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NOVEC Adds Apogee Interactive HomeEnergySuite to Web Site
Customized Energy Efficiency Tools Help NOVEC Customers Use Energy Wisely
Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative has added Apogee Interactive's comprehensive HomeEnergySuite to its website (www.novec.com), providing its customer-owners with access to a powerful set of energy efficiency tools to help them use energy wisely.
"This new tool is one more way NOVEC is working to help customers manage their home energy costs," says Mike Curtis, vice president, public relations. "It's part of NOVEC's Use It Wisely campaign."
NOVEC is the 11th largest electric cooperative in the U.S. and provides electricity to more than 142,000 residential and business consumers just west of Washington, D.C. The cooperative logged 1,735 visitors to the new energy suite in the first month alone, and that number continues to grow.
NOVEC's HomeEnergySuite is customized to factor in the cooperative's current electricity price, local weather zones and regional standards of home building construction to perform the energy analyses. With a few additional inputs from the homeowner, the core engine of the calculator produces accurate and useful energy-use and cost-saving recommendations for the homeowner - all in a matter of seconds.
Apogee's analysis algorithms have been honed to laser precision by Apogee's team of senior engineers over the past 15 years. Apogee was among the very first companies to develop and launch an online home energy calculator for the utility industry. It now operates on more than 400 utility websites, consistently delivering accurate energy evaluations and targeted recommendations consumers can readily understand.
"Accuracy is only part of the story," said Joel Gilbert, chief software architect for Apogee Interactive Inc. "Equally important is the ability to engage consumers and get them to take actions based upon the insights we present."
NOVEC consumers can access the HomeEnergySuite by clicking on "Energy-Saving Calculators" on NOVEC's website home page, or by going directly to http://novec.apogee.net/homesuite/calcs/rescalc/default_supp.aspx. With the main HomeEnergyCalculator, members can quickly view an evaluation of their home's energy use by month, by year, and by equipment and appliance categories. They can even see the estimated carbon footprint for their home and the reductions possible with certain energy-saving measures.
A variety of other calculators enable consumers to zero in on energy use and cost saving information regarding different heating and cooling systems, types and quantity of televisions, programmable thermostats, pools and spas, CFLs, outdoor lighting and more than 50 home appliances.
"The television calculator really surprises most of our customers," says Curtis. "They can see that plasma TVs use three times as much power as traditional tube TVs." NOVEC's HomeEnergySuite also features a Kids Korner section for kids and teachers, and an online library that explains the basics of energy, electricity and energy efficiency.
Apogee Interactive Inc. (www.apogee.net) is the leading provider of online energy efficiency solutions to energy utilities. Founded in 1994, Apogee's energy analysis and customer self service Web applications are currently in use by more than 400 electric and gas utilities across the U.S. Its clients span a wide range of investor-owned, municipal, and cooperative energy companies including Southern Company (NYSE: SO), American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP), Entergy (NYSE: ETR), the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Tennessee Valley Authority, Salt River Project, and Jackson EMC.
NOVEC (www.novec.com) is a not-for-profit corporation that distributes electricity, energy and communication services to approximately 142,000 customers in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford and Clarke counties, Va., and the City of Manassas Park, making it one of the largest electric distribution cooperatives in the nation.
