At the SLF conference hosted by NetApp, Rick Row, the Regional Program Manager of Energy Upgrade California, presented the topic “The challenge of persuading Californians to make Big energy efficiency improvements to their existing single-family homes”. He talked about the difficulty in outreach since the knowledge of many home owners in terms of how they can upgrade their homes to be more energy efficient is very limited. Many of the home owners are not aware of the benefits they will have in implementing these improvements, including reduced cost, increased rebates and more. As can be understood, the home owners have cost, difficulty and other things as priority.

With their current marketing & outreach funding ceasing soon, Energy Upgrade is facing the hard task of how to reach out to a critical mass that would take up the effort of energy upgrading their homes to provide an example and be an influence for others. The other challenge they face is how to make big energy efficiency improvements an urgency for home owners. See the presentation here - SLF_RickRow_6-1-11.pdf

The break out session that followed the presentation discussed the various ways of outreach that the company could use to reach out to the audience. Several interesting and promising tips were posed by sustainability leaders.

• Social Media: With the increasing popularity of social media marketing, there might be no easier and cost-efficient channel to reach out to the mass audience. Marketing through Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, along with website marketing would enable any organization/ cause to publicize. Testimonials from early adopters is a sure way to add credibility.
• Reaching out to schools: “If positive environmental change is going to occur, it must begin with the education of our children.” — Jayni Chase, MGR Foundation Board Member and Founder, Center for Environmental Education. This was very well resonated with the audience. Many schools in Silicon Valley now have "green teams" and it would be a good opening to reach out to the parents to get to energy upgrade their homes.
• Through employers: Company-matching programs could be an incentive for interested employees to venture out into fields otherwise considered too expensive. Approaching the employees through their management could be a sure success way to reach out to a mass audience.
  
• Additional food for thought: Reaching out through church diocese, educating and popularizing in your own neighborhoods

All in all, the presentation and discussion that followed was very well received by the audience and has put the seed of thought for energy improving their own homes in most - I know it has in me!