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December 12, 2018 by Andy Lick and Lee Shaver
Who is the real Rodney Dangerfield of energy? Part two
Source: Rodney.comThe last post left off with a real cliffhanger about which energy source has the most valid claim to be the coveted Rodney Dangerfield of energy. More
December 6, 2018 by Andy Lick and Lee Shaver
Who is the real Rodney Dangerfield of energy?
Rodney Dangerfield died almost 15 years ago but the legacy of “no respect” lives on in the minds of energy geeks looking to catch a headline. He may be best known for one-liners involving some form of “I don’t get no respect!” Proponents of different energy sources have used this tag line to relate to and ask the commons for more of what Rodney never got enough of for their favorite energy source. Why are proponents of energy sources eager for awareness by continuing to invoke this image? More
November 1, 2018 by Kevin Frost
Engineers Without Borders: building a better world for others
Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA) is an international nonprofit organization. Their mission is to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs. Seventhwave’s Kevin Frost, project manager, has been involved in EWB for 12 years. This is his story. More
October 26, 2018 by Elizabeth Schroeder
How WECC is Saving Energy
Over the summer, WECC completed retrocommissioning at our main office building in Madison, Wisconsin. Here at WECC, we are passionate about the environment, and are constantly seeking out opportunities to be more energy efficient. Retrocommissioning the building is just one way that we are “walking the walk” with our commitment to saving energy, starting with our own building. More
October 22, 2018 by Marge Anderson
Privilege creates blind spots: the diversity and inclusion imperative in energy efficiency
“To hear is to let the sound wander all the way through the labyrinth of your ear; to listen is to travel the other way to meet it.” – Rebecca Solnit More
October 5, 2018 by Andy Lick and Brett Bridgeland
Vast potential for a clean energy future shown by western states
In honor of Energy Efficiency Day today, Friday, Oct. 5, we reflect on the ways Wisconsin, the home of our headquarters, can learn from our more progressive western neighbors. Many states out west are decades ahead of Wisconsin in terms of energy efficiency and moving toward 100% clean electricity. Two of our experts had the opportunity to live and work in California and Colorado previously. Andy Lick, research analyst, resided in California for several years, and Brett Bridgeland, project manager, lived in Colorado. More
October 5, 2018 by Elizabeth Schroeder
It's #EEDay2018!
Today marks America’s third annual Energy Efficiency Day! Energy Efficiency Day is a collaborative effort between businesses, utilities, government agencies, and individuals working to promote the benefits of energy efficiency! Already, more than 300 organizations have signed on as official supporters. Want to help us extend our reach even further? Read on for five easy ways to celebrate and get involved. More
October 1, 2018 by Claire Cowan
How can the Midwest be better? Energy efficiency insights from the Northeast
As Energy Efficiency Day approaches on Friday, Oct. 5, we reflect on the ways Wisconsin, the home of our headquarters, can learn from our more progressive neighbors who are making energy efficiency a priority. Our expert, Claire Cowan, director of program design and delivery, now resides in the northeastern state of Maine. Claire gives you a look into the energy efficiency potential available to another state with a similar climate to Wisconsin. More
September 15, 2018 by Jeannette LeZaks
How do we engage small businesses in deeper energy savings? Seventhwave research team finds out
Are lighting savings the best we can do for small business customers? Seventhwave research says no. Our research team dug into the Minnesota small business market and found diverse savings opportunities. These savings will help Minnesota programs pilot holistic savings in small buildings. Seventhwave can build these measures into the design of our own small business offerings. More
September 11, 2018 by Scott Hackel
Building systems integration: trends, complications and where we’re headed
A couple of years ago, my team conducted a research project investigating how to reduce the energy use of office plug loads. Among the solutions we tested, one option was a power strip with an occupancy sensor. It shut off your monitors and other gadgets when you were away from your desk. Many buildings we investigated also had occupancy sensors controlling the lighting in the same office space. One of the offices we tested had yet a third occupancy sensor network – and CO2 sensors to control the HVAC system in some spaces. More