TEP Guarantee Home Program Rated One of America's Best Energy Efficiency Programs
TUCSON, Ariz., Feb 25, 2003 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The TEP Guarantee Home program is one of the nation's best energy efficiency programs, according to research conducted by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE).
ACEEE, a nonprofit research group based in Washington, D.C, awarded the TEP Guarantee Home program honorable mention in its first-ever national search for "America's Best Energy Efficiency Programs." An expert panel reviewed more than 130 nominations covering a wide variety of programs for the awards.
"This distinction reaffirms what we already knew: TEP Guarantee homes are among the best-built, most energy-efficient homes in the country," said James S. Pignatelli, president, chairman and CEO of Tucson Electric Power. "The real winners are the homeowners, who enjoy comfortable living and significant savings on their utility bills."
According to ACEEE, judges recognized programs that have been effective in reducing customers' energy costs and also yielding significant broader economic and environmental benefits.
"We sought to recognize the many unsung heroes of state and utility efforts to improve energy efficiency, and spotlight these programs as models for others to emulate," said Martin Kushler, Ph.D., ACEEE's utilities program director.
More than 65 custom and production homebuilders in Southern Arizona offer the TEP Guarantee program. TEP inspects the homes during three phases of construction to ensure that specific energy-efficiency standards are met. TEP then guarantees the home's heating and cooling operating costs, plus overall comfort, for three years. TEP Guarantee homes also receive a lower residential electric rate. Overall, homeowners may realize up to 35 percent savings in annual energy costs.
To date, more than 5,500 TEP Guarantee homes have been built or are under contract for construction. In 2002, about 32 percent of the new home permits in TEP's service territory were for TEP Guarantee homes.
ACEEE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and policy development to advance energy efficiency as a means of promoting both economic prosperity and environmental protection. Visit ACEEE at aceee.org.
To learn more about the TEP Guarantee Home program, log on to guaranteehome.com. Visit TEP at tucsonelectric.com.
TEP Corporate Communications P.O. Box 711 Tucson, AZ 85702 520/884-3742 tucsonelectric.com