APS Home Performance with ENERGY STAR

In recent years, trade ally and customer expectations have risen while the utility’s cost-effectiveness tests have become more challenging to meet. It has become a strategic imperative for APS to invest in technology to enhance performance and scalability of the program. In 2012, the utility embarked on an effort to improve access to program data to better serve customers and other stakeholders, reduce manual processes to cut costs, and cut administrative overhead for trade allies that had been limiting their participation. Residential energy accounts for 21% of U.S. energy consumption and 60% of America’s housing stock was built before modern energy codes. Historically, most efficiency activities focused on new construction and single-measure improvement strategies. Administered by the DOE in conjunction with the EPA, HPwES takes a whole-house approach to address the opportunity for the greatest energy savings. Despite the enormous benefits of HPwES, the DOE has admitted, “it’s complicated.” There are a number of important stakeholders, including: the utility and its customers, auditors, contractors, QA, third-party evaluators, regulators, and others. Additionally, managing the complexity of consumer awareness, program workflow, financing, and appropriate incentives present challenges requiring innovative program solutions, like modern software, to help organize and simplify program implementation.

Arizona Public Service (APS) is Arizona’s largest and longest-serving investor-owned electric utility, serving more than 1.1 million customers. APS has been recognized annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) with an ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award for its Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program. The utility has consistently exceeded program goals, completing thousands of audits and retrofitting homes to improve energy efficiency. APS is committed to enhancing its performance and scalability through technological investments, aiming to better serve its customers and stakeholders while reducing costs and administrative overhead.