Best Practice Guide

Local Governments

Education

Employees

Even the most energy-efficient equipment is ineffective if individual behavior is not aligned with a city or county's energy goals. Energy and water waste are often the result of unintentional misuse, such as leaving lights and office equipment on when the building is unoccupied or opening windows while heating equipment is in operation.

Retrofiting can provide an opportunity to educate residents and business owners about the benefits and cost-savings associated with energy efficiency. And these education programs can also serve as positive public relations between the local government and the community. A recent special survey on Californians and the environment from the Public Policy Institute of California found that a majority of Californians feel that the environment is a top policy priority, even over economic growth. A whopping 79 percent believe that all western states should increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020. More than three quarters of Californians believe that steps need to be taken right away to counter the effects of global warming. Clearly, government officials that respond to these overwhelming public concerns will be viewed as valued leaders the community.

Cities that retrofit a lighting system, for example, can use the improvements to teach residents and business owners about the benefits and cost savings of new lighting technologies such as occupancy sensors and compact fluorescent lights. This enables building occupants to personalize the energy-saving lessons inherent in an energy program.

Peer-to-peer educational programs offer a way for building owners and managers to learn new techniques or to share their experiences. The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), for example, has launched the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP). BEEP teaches property owners, managers, and operators important strategies for optimizing their equipment, people, and practices. In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR program, BEEP has and will continue to develop industry standards for operational excellence, document success through recognition programs, and communicate those successes to industry and stakeholders.


Education programs also serve as positive public relations. A recent special survey on Californians and the environment from the Public Policy Institute of California found that a majority of Californians feel that the environment is a top policy priority, even over economic growth. A whopping 79 percent believe that all western states should increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020. More than three quarters of Californians believe that steps need to be taken right away to counter the effects of global warming. Clearly, government officials that respond to these overwhelming public concerns will be viewed as valued leaders the community.

Peer-to-peer educational programs offer a way for building owners and managers to learn new techniques or to share their experiences. The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), for example, has launched the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP). BEEP teaches property owners, managers, and operators important strategies for optimizing their equipment, people, and practices. In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR program, BEEP has and will continue to develop industry standards for operational excellence, document success through recognition programs, and communicate those successes to industry and stakeholders.

Education Sparks New Innovations

Education Sparks New Innovations

Education programs create a means for managers to learn from building occupants, as well. Be sure to include a feedback mechanism so that after learning about the value of energy efficiency, employees can offer suggestions. Not only does this generate new and innovative ideas for the energy program, it also actively engages people in thinking about energy and its use.


Some common ideas for collecting feedback include:

  • Prominently place a comment box near where employees congregate, like a cafeteria or locker room.
  • Offer rewards and other incentives for ideas that are adopted.
  • Brainstorm ideas as a group during trainings and meetings.
  • Add energy efficiency criteria to employee reviews; make energy efficiency a factor in career advancement.

Resources

Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Energy Efficiency Program.

U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Online Training.

BPG Appendix 5: FYP Education Boilerplate (PDF download, 5.6 MB)