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TCAAP Energy Integration Resiliency Framework <br />Policy White Paper – Energy Efficiency Strategies (Demand-Side Management) <br /> <br /> 41 <br />Precedent <br />High Efficiency Streetlights: The state of Vermont has worked with its utilit ies to implement a high- <br />efficiency streetlight upgrade program that is seeing average energy bill savings of 25% in <br />participating cities.21 Similarly, in Missouri and Kansas, 25 small and medium-sized cities (up to <br />25,000 people) are collaborating to install more efficient lighting. Each city is only retrofitting a <br />portion of its streetlights, but the average savings per city is anticipated to be just over $130,000.22 <br />6.5. Building Occupant Behavior <br />As building systems and infrastructure become more and more efficient, the ways that building <br />occupants are motivated to change their habits can tap the next frontier of energy savings. Building <br />experts estimate that homes can use two to three times more energy as an identical home built to the <br />same design standards, based solely on the habits of the people who live there.23 Commercial buildings <br />exhibit less variation but are still driven by tenant behavior. TCAAP has the opportunity to host a <br />variety of behavior-based initiatives that provide energy saving and learning opportunities for <br />occupants in homes, condos, and offices. Programs such as building benchmarking, community -based <br />behavior programs, and innovative energy demonstrations help to educate consumers and modify <br />their energy use behaviors. Programs like these would grow connectivity across the city and engender <br />pride for residents across Arden Hills and Minnesota. <br />6.5.1. Commercial Benchmarking <br />Building benchmarking is the ongoing tracking of building energy consumption so that usage can be <br />compared over time and to other similar buildings to identify when building energy consumption is <br />unusually high. The JDA or the City could facilitate such a program encouraging energy awareness, <br />competition amongst businesses, and establish future incentive programs for top perfor mance. <br />Publicly disclosing benchmarking information offers benefit beyond the City. More than a dozen cities <br />across the country, including Minneapolis, MN, disclose this information, which creates opportunities <br />for researchers and analysts to innovate arou nd the information. A JDA or City benchmarking and <br />disclosure program would offer unique information, as no suburban city data sets exist in Minnesota. <br /> <br />21 Arnold, Gabe, et. al. A Win-Win-Win for Municipal Street Lighting: Converting Two-Thirds of Vermont’s Street Lights to LED by 2014. <br />ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. (2012). http://www.aceee.org/files/proceedings/2012/data/papers/0193- <br />000144.pdf <br />22 Mid-American Regional Council. Smart Lights for Smart Cities. (2013). http://www.marc.org/Environment/Energy/pdf/Smart-Lights- <br />Final-Report.aspx <br />23 Parker, Danny et al. Accuracy of the Home Energy Saver Calculation Methodology. ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in <br />Buildings (2012).