PHILADELPHIA - EnergyWorks, a program created by the Metropolitan Caucus and supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, has launched a new public education campaign to teach homeowners in the Greater Philadelphia region that making energy efficiency improvements can keep their homes cool and their energy costs down as summer temperatures heat up.

Andy Rachlin, director of the EnergyWorks program, said, “We’re hoping this exciting new campaign will encourage homeowners to use the EnergyWorks program to make easily accessible and affordable upgrades to their home that will reduce their energy use - and their energy bills - while maintaining their personal level of comfort. It’s part of a broader, region-wide strategy to get smarter about how we use energy while growing a new energy efficiency industry in our region.”

Over the next couple of months, commuters in the Greater Philadelphia region will see EnergyWorks displayed throughout the Septa regional-rail system, a steady presence in the Metro, web banners on Accuweather.com and other key weather, home, and green websites, as well on the Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines. As it builds, the campaign will also feature opportunities for community organizations and major employers throughout the region to partner with EnergyWorks to hold information sessions for their members and employees. The campaign will run until Aug. 14, 2011 and was designed and executed in partnership with the Metropolitan Caucus, Neiman Group, and Cardenas-Grant Communications.

EnergyWorks encourages homeowners to get started by signing up for a home energy assessment that will help them identify ways they can benefit from energy efficiency improvements. For a limited time, EnergyWorks is offering regional homeowners the opportunity to receive a comprehensive home energy assessment for $150 - a service that generally costs approximately $400 according to organizers.

Already, more than 250 homeowners in the Greater Philadelphia region have taken advantage of EnergyWorks services. The program has even inspired one enthusiastic GRID blogger to chronicle her experiences: www.gridphilly.com/griddle/2011/1/20/true-tales-an-energyworks-examination.html. This program aims to generate more energy efficiency improvements in existing homes, as well as businesses, and hopes to issue more than 2,000 residential and dozens of commercial loans over the next three years.

The EnergyWorks residential program offers professional advisory services, financing as low as 0.99 percent, and free quality assurance to support energy efficiency improvements for homeowners in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties. To learn more about how to sign up for an energy assessment, homeowners can visit www.energyworksnow.com.

Business owners in the Greater Philadelphia region can also visit www.energyworksnow.com to learn how EnergyWorks commercial loans can make energy efficiency improvement projects more affordable.

Publication date: 06/27/2011