This document summarizes the Center for Energy and Environment's pilot residential energy program. The program provided homeowners with comprehensive home energy assessments and feedback reports showing a home's current energy score and potential score. The reports used a simple 1-10 scale and label design principles to clearly communicate a home's retrofit potential. Test results from over 4,600 Minnesota homes showed that most homes could achieve a higher score by undertaking cost-effective efficiency upgrades. The program aimed to start hopeful kitchen table conversations about a home's energy savings opportunities.

1. A Simplified Approach to Visualizing
Household Retrofit Potential
Jenny Edwards
Center for Energy and Environment
Minneapolis, MN
ACEEE Behavior, Energy, and Climate Change Conference • December 2, 2011 • Washington, DC

2. Page 2

3. Who is CEE?
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4. CEE’s Pilot Residential Energy Program
+ Oct ‟09 – Jun „11: 4,666 home visits
+ Comprehensive (small as well as large opportunities)
+ Focus on homeowner, not just the home
+ Cost-effectiveness requirements
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5. The Kitchen Table Conversation
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6. CEE’s Energy Feedback Reports
Page 6

7. Home Energy Score Pilot Site
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8. Minnesota Pilot Results
10
“Zone of Unattainability”
8
7
Potential Score
6
Score
5
Current Score
4
3
2
1
1
Page 8
1 Pilot Homes 154

9. Home Energy Label Design Principles:
+ Focus on the asset – the
“long term investments”
Credit: Univ Wisc Extension
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10. Home Energy Label Design Principles:
+ Simple to Implement and
Communicate
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11. Home Energy Label Design Principles:
+ Prescriptive Approach
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12. Home Energy Label Design Principles:
+ Quantitative Rigor
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13. Home Energy Label Design Principles:
+ Offer the opportunity to
get a perfect score
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14. All Homes can get a perfect score
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15. Why does house style matter?
Type of House:
Built 1910
1.5 Stories
Attic Configuration Wall Cavity
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16. How a Score is Calculated
+ Points are based on house style
+ Score is based on your home
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17. Average Age of Twin Cities Metro Homes
St Paul
Minneapolis
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18. Create a hopeful kitchen table conversation
“This is how close you are to
your home’s full potential!”
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19. Thanks!
CEE Development Team:
Dave Bohac, Carl Nelson, Lester Shen, Isaac Smith
More info at:
www.mncee.org
jedwards@mncee.org