APPRISE Survey Research –
Market Transformation Programs
Commercial & Industrial Programs
Con Edison’s Commercial & Industrial program provides incentives to organizations that install qualifying energy-using equipment or who complete energy efficiency projects in their facility. As part of the program, Con Edison maintains a network of Trade Allies that have completed projects in the program, including installation contractors, engineering companies, equipment manufacturers, and energy consultants. APPRISE supported a process evaluation of the program by conducting in-depth interviews with these Trade Allies. The interviews collected detailed information about the types of work the companies do, their experience and satisfaction with each aspect of the program, perceived barriers, and recommended areas for improvement.
Massachusetts Energy Efficiency Programs’ Commercial & Industrial Evaluation Code Compliance Project
NYSERDA’s Agriculture Energy Audit Program offers no-cost energy audits and technical assistance for eligible agricultural producers in New York, including farmers, greenhouse operators, dairy producers, and other agricultural businesses. Program participants receive a comprehensive or targeted energy audit that examines facility energy use and equipment and provides recommendations for specific energy efficiency measures. NYSERDA is conducting a study to understand the direct and indirect impacts of the program from 2017 to 2021. As part of this study, the research team is conducting surveys with program participants to learn about their experience with the program, to document the installation of recommended measures, and to understand changes to energy consumption over time. APPRISE conducted surveys in 2019 and 2021 and is conducting additional surveys with more recent program participants. APPRISE will conduct multiple forms of outreach, complete telephone interviews, and implement specialized outreach to producers with multiple locations.
NYSERDA’s New Construction Program provides non-residential customers with technical assistance services and capital-cost incentives for implementing energy efficiency improvements in new construction or in substantially renovated buildings. The technical assistance provides cost-shared analysis to customers and their design teams (Architecture and Engineering firms) to identify energy efficiency opportunities for their projects. The program is designed to encourage the incorporation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and green building features in the design, construction, and operation of commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings.
APPRISE conducted survey research to support NYSERDA’s market characterization research for the New Construction Program (NCP) in 2008. This research gathered information from participating and non-participating building owners and participating and non-participating architecture and engineering firms to assess their views, experiences, and perceptions on a variety of topics related to program participation.
APPRISE conducted surveys in 2011 with non-participating building owners and design firms to assess awareness of NYSERDA’s program offerings and energy efficiency measures in the non-residential new construction sector in New York State, to develop baseline data for non-residential new construction in New York State, and to assess non-participant spillover effects of the New Construction Program.
NYSERDA’s Innovation and Research Product Development activities invest in emerging clean energy technologies. These investments support the development of commercially viable technologies that can have transformative impacts in the market. This study examined the products NYSERDA supported between 2016 and 2020 to estimate the actual and potential market impacts of each product, to understand the extent to which products can benefit disadvantaged communities, and to identify barriers or catalysts to scalability. APPRISE conducted interviews with the product developers to document each product’s uses, commercialization, and impacts.
NYSERDA is conducting a study to characterize industrial and greenhouse facility energy usage and energy savings potential in New York State. In Phase 1 of the study, APPRISE is conducting data matching and screening to help build a comprehensive dataset of active manufacturing facilities in New York. This includes extracting and summarizing data from prior NYSERDA industrial studies, manually matching data from a purchased database of manufacturing companies to facilities that were included in recent NYSERDA industrial studies, and conducting online research to determine if facilities were eligible locations where manufacturing occurred. In Phase 2 of the study, APPRISE is conducting a detailed mixed-mode survey with over 1,000 facilities to collect information on facility energy usage, industrial equipment processes, and energy management practices. The findings from the study will allow NYSERDA to analyze and compare key manufacturing sectors, to understand energy needs for industrial facilities, and to identify energy saving opportunities.
The Rhode Island Commercial Code Compliance Study estimated the statewide energy code compliance rate for commercial buildings, provided information on patterns of compliance and non-compliance, and identified opportunities for Rhode Island to achieve the goal of at least 90 percent compliance with energy codes. Baseline compliance was assessed through on-site visits to buildings built between 2008 and 2011. As part of the evaluation team, APPRISE led the building sample design and development using the F. W. Dodge New Construction Database, and selected a sample of buildings to be visited.