FEI-FEVI 2010 EEC Report filed March 31, 2011 - FortisBC

FORTISBC ENERGY INC. AND FORTISBC ENERGY (VANCOUVER ISLAND) INC.
2010 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT
CEO activities being implemented. In 2011, the EEC team will continue to liaise with the “green
ambassadors” to inform them of new programs and initiatives.
In summary, educating residential customers and the general public on energy conservation is
strongly aligned with the CEO program area’s goal of building a culture of conservation in BC
and it is vital to promote the related programs and initiatives through a variety of communication
methods including print, interactive, and face-to-face.
8.2.2 COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS
It is imperative that the Companies provide energy saving information to commercial customers,
as they have a great potential to reduce their energy consumption. This section outlines how
CEO programs educate commercial customers on conservation behaviours. It is the
Companies’ view that providing education on behavioural changes helps commercial customers
reduce their organization’s energy consumption and encourages them to pursue additional
efficiencies by participating in EEC incentive programs. The commercial sector is made up of
small and large businesses in a variety of industries, such as retail, offices, multifamily
residences, schools, hospitals, and shopping malls, to name a few.
According to the 2010 Customer Satisfaction Study conducted by TNS, the corporate image
attribute of being “committed to helping customers” is an important driver of satisfaction for
small and large commercial customers. Through the various EEC initiatives, the Companies will
be able to meet customers’ expectations by providing increased EEC education and program
information to help them reduce their organization’s energy costs. This may have the potential
to indirectly impact future customer satisfaction studies.
It is important for the Companies to consider a variety of media communication tools and
distribution channels, and it is a goal of the CEO program to reach the diverse group of
businesses in the Companies’ commercial sector. In this section, energy conservation education
is grouped and described according to three communication channels: print and online
publications, industry trade shows and association events, and corporate behaviour change pilot
programs.
8.2.2.1 Print and Online
Print and online publications are a cost-effective communications channel for delivery of
industry targeted information when compared to other communication channels such as
television and mass media. The goal of the CEO print and online publications is to provide
ongoing communication to commercial customers about the Companies’ energy conservation
initiatives. In 2010, the Companies continued to provide information through energy saving
handouts and bill inserts for small commercial customers and various print and directory
advertising such as show guides and property management directories. In addition, the CEO
program area is co-funding, along with other departments in the Companies, a bill insert and bill
messaging research study conducted by TNS. The purpose of this study is to determine
readership levels, understand if certain messages garner more attention from readers than
SECTION 8: CONSERVATION, EDUCATION & OUTREACH (“CEO”) PROGRAMS Page 152