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CEA and NSTAR Announce Unprecedented Commercial Outreach Effort
The Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) and NSTAR launched a commercial outreach effort today in the Cambridge small business community to promote energy efficiency measures and accompanied incentives. Over the course of the next three weeks, CEA is partnering with Northeastern University’s Summer Discovery program to visit small businesses establishments throughout Cambridge.
Volunteers from the Northeastern University’s Summer Discovery and the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment programs will be key participants in making this canvass a success. Volunteers will visit over 1,000 businesses in the Cambridge community, and will in turn receive valuable, hands-on community outreach and energy efficiency experience that will aid them in future endeavors.
The Cambridge commercial canvass helps businesses save money on their utility bills through energy efficiency improvements, by connecting businesses to NSTAR’s Direct Install, Small Business Program.
"Our Direct Install Program for Small Businesses helped save 30 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2009 alone," said Penni Conner, NSTAR Vice President of Customer Care. "This initiative provides free energy assessments and incentives for qualifying businesses, including discounts of up to 70% on certain efficiency measures. We believe energy efficiency is one of the best ways to reduce energy use resulting in lower customer energy bills -- a true win-win situation."
In addition to helping businesses become more energy efficient, business owners can also become eligible for participation in the Energy Business Leader program. “This summer’s Commercial Canvass will be a great opportunity for local businesses to reduce their costs and help the city reduce its carbon footprint” said Lilah Glick, Director of Community Outreach at CEA. “Energy Efficiency not only makes good business sense, but the Energy Business Leader Program provides an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their commitment to doing their part to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.”
The targets for this canvass are Cambridge’s main commercial squares including: Harvard, Central, Porter, Inman, Kendall, East Cambridge, and Huron Village. This canvass, organized by CEA, is a collaboration of many institutions. CEA is working closely with NSTAR,the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, and participating Business Associations.
Terrence Smith, Director of Government Affairs, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce shared that, “We are excited about this important initiative and are eager to see the results from businesses taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints. Energy Efficiency improvements are an excellent way for businesses to improve their bottom-line during these tough economic times.”
Other benefits to this program include using less energy, saving money, catching up on neglected maintenance, and even improving the comfort and productivity of staff and customers. Working with the CEA means that businesses will have easy access to rebates and incentives, access to financing options, and free guidance through the energy assessment process. The Cambridge Energy Alliance is also connecting businesses to other valuable resources in the community including the city’s Façade Improvement and Better Retail Practices programs, Sustainable Business Leader Program, and New Generation Energy.
CDM & CEA Partner in Groundbreaking Energy Efficiency Project
CDM and the Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) have formed the first-of-its-kind partnership to evaluate energy and water efficiency at One Cambridge Place, CDM’s
world headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This large-scale energy and resource conservation project for CDM represents an innovative, community-based approach to making energy efficiency a reality for residents and businesses.
The project team includes ConEdison Solutions, an energy service company, which is conducting a comprehensive energy efficiency audit of the 180,000 square feet that CDM leases at One Cambridge Place. The audit will create an accurate energy model of the building; identify electric, gas, oil, and water efficiency opportunities; and optimize building functions. Proposed infrastructure investments could yield more than $100,000 per year in energy, water, and operational savings—as much as 16 percent of CDM’s projected 2009 energy and water/sewer costs.
Tom Pedersen, CDM director of sustainability, states, “This effort is an integral part of our corporate-wide sustainability performance improvement program and further demonstrates CDM’s commitment to develop lasting solutions for our clients, communities, operations, and people that meet current needs while preserving resources for future generations.” CDM is one of the city’s top 20 employers with 683
employees at One Cambridge Place.
“We’re excited to be the first major business in Cambridge to be collaborating with CEA and ConEdison Solutions on this pioneering partnership in energy and water efficiency,” says Robert Cabral, CDM vice president, facilities. “Proposed savings would not only cover the cost of doing this study and the implementation of recommended measures, but significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and
pay back the investment within 6 to 8 years.”The audit will be complete by the end of 2009 with the installation of improvements slated for early 2010.
ConEdison Solutions will supervise the installation of energy efficiency measures and ensure that the expected savings materialize. Measures being considered include improved heating, ventilation, and air conditioning controls; energy-efficient lighting, refrigerators, and ice machines; as well as enhanced facility management processes, procedures, and policies.
CEA, the result of a first-in-the-nation collaboration between the city of Cambridge and major foundations, is a non-profit organization that is facilitating increased sustainability through large-scale implementation. “CEA aggregates all aspects of energy and water efficiency—from energy service providers, government rebates, and financing to renewable energy and demand reductions and community education and outreach—into one effort,” explains Deborah Donovan, CEA executive director. “The inclusive program allows businesses, residents, and institutions across Cambridge to save energy and money, and dramatically reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. We’re grateful for the city’s forward-thinking support for CEA and to CDM for putting this project on the map by becoming the city’s first major participant.”
“This is an exciting development for CEA and the city,” says Robert W. Healy, Cambridge city manager. “When the city co-sponsored the creation of CEA, we aimed to spur energy efficiency and clean energy improvements in the commercial building sector because that is where most of the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions are occurring. I congratulate CDM for stepping up to the plate and leading the way for our businesses. We hope many others will follow their example.”
MetLife, the owner of One Cambridge Place, is working to obtain U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Existing Building certification and an Energy Star™ rating for the property.