About 250,000 people visited the Eco Experience at this year’s Minnesota State Fair and virtually all of those fairgoers checked out the Energy Solutions Home (ESH), the centerpiece of the Eco Experience that was sponsored and coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources (DER). ESH, covering more than 6,000 square feet with 11 exhibits, was a showcase of energy efficiency and energy conservation for Minnesota homeowners.
“The State Fair is by far the biggest outreach event DER takes part in each year, and this year it got much bigger, thanks to our expanded role at this year’s Eco Experience,” said Bill Grant, deputy commissioner of DER. “Not only did our division sponsor, design and oversee construction of the Energy Solutions Home, but we were able to tailor important messages about cost-effective, energy-saving home improvements.”
Last April, DER responded to a Request for Information from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to conceptualize, design and produce a “Green Homes” exhibit at the State Fair. When DER was awarded the challenge, it immediately went to work to orchestrate ESH. DER developed a concept for the exhibit and then recruited numerous partners to implement the plan. The result was educational displays that demonstrated to homeowners ways to improve the efficiency, comfort, safety and environmental impact of their homes.
The ESH exhibit featured three displays created and staffed by DER: a Home Lighting Options display (pictured above), a Home Performance feature, and a Home Envelope display. All three included interactive components designed to engage visitors and encourage them to seek answers to home improvement questions.
The overall exhibit will serve as the foundation for the Fair’s Green Homes exhibit for the next two years, with some additions and improvements to take place.
