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.
The Cambridge Community Center will receive a major energy efficiency upgrade this Sunday when
community members and experts gather to reduce the building’s energy consumption. The community
“barn raising” project is a combined effort of the Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) and the
Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) that aims to improve the comfort and efficiency of the Cambridge
Community Center while teaching volunteers energy efficiency and conservation skills.
Volunteers are gathering at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St, Cambridge, MA from
12:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on June 28th. The project is expected to draw approximately 60 community
volunteers, primarily from the Riverside neighborhood in Cambridge. A team of eight volunteers from
Mass Climate Summer will also be joining this neighborhood effort as part of their broader campaign to
educate residents on efficiency solutions in partnership with the Cambridge Energy Alliance. Mass
Climate Summer volunteers are spending their summer bicycling across Massachusetts to promote
climate change solutions in collaboration with community groups in the commonwealth.
Community volunteers will learn how to make doors and windows less drafty, seal air leaks in the
building, install interior storm windows, and save on electricity through simple changes. They will also
receive energy efficiency kits that contain materials to make their own homes more energy efficient and
information on community environmental resources and programs. The volunteers will apply these
valuable skills and conservation tools to start saving energy and money in their own homes.
These community-style energy efficiency barn raisings have garnered remarkable popular support since
HEET’s launch in August of 2008. Coming together with neighbors and local energy experts to
improve the efficiency of the Cambridge Community Center will have benefits for both individuals and
the community. It is a chance to meet neighbors, try out a green job, cut energy bills at the Community
Center, and get a free energy savings kit, while learning to save energy and money at home.
In the face of ever-increasing utility costs, and amid growing concerns about climate
change, energy independence, and economic security, the Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) today announced it has formed partnerships with four well-established lending institutions, to provide specialized loans and innovative financial solutions for energy efficiency improvements to Cambridge residents and businesses. The lenders were selected following an in-depth evaluation of numerous responses to proposals.
“We are delighted that these lenders have partnered with us,” stated Josh Hassol, Chief Executive Officer of the Cambridge Energy Alliance. “These partnerships will allow Cambridge residents and business owners to make sound, cost-effective investments in critical energy efficiency improvements that work for their individual budgets. Residents and businesses will save money on their utility bills while they reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the City.”
The banks and lending institutions that have partnered with CEA include East Cambridge Savings Bank, Citizens Bank, Key Equipment Finance, and Bostonia Partners, and cover all potential customer segments of the Cambridge Energy Alliance across the City, from individual homeowners to large institutions and businesses.
All lending institutions are ready to begin working with customers of Cambridge Energy Alliance immediately in order to maximize participation.