III. Barrier: A patchwork of programs, policies and messages

Regionally inconsistent messages and a patchwork of utility and government programs get in the way of widespread energy efficiency awareness and economies of scale in implementing the smartest programs.

Admittedly, coordinating energy efficiency programs in our region can be daunting. The Northwest has more than 125 electric utilities—small, big, urban, rural, publicly owned, and investor-owned. And we have six natural gas utilities, three of which combine electricity and natural gas services. Each has unique needs, strengths and cultures. And they all have a responsibility, grounded in state statute and overseen by regulators, to quantify the savings their energy efficiency program spending produces.

When you add in other energy agencies, state and local governments, water utilities, energy services companies, trade and public interest groups and the pressure of issues like economic recovery and climate change, it becomes even tougher to find the right recipe to move everyone in the same direction at the same time.

On a smaller scale, commercial building projects face a similar challenge in moving designers, developers, financiers, builders and owners together toward greater energy efficiency. We know integrated building design is key to building the smartest and most energy efficient buildings that deliver savings long into the future. But we are still missing opportunities: shortsighted focus on cutting construction costs or an economic downturn too often knocks smart, long-term efficiency commitments out of the equation.

The Solution: Increased coordination and collaboration

We need to coordinate in support of energy efficiency at all levels. Fortunately, the Northwest has some great models to build on. Ten years ago a regional group of utilities, governments and energy efficiency advocates realized that coordinated action by a host of players can develop markets for energy efficiency technologies and products much more quickly than individuals acting alone. They formed the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and the results have been impressive. Thanks to NEEA, the Northwest is a national leader in the adoption of energy-efficient products like high-efficiency computers, washing machines and lighting systems, and in the use of strategic energy management practices in its hospitals, schools and businesses.

Other examples of collaboration abound:

• In the Puget Sound region, a group of water, gas and electric utilities pulled together in 2007 to distribute 79,000 water-saving showerheads and faucet aerators. The hot water savings cut electricity, gas and water waste.
• In Seattle, thanks to a 20-year partnership of electric utilities from Portland to Anchorage, the Lighting Design Lab showcases the latest high-quality energy efficient lighting systems and advises professionals on their use.
• Every two years, the Electric League, Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy and Snohomish PUD collaborate on a one-day energy efficiency conference, attracting hundreds of energy professionals to learn about the most current technologies and strategies.

Design buildings to be efficient from the start. When it comes to integrated design in commercial construction – essentially improved coordination and collaboration by all the critical players involved in developing, designing and building new large buildings – we need to do better. Some developers like Portland-based Gerding-Edlen are succeeding with integrated design even during the recession. Its 540-unit luxury condominium project in Bellevue, designed to LEED Gold standards, is the latest in a series of integrated-design projects that will deliver substantial energy efficiency for future owners.

BetterBricks.com, NEEA’s commercial building initiative, says the project owner remains the key to success: If the money behind a project makes energy efficiency central, developers, designers and builders will fall in line