topic. I was pleasantly surprised by their intrigue, especially for a Friday afternoon.

After the class was over, I started thinking about consumer disconnect from energy issues; the majority isn’t caused by disinterest, but rather a lack of awareness.

This is probably the most common issue I face on a daily basis regardless of the audience.

“Spreading awareness” seems so easy, but there’s no one way to reach consumers. Additionally, awareness is important, but what’s awareness without action? Getting consumers to modify their energy inefficient behaviors is another challenge altogether.

The good news is that energy awareness is starting at a younger age. The focus on energy conservation and all things “green” in schools has increased significantly in recent years. It has become a key focus in K-12 curriculum and in courses like the Corporate Sustainability class at VSU.

There is a light in our future. We have a chance to create better energy habits instead of trying to change bad ones.

Check out these websites and start expanding your energy knowledge.

• www.dom.com
• www.energystar.gov
• www.virginiaenergysense.org
• www.loseyourexcuse.gov