In the fall of 2012, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) competitively awarded $7.9 million through its State Energy Program to help states launch projects intended to serve as exemplary programs leading the way to energy savings. Under this initiative, 13 states (Arizona, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin) are working on a variety of projects, including:

  • Establishing state-level benchmarking and other decision-making tools
  • Collaborating with various stakeholders for data collection and sharing
  • Empowering state facilities staff members to identify and initiate new energy-saving opportunities
  • Designing feasible financing and technology approaches for targeted sectors
  • Creating and streamlining programs to guide targeted entities from project development to execution.

Leveraging Lessons Learned

States are documenting project successes and lessons learned so that other states and government entities can leverage the knowledge in their own energy efficiency initiatives. States are sharing information in the following ways:

  • Building-Level Data: Providing comprehensive energy performance data for buildings in the portfolio that is the subject of the awards. These building profiles support award decision-making, enable state facilities staff members to identify and initiate new energy-saving opportunities, and will provide benchmarks for other buildings in DOE's publicly available Buildings Performance Database.
  • Showcase Project: Documenting at least one whole-building retrofit that proves the energy efficiency measures and approaches emphasized in the award. These success stories will be publicly available by the end of 2014.
  • Implementation Model: Drafting the "playbook" of how they are overcoming operational, financial, or organizational barriers to complete their projects. In these playbooks states provide instruction and tools that will enable others to successfully replicate these proven methods in their own communities.  Playbooks will be completed by the end of 2015.
  • Peer Exchanges: Convening by phone and in person to share ideas, suggestions, and experiences that will help them successfully complete their awards.