Maya McFadden Photo
United Illuminating (UI), city officials, and small business owners kick off Small Business Energy Efficiency Campaign.
Flyer to be handed out during neighborhood canvassing.
Local small businesses looking to save money on their energy systems can also help address the climate crisis at the same time — by switching to LED lights, better sealing windows, improving insulation, adopting programmable thermostats, and other energy-efficient interventions.
So pitched city officials and representatives from United Illuminating (UI) and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) on Monday as they kicked off a week-long Small Business Energy Efficiency Campaign in the rain at 300 and 302 Dixwell Ave. that is designed to support some of those climate-friendly changes.
UI and SCG began the campaign at the Dixwell businesses Dope N Delicious and Mae Flower and Gift Shop. The first free audits to improve New Haven businesses were performed Monday. The program is offering an in-person, no-cost, no-obligation energy efficiency assessment at businesses that make appointments in advance.
In attendance at Monday’s campaign kick-off on Dixwell Avenue were Dope N Delicious owners De’Ari Allick and James Nelson, Mae Flower and Gift Shop owner Nethia Joyner, Mayor Justin Elicker, city Executive Director of Climate and Sustainability Steven Winter, Newhallville/Dixwell Alder Troy Streater, and a number of UI and SCG staffers.
Auditors Pat Lacey and Leonel Perez perform audit in Joyner business Monday morning.
For more information businesses can call (877) 947‑3873 or visit the website to signup for a free energy assessment. The no-obligation audit of the facility will include assessments of lighting, HVAC, and refrigeration systems. Program incentives include up to 60 months of interest-free financing for all improvement projects which would typically be added to a business’s electric utility bill to avoid up-front cost.
City officials and UI staffers will be promoting the campaign all week by canvassing Dixwell, Fair Haven, and the Hill and by stopping into small businesses to schedule their assessment appointments. Bilingual canvassers will join the weeklong campaign to talk to city residents in Spanish and Portuguese in addition to English.
The city partnership will help UI to “deliver the message,” Hammad Chaudry, a senior manager of conservation and load management at UI/SCG, said. “Help us help you.”
Capturing photos of model and serial numbers of equipment to look up item efficiency performance in Mae Flower and Gift Shop.
The assessments, which lasted an hour for both businesses Monday, will result in a compiled report for business owners to learn about what potential improvements can be made at their storefronts to make their businesses more energy efficient
During Monday’s audit of Mae Flower and Gift Shop, the UI team explained that after each assessment the UI/SCG staffers work together to do an analysis offsite then provide the business with recommendations and estimated savings.
As a result of the audit the recommended solutions will aim to help businesses save money and energy while also improving a “building’s comfort levels for customers and employees, such as window sealing, insulation upgrades, or switching to LED lightbulbs.”
“How does Ms. Joyner follow up?” Elicker asked.
The UI team said once a recommendation report is provided, Joyner and any other business owner would select which, if any, upgrades they’d like to make and UI/SCG would facilitate getting businesses a contractor.
The businesses that take advantage of this weeks campaign and make assessment appointments by Oct. 6 will qualify for up to an 80 percent incentive through the EnergizeCT’s Small Business Energy Advantage program to go toward the upgrades.
Checking out Dope N Delicious' basement during Monday's audit.
At Monday’s presser Elicker encouraged local small businesses, nonprofits, and houses of worship to take part in the program. He also emphasized that the UI partnership for the energy program is another way the city is showing its commitment to addressing the climate crisis.
“A free energy efficiency audit and discounted energy-saving upgrades that help a small business lower their energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint is a win-win,” he said.
Elicker added that the small business program will help the city toward its 2030 goal to reach net-zero emissions. He highlighted additional efforts like the city getting its first electric trash pickup truck and ongoing efforts to electrifying the city’s entire fleet, along with the city’s investment in increasing bike lanes and pedestrian safe infrastructure improvements.
Maya McFadden photo
Steve Winter.
Winter reported Monday that a quarter of the city’s emissions come from commercial energy use.
He added that to address these challenges the city’s primary lens is equity.
Winter emphasized that increased incentives will be offered for businesses that sign up by Oct. 6, including financial assistance for up to 80 percent of the improvement cost.
Business owner Nethia Joyner.
Monday’s press release for the conference explained that “the Small Business Energy Advantage program is a commercial energy efficiency program through EnergizeCT, an initiative of the Energy Efficiency Fund, Connecticut Green Bank, the State, and local electric and gas utilities dedicated to empowering Connecticut communities to make smarter energy choices, now and in the future. The Small Business Energy Advantage program offers small businesses with an average 12-month peak demand between 10 and 200 kilowatts a no-cost energy assessment, a comprehensive proposal of all eligible energy efficiency measures, incentives to cover a portion of the installed cost, and zero-interest and low-cost financing available for qualifying businesses.”
“As we all know, in todays dynamic and fast paced world having any type of help for small businesses is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity,” business owner Nethia Joyner, said outside of her flower shop Monday. “We believe that this a game-changer for our business, and we believe it can be also be for other small businesses.”
One of Dope N Delicious’ owners D’Ari Allick said the program will help to “ensure that our future in our community is promised.”
At the conclusion of Monday’s audits at the two Dixwell businesses, auditors Pat Lacey and Leonel Perez reported finding opportunities for improvements like lighting upgrades to LED lights and motion sensor lighting, enhanced pipe insulation, and installing programmable thermostats.
The report of energy efficient updates that will be compiled for each business will help bring operational and energy cost down, Lacey said.
City and UI staffers start their morning with chopped chicken and fries from Dope N Delicious.
As my friend 3/5th often advises, "Don't drink the kool-aid." Utility companies increase your bills, only to claim they want to reduce them.