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NASEO News

July 2004

North Carolina Embarks on Sustainable Statewide Strategic Energy Program

Posted: July 16, 2004

The North Carolina State Energy Office has recently embarked on a statewide Utility Savings Initiative (USI), the goal of which is to achieve a 4% reduction in energy costs annually for 5 years. One of the program’s major challenges was to establish a strong and consistent framework for all state agencies and universities to follow. Setting responsibilities at the agency and university level was critical in achieving ownership for a sustainable energy program. The approach had to integrate energy planning with the other critical management activities within these organizations.

GEM Management Consultants, Inc., (GEM) provided initial hands-on assistance through its Strategic Energy Planning Workshop (additional information at www.SEPWorkshop.com). GEM conducted several Strategic Energy Planning Workshops for various state agency and university energy liaisons which equipped them with the methodology and techniques to develop individual strategic energy plans. The workshops included:

• assessing current performance through the creation of a “Performance Scorecard”;
• mapping the Energy Baseline for ranking and benchmarking facilities;
• developing an actual Plan with the support of detailed template’s and the “how to”;
• creating an “Energy Mandate” for gaining senior management support;
• providing key Implementation and Monitoring tools.

Larry Shirley, Director of the State Energy Office, and USI Program Manager, Kathleen Stahl attribute the program’s current success, in part, to establishing a solid foundation for the development of agency and university strategic energy plans. To date, plans have been submitted covering 94% of the State’s utility expenditures. The State Energy Office has tracked over a $1,000,000 in savings during the first year. In addition, the State Energy Office achieved national recognition from the National Association of State Chief Administrators, the Council of State Governments and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for the Utility Savings Initiative. To learn more about this program contact Kathleen Stahl, Program Manager, North Carolina State Energy Office at 919-733-2230.

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