TUCSON, Ariz. — Tucson Electric Power (TEP) presented its TEP BrightEE Awards to customers and contractors that took advantage of TEP’s energy efficiency (EE) programs to achieve significant energy savings.
The TEP BrightEE (pronounced “brighty”) Awards highlight the benefits of EE programs that have helped TEP customers save more than 641,000 megawatt-hours — enough energy to power nearly 62,000 homes for a year. These savings help TEP work toward the goals in Arizona’s Energy Efficiency Standard, which calls on utilities to achieve cumulative energy savings of 22 percent by 2020.
“This year’s TEP BrightEE Award recipients realized remarkable energy savings through our energy efficiency programs,” said David G. Hutchens, TEP’s president and chief executive officer. “They offer great examples of how TEP can help customers achieve their energy saving goals.”
Winners include:
• Residential Contractor — Green Valley Cooling & Heating — Green Valley Cooling & Heating is a strong promoter of HVAC incentives available to TEP customers. In addition to traditional HVAC services, the company offers efficiency testing on existing HVAC systems and duct pressure testing to discover potential air leakage.
• Government Entity — Davis-Monthan Air Force Base — Davis-Monthan installed high-efficiency chillers, air conditioners, and heat pumps in 2014. Davis-Monthan also replaced inefficient light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and LED bulbs in buildings and hangars and installed LED bulbs on its airfield. These improvements produced energy savings last year of more than 1 million kWh.
• School District — Amphitheater Public Schools — The Amphitheater district installed high-efficiency chillers and HVAC equipment, variable frequency drives, controls, lighting, and room occupancy controls in several schools. Seven district schools also participate in the TEP DemandSmart program.
• Non-Profit Organization — Habitat for Humanity — Habitat for Humanity homes are designed and built to incorporate principles of energy efficiency and sustainability. HVAC systems are designed to meet Energy Star specifications, and all Tucson homes contain CFL and LED light bulbs. TEP is a strong supporter of Habitat for Humanity, donating volunteer time and thousands of dollars each year to support the organization.
• Chamber of Commerce — Marana Chamber of Commerce — In June, TEP and the Marana Chamber of Commerce teamed up to host the Marana Energy Efficiency Expo. Since then, the chamber has encouraged members to participate in TEP’s EE programs. The chamber holds an annual community meeting where residents and community stakeholders can learn about sustainability and energy-efficient practices.
• Homebuilder — D.R. Horton — Founded in 1978, D.R. Horton is a top national builder and a participant in TEP’s Energy Smart Homes program. The company built nearly 240 energy-efficient homes in TEP’s service territory last year.
• Lifetime Contribution to Residential Energy Efficiency — Ted Bednar — TJ Bednar Homes, founded in 1976 by Ted Bednar, has participated in TEP’s residential new construction programs for more than 15 years. As an early adopter of new energy efficiency standards and techniques, Bednar has been an industry leader and supporter of building science and best practices for building energy efficient homes in Tucson’s residential housing market.
For more information, visit www.tep.com.
Publication date: 2/16/2015
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