S.M. Energy Project Tops Its Goals

For the second consecutive quarter, the Santa Monica Energy Fitness Program has exceeded its contractual goals for both energy audits completed and energy saving devices installed, according to the Residential Conservation Service’s second-quarter report.

Under its contract with the Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas companies, the energy fitness program was to complete 3,360 energy audits and install 6,408 energy-saving devices during its second quarter of operation. In that period, from Aug. 19 to Nov. 18, 3,712 audits were completed and 8,056 devices were installed.

The Residential Conservation Service Program is a federally mandated energy conservation effort under which most utility companies have offered their customers home energy surveys called “energy audits.”

Energy auditors inspect residences and install at no charge up to three energy-saving devices, including water heater insulation jackets, pipe insulation, energy-efficient shower heads, faucet aerators and door weather stripping.

Of all the residences that were mailed announcements about the program, 34% have received energy audits, compared to the normal “penetration” rate of 5%, according to the report.

The Santa Monica program has the highest penetration rate ever achieved by a residential conservation service program in the United States, the report said, attributing its success to door-to-door canvassing of Santa Monica neighborhoods rather than traditional marketing methods such as advertising and promotion.