Energy efficiency improvements can be expensive and burdensome for residential homeowners, renters and building owners. Luckily, there are an increasing number of financial options to help cover the up-front costs of efficiency upgrades.

Cost-effectiveness testing is an important part of energy efficiency planning, reporting and evaluation. Utilities use cost-effectiveness tests to demonstrate that their investments in energy efficiency are in the best interests of the utility, their customers and society in general.

Utilities across the Midwest have invested billions of dollars in energy efficiency programs over the past several years, causing the energy efficiency workforce to flourish. However, the industry remains largely homogeneous and lacks diversity in trade ally suppliers, implementers and other program administrators.

The Alliance for Industrial Efficiency (AIE) recently released a new report analyzing the energy efficiency and sustainability goals of

Nationwide, over 16 million households struggle to meet their heating, cooling and other energy needs, but energy efficiency is increasingly recognized as a potential solution to this problem.

On June 20-21, MEEA members from across the country united for the Annual Meeting of the Membership in Louisville, KY. Fueled by hot browns and watermelon salad, MEEA members swapped ideas, strengthened relationships and looked ahead at the coming year in energy efficiency.

On May 4, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 2311(SF 2311) into law, which will make significant changes to the way utilities drive customer energy savings programs within the state.

The case for residential energy efficiency often turns on two benefits: saving on energy bills or saving the world.

This year's Midwest Energy Solutions Conference (MES) incorporated interactive workshops into its agenda for the first time ever, and one of the three workshops focused on Net Zero Energy (NZE) in the Midwest.

Author’s note: this article is best enjoyed with musical accompaniment.