Nashville Energy Works Yields Millions in Economic Growth, Homeowner Savings

Nashville Energy Works Yields Millions in Economic Growth, Homeowner Savings

Citywide Partnership Recognized for Energy Efficiency Leadership

On August 29th, Mayor Karl Dean, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Nashville Electric Service (NES) will be honored for their leadership and support of the Nashville Energy Works (NEW) energy efficiency program. Since its inception, NEW has boosted consumer savings, expanded the local green workforce and helped revitalize target areas of the city. The awards presentation will be accompanied by a seminar covering various energy efficiency topics and a panel discussion on energy efficiency opportunities in the Southeast, presented by the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and hosted by Baker Donelson and Southeast Green.

and progress achieved through energy efficiency programs across the Southeast, showcase the results programs like NEW have achieved to date, and demonstrate how these efforts are paving the way for sustained economic growth and prosperity in our region.

"Nashville is working to be one of the most energy-efficient cities in the Southeast through programs such as Nashville Energy Works," Mayor Karl Dean said. "The success of these initiatives is a testament to the power of strong partnerships and dedication in our community for a more sustainable future. This collective effort reduces our energy use citywide, while also making Nashville a stronger and more resilient city."

NEW was created by the Mayor's Office of Environment and Sustainability, in partnership with TVA and NES, and is now administered by Hands On Nashville. An extension of Mayor Dean's efforts to create a more vibrant, more sustainable Nashville, the program helps Davidson County homeowners reduce their energy consumption, save money and increase comfort during weather extremes.

"TVA remains committed to its goal of providing low-cost, energy efficiency solutions to the people of the Tennessee Valley," said Bob Balzar, vice president for Energy Efficiency and Demand Response. "Nashville Energy Works, under the leadership of Mayor Dean, NES and the people of Nashville, is helping to make this goal a reality, delivering impressive results that boost consumer savings and bottom lines."

Since its launch, NEW has produced nearly 3,000 audits and upwards of 500 retrofits. In total, these projects are saving customers more than $220,000 a year and have provided more than $3 million in revenues to local contractors. A hallmark of the program has been its effective collaborations with other initiatives underway in the city, including its partnership with Hands On Nashville's Home Energy Savings Program.

Since May 2013, Hands On Nashville has administered a retrofit program that benefits 20 low-income homeowners through NEW. This program mobilizes a volunteer workforce to upgrade target homes in South Nashville, enhancing their efficiency, comfort and safety. In turn, volunteers receive training and practical, hands-on weatherization experience that can be applied to their own homes and into the green building workforce. In conjunction with this program, the Mayor's Office has also engaged The Housing Fund, a local community development financial institution (CDFI), to develop a loan product for low- and moderate-income Nashville residents.

Said Hands On Nashville's President and CEO Brian N. Williams, "Hands On Nashville's work with the NEW

city and the on-the-ground education it supports, NEW has been a true win-win for Nashville."

Driven by the leadership of Mayor Dean and the Metro City Council, the program has made tremendous headway in its innovative use of peer-to-peer marketing and direct neighborhood-level outreach. One council district at a time, community members are transforming the landscape for home energy use in Nashville and piloting outreach techniques like door-to-door canvassing, neighborhood workshops and savings competitions.

NEW is part of SEEA's Southeast Community Consortium – the largest-ever coordinated effort to implement community-based energy efficiency retrofit programs in the Southeast. Collectively, these programs have produced substantial gains for the regional environment and economy, with upwards of 8,000 energy audits conducted and nearly 4,000 retrofits completed. The Consortium is supported by funding from the Department of Energy's Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, and the Alabama and Virginia State Energy Programs.

The seminar, panel discussion and award luncheon will be held on August 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Baker Donelson, 212 Commerce Street, Suite 800, in Nashville. For more information, please visit http://conta.cc/1c3NUOO.

This event is sponsored by Consensus Energy, Energy + Environment and Nashville Home Energy Solutions, and co-sponsored by Black Bear Solar, E3 Innovate and Thrive Farmers Coffee. Event organizers are also honored to be partnering with BOMA Nashville and USGBC Middle Tennessee.