On October 25, 2017, Metro CERT paid a visit to Shorewood, MN to talk to small businesses about energy-saving projects. CERT hoped to raise awareness about opportunities available through rebates and programs offered by their utilities. From the chocolatier to the VFW hall, we had lively conversations about how to save money for these local businesses and organizations.
During the visit, Metro CERT staff were able to talk with more than 30 businesses. We even had the pleasure of Shorewood Councilmember Kristine Sundberg joining us for these one-on-on conversations with businesses. CERTs brought materials from CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy to distribute to business owners.
One of the reasons Councilmember Sundberg is passionate about talking to businesses about energy saving opportunities is because Shorewood is one of Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy communities. Through this program, Xcel Energy helps communities identify and prioritize their energy needs. The utility provides tools and resources to develop a plan and then supports putting it into action. The City of Shorewood has included helping businesses with energy savings in their community energy plan.
One program CERTs was especially hoping to spread the word about was the Natural Gas Energy Analysis offered through CenterPoint Energy. This program provides a comprehensive assessment of a business’ natural gas use, a list of recommended energy saving improvements, and provides free direct install of things like programmable thermostats, low flow faucet aerators, and weather stripping during the analysis. These measures can add up to huge energy-saving potential for small businesses, to whom every dollar matters.
Click here to learn more about the CenterPoint Energy’s Natural Gas Energy Analysis >>
To get in touch with Metro CERT, please contact Diana McKeown, Metro CERT Director at 612-278-7158 or dmckeown@gpisd.net.
