On a Crash Course? How Two Programs Avoid a Market Collision and Work Together

Sue Hanson, Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation
Robin Pharo, Green Built Home

Keywords

Abstract

Since the late 1990's, Wisconsin's Focus on Energy has included residential homes programs, taking the initiative to educate and promote the building and remodeling of singlefamily homes that exceed national ENERGY STAR standards. This work has all been couched in a building-science, "house-as-a-system" context that also stresses comfort, safety, and building durability. During the same time period, the Green Built Home^TM program sprouted in Wisconsin, promoting green design by reviewing and certifying new homes projects that incorporate sustainable building practices, energy and resource efficiency standards, improved indoor air quality and more. Both programs have been built by encouraging home builders and remodelers to voluntarily improve their construction practices.

These two programs historically marketed themselves independently of each other, and unfortunately have sometimes have competed for the same marketplace. However, as of late, a joint effort to cross-promote these two programs as the "perfect partners" has been underway. This paper, and subsequent presentation, is designed to provide descriptive information on how to design and implement effective cross-program marketing schemes to residential consumers in the single-family homes market. The paper will include a discussion of the challenges faced in the Wisconsin market, particularly where more than one program is promoting "green" and/or energy efficiency, and how these two programs are working together to achieve the ultimate goals of providing safe, durable, comfortable, energy efficient homes.