Energy Trust of Oregon: 2018 Existing Buildings Process Evaluation

Executive Summary

Energy Trust of Oregon's Existing Buildings program began in 2003 and serves Portland General Electric (PGE), Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas, and Avista commercial customers on eligible rate schedules. The program serves customers of these utilities in Oregon and NW Natural customers in Southwest Washington. ICF has served as the program management contractor (PMC) since 2013. Recent changes to the program include the Strategic Energy Management (SEM) track now being implemented by ICF instead of internally by Energy Trust staff and a more rigorous measure development and approval process.

Main program tracks, each described below:

• Lighting. The Lighting track provides rebates to commercial customers for prescriptive lighting retrofits.  

• Standard. The Standard track offers incentives to customers for a variety of end use measures including HVAC, water heating, insulation, compressed air, grocery equipment, data center upgrades, and lodging and food service equipment.  

• Custom. Participants in the Custom track receive a site evaluation or technical analysis study conducted by an Allied Technical Assistance Contractor (ATAC) that identifies cost effective opportunities for improvements at the customer’s site; customers may elect to install these improvements and receive a rebate.  

• Direct Install. For the Direct Install track, the PMC has sub-contracted with SmartWatt Energy to provide walkthrough audits to identify lighting upgrade opportunities along with installations of a limited number of no-cost measures, including occupancy-sensing power strips.  

• Strategic Energy Management (SEM). The SEM track is implemented with the assistance of SEM coaches, which help identify energy savings opportunities at the customer site, lead workshops for SEM cohorts, and help participants review and refine their SEM plan over time.