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Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO)

Hughesville, Maryland

ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year

Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) is among the 10 largest electric cooperatives in the nation, providing electricity to over 150,000 services in Maryland. As part of its effort to respond to the EmPOWER Maryland initiative, which aims to reduce the state's energy consumption by 15 percent by 2015, SMECO supports the ENERGY STAR New Homes and ENERGY STAR qualified products programs. SMECO is receiving ENERGY STAR recognition for its successful delivery of the ENERGY STAR New Homes program. Key accomplishments in 2011 include:

 

·         Completing 321 ENERGY STAR certified new homes, saving homeowners a collective 1.3 million kWh for a total of 566 certified homes since the programs inception in 2010.

·         Holding meetings with each of the 12 participating home builders to facilitate their transition to Version 3 guidelines and offering program participants a variety of technical and sales training opportunities.

·         Capturing the majority of the single-family residential new construction market in its territory, including several large national builders, and facilitating their transition to Version 3 guidelines through one-on-one meetings and a variety of technical and sales training events.

·         Generating more than 62 million impressions among customers through a variety of outreach tactics, including ads in local print publications, radio promotions, bill inserts, and Google AdWorks and Facebook promotions--all of which direct consumers to SMECOs website showcasing its list of associated ENERGY STAR home builders.

·         Offering a comprehensive program promoting ENERGY STAR qualified lighting and appliances through negotiated partnerships with retailers and manufacturers. In addition to offering consumer education, promotions and incentives for energy-efficient products, SMECO conducted a robust retail sales training effort in 2011, making 930 site visits and training over 480 retail sales associates.