NJNG SAVEGREEN Evaluation Findings Jan 28, 2016
SAVEGREEN Program evaluation overview includes background research, participant and contractor feedback, energy impacts, non-energy benefits, key findings, and recommendations for improvement.
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NJNG SAVEGREEN Evaluation Findings January 28, 2016
Presentation Overview SAVEGREEN Program Overview SAVEGREEN Evaluation Overview Background Research Participant Feedback Contractor Feedback Energy Impacts Non-Energy Benefits Key Findings and Recommendations 2
SAVEGREEN PROGRAM OVERVIEW 3
SAVEGREEN Programs Goals Increase energy efficiency opportunities for customers Promote and enhance the use of the NJCEP offerings Raise awareness of the whole house approach to energy efficiency Increase customer awareness of energy efficient appliances and weatherization measures Increase NJ employment in energy efficiency and conservation 4
SAVEGREEN Programs High-efficiency gas furnace or boiler SAVEGREEN rebate in addition to NJCEP rebate Participation in free NJNG audit is required Residential Enhanced Rebate High-efficiency gas furnace or boiler and gas water heater SAVEGREEN On-Bill Financing in addition to NJCEP rebate Participation in free NJNG audit is required Residential Non-HPwES On-Bill Repayment Residential HPwES On- Bill Financing and Rebate NJCEP HPwES participation On-Bill Financing and Incentive provided by NJNG Commercial and Industrial Direct Install NJCEP Direct Install participation On-Bill Financing in addition to NJCEP 70% rebate Mailings that compare usage to similar neighbors Provide recommendations for usage reduction OPower Pilot 5
SAVEGREEN Programs 2013 Programs NJ Clean Energy Program Jan-June Furnace $400 Boiler $300 SAVEGREEN Project Jan-June $900 NJNG Audit Required Up to $6,500 OBRP 0% interest over 5 years NJNG Audit Required July-Dec $250 $300 July-Dec $500 Furnace/Boiler Enhanced Rebate Furnace and Water Heater $6500 OBRP $900 Tier Savings Rebate Up to $10,000 OBRP 0% interest over 10 years SAVEGREEN pays NJCEP rebate when OBRP is used II 10%-19.99% $2,000 HPwES 20%-24.99% $4,000 III >25% $5,000 Up to $53,571 OBRP 0% interest over 2 years C&I Direct Install 70% of retrofit costs up to $125,000 6
SAVEGREEN EVALUATION OVERVIEW 7
Core Evaluation Questions Are programs contributing to incremental energy efficiency activity in NJNG territory? Customer Interviews Contractor Interviews Program Data Analysis Are customers influenced to make whole-house improvements? Customer Interviews Contractor Interviews Program Data Analysis Do programs provide value to participating and non-participating NJNG customers? Usage Impact Analysis Non-Energy Benefits Analysis Is program effectively managed? SAVEGREEN Document Review and Outreach Review NJNG Interviews NJCEP and DOE Interviews Customer Interviews Contractor Interviews 8
Evaluation Overview Program Data Analysis Electric Data Collection Billing Data Analysis Non- Energy Benefits Background Research Participant Interviews Contractor Interviews 9
SAVEGREEN Programs Participation SAVEGREEN Participation Residential C&I OBRP Year Rebates Direct Install 0 0 0 0 0 16 16 $6500 HPwES 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2009-2014 512 4,881 7,371 6,973 6,701 4,218 30,656 0 0 0 0 28 246 274 0 0 271 721 1,720 1,721 4,433 11
SAVEGREEN Programs EnergySavvy Impact Staff Contractor Information Program Management Reporting Management Weekly pipeline jobs report Files in progress Review job status OBRP denied CSG can see customer progress Staff work load Fewer calls to NJNG Conversion jobs 12
SAVEGREEN Programs EnergySavvy Impact Customer Service Customer Participation NJNG Audit Data NJNG Audit Reports Information in system for staff review NJNG auditor data updated in EnergySavvy NJNG auditors in the field can generate reports Online audit shorter and easier Provide immediate feedback to customers Solved problem of multiple data entry. Customers can check status Follow-up email blasts 13
SAVEGREEN Programs Contractor Outreach Email blasts Counter days at supply houses Informational meetings Free technical training sessions Increased rebate contractors to 2,100 14
SAVEGREEN Programs Customer Outreach Website banner advertisements Targeting mailings to online audit participants Marketing to customers who sent inquiries Links to municipal websites Presentations and workshops Partnerships with the C&I Direct Install contractors 15
SAVEGREEN Programs Challenges Changes in NJCEP Requirements Conversion from $6500 OBRP to HPwES Annual Approval (Now bi-annual) Data Sharing Restrictions Contractor Education Impact of equipment changes on installation procedures Planning NJNG marketing activities Frequent refinements Need more than 6 months NJCEP to utilities Retaining SAVEGREEN staff NJNG outreach, literature, website changes required Outreach and marketing Orphaned water heaters Increase to 18 months Contractor job completion in approval window Contractor marketing 16
SAVEGREEN Programs Accomplishments Promoted awareness of SAVEGREEN In >30,000 customers homes Educated customers about energy efficiency Outreach Health and Safety Promoted the need for the combination rebate Reduced orphaned hot water heater issues OBRP Offering Increased affordability Fewer than 10 defaults Customer Service Focus on providing excellent customer service Discussions with customers about usage Marketplace Connections All SAVEGREEN staff members interact with customers and contractors NJNG receives feedback to make improvements 17
SAVEGREEN Programs Accomplishments NJNG Leadership Commitment Management assistance with the program Launched commercial OBRP in 3 months due to company support Trained hundreds of contractors SAVEGREEN information and technical skills Contractor Training Only 29 staff members Served over 30,000 customers Efficiency DOE Home Energy Score Helped shape DOE Home Energy Score Program Scored 54% of homes scored across the country NJNG has 15-17% of residential customers in state Served 30% of NJCEP participants (as high as 50% at times) Participation 18
Participant Feedback Methodology Participation Dates Included in Study Excluded Cases Program Sample Stratification Signed contractor release; Home Energy Score presented Rebate 6/1/14 12/31/14 Fuel Switch Project Cost Missing HPwES 6/1/14 12/31/14 NJCEP Tier II or Tier III OBRP HVAC / Water Heating C&I Direct Install 6/1/14 12/31/14 Fuel Switch None 1/1/2014 12/31/2014 None None 20
Participant Feedback Sample Participant Interview Sample Residential Programs C&I Direct Install 13 13 $6500 OBRP 179 15 1-2 5 5 Rebate HPwES Sample Frame Selected Sample Call Attempts Targeted Completes Completed Interviews 1,513 50 1-7 20 20 807 50 1-4 20 20 5 5 21
Participant Feedback Information Goals Impact of SAVEGREEN Customer Impact Participation Communication Satisfaction On energy efficiency implementation SAVEGREEN Web-Based Tool Information Source Energy Bills SAVEGREEN Motivation for participation On whole-house approach NJNG Home Comfort Contractors Representatives Other factors impacting measure selection Additional Planned Measures Recommendations Free ridership and spillover 22
Participant Feedback Information Source How did you first hear about the NJNG SAVEGREEN Project and its on-bill repayment program for your project? SAVEGREEN Information Source Contractor NJNG Website Friend / Family Neighbor Newspaper Advertisement Total* $6500 OBRP 1 2 0 0 1 5 HPwES OBRP 9 0 3 4 1 20 All Rebate Programs 23 5 4 4 3 45 13 3 1 0 1 20 *Others mentioned by 1-2 customers NJNG Mailing NJNG Rep in Neighborhood Home Depot Salesperson NJNG Rep Research 23
Participant Feedback Main Participation Reason What was the main reason that you decided to participate in the program? Participation Reason Save Money/Energy SAVEGREEN Financing Equipment Needed Replacement Switch to Natural Gas Improve Home Equipment HPwES OBRP 8 7 7 2 2 *Others mentioned by 1 customer each Environmental Benefits Contractor Solicitation Rebate Home Comfort 24
Participant Feedback Application Process How easy or difficult was the SAVEGREEN On Bill Repayment application process? SAVEGREEN Application Process Very Easy Somewhat Easy Contractor Applied Total Rebate 14 1 5 20 $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP 5 0 0 5 All 36 4 5 45 17 3 0 20 Were you satisfied with the length of time to receive your SAVEGREEN rebate? How satisfied were you with the program process overall? Application Process Time to Receive Rebate Satisfaction Rebate $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP All Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Total 17 2 1 20 17 3 0 20 5 0 0 5 20 0 0 20 42 3 0 25 45
Participant Feedback Impact on Home What changes have you noticed in your home after the installation? Changes in Home Rebate $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP All Home is Warmer Lower Gas/Electric Bills More Even Heating AC Works Better System is Quieter Home is Less Humid 9 8 4 4 4 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 5 3 2 1 11 10 9 7 7 3 *Others mentioned by 1-2 customers each Does Not Heat Up as Fast Heat Does Not Need to Be as High Home is Less Dry Hot Better Air Quality Pipes Do Not Freeze Less Dust Water is Hotter 26
Participant Feedback SAVEGREEN Impact Have you noticed any changes in the comfort of your home? In your NJNG bills? In your natural gas usage? Noticed Changes Energy Bills Home Comfort NJNG Usage $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP All 3 $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP All 3 $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP All 3 Rebate Rebate Rebate Yes No Don t Know Total 15 4 3 1 18 2 36 7 12 2 0 0 17 2 29 4 7 3 0 0 9 10 16 13 1 1 0 2 6 5 1 12 10 5 1 16 20 5 20 45 20 5 20 45 20 5 20 45 27
Participant Feedback Impact on Home Rebate My furnace now has settings that speed up or slow down the air, which is better than when it was just always blasting before. My home is much drier, I no longer rely on the dehumidifier to improve the air quality. My wife has not had a single asthma attack in the last five months and that s what s really important to me. My bills are considerably lower. HPwESOBRP The new heating equipment is very quiet. The new furnace is a lot cleaner we used to have a lot of soot when we heated with fuel oil. The home is also less drafty and now my pipes don t freeze. I received a scorecard on energy use from NJNG and I had moved from one of the largest energy users to one of the least. My home is now more comfortable but that the heating system is now not as effective in some rooms some rooms are now colder in the winter. 28
Participant Feedback SAVEGREEN Importance How important was the SAVEGREEN rebate in your decision to purchase the high efficiency furnace/boiler? Do you feel that the rebate amount is sufficient? Rebate Importance $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP SAVEGREEN Rebate Amount Rebate All Rebate Very Somewhat Not At All Total 7 6 7 20 4 1 0 5 18 2 0 20 29 9 7 45 Adequate Low Don t Know Total 17 2 1 20 29
Participant Feedback Barriers Were there any barriers to moving forward with the high efficiency equipment? Were there any barriers to participating in the NJNG SAVEGREEN program? Any Barriers To Completing Upgrades SAVEGREEN Participation $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP Rebate All 3 Rebate All 3 Yes No Total 3 17 20 2 3 5 2 18 20 7 38 45 3 17 20 0 5 5 1 19 20 4 41 45 30
Participant Feedback Barriers Rebates The high efficiency equipment needed to be exhausted differently. It took a long time to get the money. We are still waiting for a third check to come and it s been a year since we replaced the furnace. The contractor couldn t supply the information we needed to complete the application and I needed to contact the manufacturer directly. $6500 OBRP Because I converted to natural gas from oil and my home was 30 years old, it didn t have the proper vents and piping needed for this type of equipment. The one barrier in installing the equipment was that we needed to get two permits to change the equipment, one from our township and one from the senior community that we live in. 31
Participant Feedback Participant Satisfaction How satisfied or dissatisfied were you with the audit? with the installation contractor? with the installation? Audit Satisfaction $6500 OBRP 5 0 0 0 0 5 Installation Contractor $6500 OBRP 16 4 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 20 5 HPwES OBRP 19 1 0 0 20 HPwES OBRP 16 3 0 0 1 20 HPwES OBRP 18 2 0 0 0 20 All Programs 44 1 0 0 45 Rebate All Rebate All 36 5 1 1 2 45 38 5 2 0 0 45 Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied DK/Refused Total 15 2 1 1 1 20 $6500 OBRP 5 0 0 0 5 New Equipment/Installation Rebate Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Total 25 0 0 0 25 32
Participant Feedback Participant Satisfaction Overall, how satisfied were you with the NJNG SAVEGREEN Program? Overall SAVEGREEN Satisfaction $6500 OBRP HPwES OBRP All Rebate Programs 42 Very Satisfied 18 5 19 3 Somewhat Satisfied 2 0 1 0 Somewhat Dissatisfied 0 0 0 0 Very Dissatisfied 0 0 0 Total 20 5 20 45 33
Participant Feedback Recommendations What, if anything, do you think NJNG could do to improve the program? $6500 OBRP 2 0 0 0 0 2 HPwES OBRP 5 0 1 1 2 10 Recommendations Rebate All 10 3 2 2 2 21 More Program Advertising Increase Rebate More Thorough Audit More Accessible Program Information Increase On Bill Repayment Flexibility No Suggestions 3 3 1 1 0 9 *Others mentioned by 1 customer each Shorter Wait for Rebate Improve Contractor Reliability More Information on Choosing Measures Advertising Through Mail Lower NJNG Gas Prices Improve Auditor Communication List Contractors on Website Provide Accurate Information 34
Residential Feedback Key Findings & Recommendations Information Source Continue focusing on the contractors while maintaining other outreach methods Include the benefits of saving money or energy and the benefits of SAVEGREEN financing options in the residential program marketing materials Participation Reason SAVEGREEN Website The website is an important source of information and NJNG should continue to update it as needed Measure Installation Decisions Contractors should be trained to clearly educate participants on their options for installation and how those decisions will or will not affect HPwES OBRP program benefits 35
Residential Feedback Key Findings & Recommendations Many respondents noticed changes in the comfort of their homes and to their bills, so these benefits should be included in marketing materials Changes to Homes Home Energy Score Most participants did not recall receiving this report, but those who did recall it considered the report important The On Bill Repayment was extremely important to the HPwES OBRP participants and should be continued to encourage the adoption of whole house improvements SAVEGREEN Importance Participant Satisfaction The high levels of satisfaction show that the program is working well and there is little room for improvement 36
C&I Participant Feedback Key Findings & Recommendations Information Source Measures SAVEGREEN Importance 2 of 5 noted that they were approached by the contractor NJNG should work with the C&I Direct Install contractors to provide additional outreach about the program 3 felt that their new heating units provided a more balanced, reliable temperature 1 said the new heating unit was quieter. 3 reported decreased energy bills The benefits of reduced bills and improved comfort should be included in the program marketing materials 4 of the 5 had not been planning on making energy efficiency improvements 4 stated that they would not have moved forward, without the OBRP All 5 felt that the OBRP was very important in their decision to pursue the energy efficiency upgrades All 5 felt that the NJ Clean Energy rebates were very important in their decision The program appears to have a large impact on the uptake of energy efficiency and should be continued in its form if budget is available. 37
Contractor Feedback Methodology 10 Contractors Interviewed Rebate HPwES C&I Rebate Only (2) HPwES Only (1) C&I Direct Install (2) Rebate and $6500 OBRP (2) HPwES and $6500 (1) Seal-up (2) 39
Contractor Feedback Information Goals SAVEGREEN Information High Efficiency Equipment Program Impact Assessment Availability and performance of qualifying equipment Customers decision factors for high- efficiency equipment Energy efficiency implementation Whole-house approach Other factors impacting measure selection Free ridership Barriers to participation Satisfaction and recommendations Participants SAVEGREEN information source Information that contractor provided to customers about SAVEGREEN 40
Contractor Feedback Customer Awareness Contractor Information Source NJNG letter/email NJNG contractor meeting CSG NJCEP Customer Information Source Contractors NJNG marketing Contractor SAVEGREEN Advertising Newspaper Website Mailing Home Show Street Fair NJNG SAVEGREEN Marketing was Effective Gas bill insert Online Mailing NJNG auditor 41
Contractor Feedback C&I Participation Why do you think there has not been greater participation in the SAVEGREEN Direct Install program? Lack of awareness Difficult to understand offering 42
Contractor Feedback Barriers to Participation 4 of 8 Residential Contractors Noted 1 or More Barriers OBRP credit requirement (3 contractors) Customers unwilling to replace hot water heater Equipment efficiency requirements Attic clutter Scheduling difficulty 1 of 2 C&I Contractors Noted Barrier OBRP credit requirements 43
Contractor Feedback Barriers to Installations Township permitting requirements (2) Venting requirements (2) Cost of high- efficiency equipment Expense of duct improvements Loan denials 44
Contractor Feedback Participation in Training Trainings are useful to contractors Improved understanding of SAVEGREEN Technical information Improve work efficiency Trainings requested Selling the high- efficiency option Manual J (provide more often) Explaining the rebate Understanding the programs 4 of 8 noted that current trainings are what are needed 45
Contractor Feedback Other Influential Factors Health and safety issues Saving energy What other factors in addition to the program incentives influenced customers decision to purchase high efficiency equipment or to move forward with the home performance project? Financing options Reducing bills Comfort issues Return on investment Old equipment 46
Contractor Feedback Encourage Whole House Yes, program influences whole house upgrades What more can the program do? 3 of 4 rebate contractors Both HPwES contractors Both seal-up contractors More marketing (3 contractors) Higher rebates for furnace/boiler Increased financing options Free audits Increase emphasis on audit importance Better communication about contractor release 47
Contractor Feedback Satisfaction Contractor Satisfaction SAVEGREEN Process SAVEGREEN Overall Very Satisfied 4 9 Satisfied 2 0 Somewhat Satisfied 0 1 Somewhat Dissatisfied 0 0 Very Dissatisfied 0 0 TOTAL 6 10 48
Contractor Feedback Key Findings & Recommendations Marketing Continue contractor emails and training sessions Continue customer-targeted print and web-based advertisements Participation No significant barriers that SAVEGREEN can or should address Discuss potential for additional coordination with refrigeration contractors with C&I contractors and NJCEP managers who have direct control over the program Contractor Communication Continue to provide trainings as they increase SAVEGREEN awareness and provide important information Continue to update and maintain the SAVEGREEN Website and Portal Send emails to alert contractors when program updates are posted Continue to use email as primary source of contractor communication SAVEGREEN Impact SAVEGREEN has large impact on energy efficiency Continue program if funding is available Contractor Satisfaction Provide payments directly to contractors (change has been made) 49
