Westchester Action Plan, 2008 - Westchester County Government

Education and Information Sharing
All sectors should work to ensure that information and knowledge is shared widely, as this
will be key to meeting the GHG reduction targets. Each sector should focus on their key
stakeholders and provide workshops, fairs, meetings, training and professional
development as appropriate for their stakeholders. Opportunities to partner with
NYSERDA, NYPA, energy companies and ESCOs in information sharing should be pursued.
Part of this effort should be websites maintained by participating sectors including the
County Government, municipal governments, business and others, to provide access to
information.
When engaging in public information sharing campaigns, it can be useful to employ social
marketing techniques. In social marketing, traditional marketing techniques are employed
for the purpose of achieving a greater societal good. Behavioral psychologists can be
useful in helping organizations structure these campaigns so as to increase the potential
impact in bringing about change. Organizations should consider recruiting these specialists
and their expertise for such outreach efforts.
Examples of information to be included in this education and information sharing are as
follows:
• Information about and availability of alternative heating energy;
• Information on funding resources;
• Information on funding green building and identification of green building lenders;
• Information on energy efficiency;
• Information on Energy Audits;
• Information on green builders, professional services, and trade services;
• Information on renewable energy retailers;
• Information of programs for energy improvements for low-income families;
• Training on green building including LEED, for building-related professionals and trade
organizations in Westchester;
• Training on green building techniques and standards and emerging energy
technologies, for municipal building inspectors, planning departments and zoning
boards, financial institutions, real estate boards, real estate appraisers and brokers;
• Training on green building and energy incentives, for tax preparers; and
• Information on cost effective green building measures and resources suitable for
Westchester and developed with the building trades.
Attachment 5: Energy
Westchester Action Plan, 2008 5-17