SmartPower

CREATING A NEW GENERATION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

In 2007, SmartPower undertook an exciting new initiative to transform the way teens and young adults think about and use energy. Our goal is to create a new generation of wise energy users.

As part of the New England Climate Protection Coalition, we have worked with Departments of Environmental Protection across New England, the Region 1 Office of EPA and the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to develop our energy efficiency campaign road map. In the summer of 2007, SmartPower underwrote an intensive research study that included two weeks of The Living Diary on Energy Efficiency, involving over 80 panelists throughout New England. From those findings, and over 1000 diary entries, we developed creative concepts to share with six focus groups, conducted in three states in the winter of 2008, to refine our message and approach. We’ve learned quite a lot from listening to teens. We now understand what a successful campaign requires, in addition to the tone and the action needed to get the desired outcome. We’re ready to take this message to young America.

SmartPower and our coalition partners are currently developing pilot programs on energy efficiency focused on strengthening the energy efficiency habits of young adults. Our goal is to reduce electricity load by inspiring America’s youth to begin unplugging and turning off power on the myriad of electronics that are in constant use by this highly plugged in demographic. It takes the equivalent of 17 power plants to provide all the wasted power produced by phantom load in this country.

To learn more about our Energy Efficiency market research and findings, contact Lyn Rosoff.