Energy News
Thursday, July 19th, 2012
On July 23 and 25, Neighborhood Development Services, Inc. will be hosting an Equity Express “train-the-trainer” workshop for sixteen local community organizations in the Cleveland suburb of Ravenna, Ohio, sponsored by NeighborWorks America. While the workshop will follow the established pattern for Equity Express—participants analyze their own budgets to identify potential saving areas (specifically financial planning, energy, transportation, food, telecommunication, and recycling) while learning how to describe the saving process to their communities—the workbooks used and the topics discussed will be tailored for local budgets. CNT Social Ventures Associate, Adam Mays, and his team have compiled data on utility rates, communication expenditures, transit fares, and food costs within greater Cleveland. This detailed information will allow Mays to focus his training on the specific needs of the conference attendees.
Chicago participants in Equity Express save an average of $125 dollars each month, and both NeighborWorks and CNT hope that, by training leaders of local community organizations, low-income residents of Ravenna will experience similar savings.
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Friday, June 29th, 2012
CNT Energy’s Energy Savers program, a partnership with Community Investment Corporation, recently won a 2012 Vision Award (in the Program category) from the Urban Land Institute. The ULI award “honors projects and programs that use creative development practices, inventive partnerships or sharing of resources, imaginative problem solving, or visionary ideas contributing to the growth of vibrant communities.”
The Energy Savers program helps building owners reduce costs by improving energy efficiency, helping to find the best energy-saving investments for building owners. Every step of the way, CNT Energy’s Energy Savers assists by finding cost-effective energy saving investments, obtaining low cost financing, overseeing construction, and following up to ensure savings. Read more »
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Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
ComEd has partnered with CNT Energy to launch the Non-Profit Special Hardship Program (Hardship Program). ComEd will provide a one-time grant of up to two thousand dollars to 501(c)(3) organizations that are experiencing financial hardship due to property damage, vandalism, unexpected loss of funding, or general financial difficulties.
As program facilitators, CNT Energy will review all applications to verify the financial need of grant candidates as demonstrated by official documents such as police reports, insurance claims, financial records, or documents verifying loss of funding. Once selected for assistance, applicants will participate in a CNT-sponsored energy management workshop or webinar to learn strategies for conserving energy and reducing energy-related spending.
Applications will be accepted through December 31, 2012, or until funds are depleted. Read more »
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Friday, May 11th, 2012
CNT hosted its fourth Equity Express “train-the-trainer” workshop in early May. Nineteen representatives from 12 local community outreach organizations, such as homeless advocacy groups, disability housing programs, and refugee assistance centers, attended the workshop that was filled to capacity. Over the course of the two-day event, CNT staff helped these leaders develop strategies for training their constituents on the best ways to generate income savings on a modest budget.
12 local community outreach organizations attended the latest Equity Express “train-the-trainer” workshop
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2012
Join CNT Energy in helping spread the word about Energy Impact Illinois (EI2) in your neighborhood and make every home more energy efficient. We are looking for volunteers to help host neighborhood events, connect EI2 with local organizations, and help EI2 have a face at events in your community. Become a part of the team, and start making your impact today. Read more »
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Thursday, January 26th, 2012
Energy efficiency upgrades in multifamily buildings could save building owners and residents up to $3.4 billion nationwide, according to a report released by CNT Energy and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Engaging as Partners in Energy Efficiency: Multifamily Housing and Utilities demonstrates that energy use in multifamily buildings can be reduced substantially, and cost-effective upgrades can result in utility cost savings of 15 to 30 percent in buildings with five or more residential units. The key to unlocking the savings is for energy utilities and apartment building owners to work together more closely to develop effective energy efficiency policies.
“We have billions essentially sitting untapped in our apartment buildings. We can harness that by simply setting better policies for efficiency for apartment buildings,” said Anne McKibbin, CNT Energy policy director and coauthor of the report. “Partnering with utilities is a crucial part of the process. Building owners and other housing industry players need to work with their utilities, engaging them directly and in local and state regulatory proceedings,” she said.
Read more »
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Friday, November 18th, 2011
Bank of America has awarded the Energy Savers program $8.5 million to expand the number of energy efficiency retrofits it finances. Energy Savers, a partnership between CNT Energy and the Community Investment Corporation (CIC), is the nation’s premier one-stop service for energy efficiency retrofits in multifamily buildings. CNT Energy provides the energy audits, oversees construction, and monitors post-construction energy bills to maximize performance. CIC provides the low-interest financing that reduces the upfront costs of efficiency upgrades for owners. The program helps preserve affordable housing by keeping energy costs low, and it reduces global warming emissions by reducing energy use. Read more »
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Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Energy Impact Illinois—a partnership of government, utilities, and nonprofits to help residents, businesses, and non-profits reduce energy use—has launched a personalized energy calculator and financial resources for Chicago area homeowners to help them make energy efficient improvements to their homes. The tools will educate homeowners on their current energy usage, provide information on how to make smart energy efficiency investments and connect them with financial resources to make those investments a reality.
The energy calculator, known as “MyHomeEQ” and developed by CNT Energy, is a unique customized web tool that gives users real, up-to-date information on their home energy usage. The tool is a simple process that tells a user how they use energy, what can be done to lower utility bills while improving energy efficiency, and how to connect with the right resources and contractors needed to implement those actions.
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Thursday, October 27th, 2011
Dynamic pricing, made possible by the smart grid, allows consumers to buy cheaper power.
If the results of an Ameren Illinois program is any indication, the electric grid modernization components of the bill approved yesterday by the Illinois General Assembly could enable consumers to reap savings on their electricity that will more than offset the bill’s estimated $36 per year price tag for households.
The downstate Ameren program, made possible by the smart grid technology that will become widespread as a result of the new law, has saved more than 11,000 customers an average of 25 percent on the cost of their energy supply compared to what they would pay on a standard rate plan. The savings translates to nearly $200 on average savings per year, with typical households paying around $100 per month before switching to the program. Program participants have saved more than $4 million since it began in 2007.
“The smart grid can facilitate the use of smart rates that save people real money,” said Anne Evens, director of CNT Energy, which administers the Ameren program. “Based on our experience, when grid modernization technology is combined with clear, ongoing customer education, it can help customers make good choices about their energy use and take control of their utility bills.”
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Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
American home buyers and builders are often discouraged from purchasing and constructing energy efficient homes because current mortgage underwriting and appraisal standards fail to account for energy costs and savings that come from energy efficiency improvements. Today’s introduction of the SAVE Act by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and John Isakson (R-GA) will remove these roadblocks to more energy efficient homes and take a first step toward giving consumers an energy rating on homes, similar to “miles per gallon” ratings on cars or Energy Star labels on appliances.
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