In 2011-2013, Croton Energy Group developed a toolkit for cities, towns, and village to use to promote residential energy efficiency in conjunction with the Energize New York Program.

The Energize New York Community Engagement Guide

(2013 Mid-Hudson Edition)

1. Commonly asked questions about Energize New York

Q 1. Home, Comfortable Home? 1
Q 2. What is Energize NY? 2
Q 3. How was Energize NY created? 3
Q 4. What is Energize’s scientifically proven approach to building performance? 4
Q 5. What is a home energy upgrade? 5
Q 6. How does Energize benefit a homeowner? 6
Q 7. Why engage the community? 7
Q 8. How does Energize benefit municipalities? 8
Q 9. Are condominiums and homeowner associations eligible for Energize NY? 9
Q 10. How much does a home energy upgrade typically cost? 10
Q 11. Is my town eligible for EnergizeNY assistance? 11
Q 12. Is free technical assistance available to municipalities? 12
Q 13. How do I start an Energize Program in my community? 13

2. Advice on next steps in launching Energize in your town 14

2.1 How do I get started? 14
2.2 How do we plan our formal Energize launch? 16
2.3 What are some of the key principles for communicating about Energize? 17
2.4 What our favorite ways to pitch the Energize benefits and processes? 18
2.5 How do we respond to objections or concenrs? 20
2.6 Bring the people to the message ? Or the message to the people? 22

3. Editable Energize templates for your use 25

3.1 Media kit, announcement flyer, and press release drafts 25
3.2 Sharing community group flyers and literature 25
3.3 Introductory slide deck for civic leaders 26
3.4 Sample municipal resolutions of support for Energize 27
3.5 Leadership pledge to assess one’s own home 28

4. Energize media tools 29

4.1 Energize web site and web tools 29
4.2 Energize channel at YouTube 30

5. Energize applications for home assessment and financing 31

5.1 Comprehensive home assessment application 31
5.2 Green Jobs Green New York financing application 32

6. Energize results and outcomes to date 34

6.1 Case studies of actual homes that completed energy upgrades 34
6.2 EnergizeNY track record: Homes completed, jobs created 35
6.3 Communities that have launched Energize to date 36
6.4 Some Mid-Hudson demographics by county 37
6.5 Some Mid-Hudson household energy data 38
6.6 Program participation by community to date 39

7. Appendices: Energize glossary and other references 40

7.1 Glossary of Energize terms and concepts 40
7.2 About the Better Buildings Program at the US Department of Energy 43
7.3 Sample Home Energy Assessment Report 45
7.4 Sample Home Assessment Application 56
7.5 Sample Green Jobs Green New York Credit Application 59

This work was funded through the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (RFP2228).

Energize New York Starter Toolkit