News
News | April 15, 2018 by

Farewell to George Edgar

We recently said goodbye to George Edgar, who began his well-deserved retirement earlier this month. George was Slipstreams’s Executive Director from 1991 until 1999. Since then, he served as our Policy Director. More
News
News | March 1, 2018 by Kimberly Johnston

New Board of Directors Roles for Slipstream’s Robin Lisowski and Dan Streit

We’re excited to share that two Slipstream staff members have recently assumed new Board of Directors positions with local sustainability organizations Sustain Dane and Dane Buy Local. More
Publication
Publication | December 8, 2017 by

Taking a performance-based approach to building procurement: opportunities for owners, designers, and CIPs

We studied the viability of performance-based procurement (PBP) to achieve higher energy savings, without increasing capital cost to owners, through early owner involvement, goal setting and energy modeling. The study also examined the role that conservation improvement programs (CIPs) could play in supporting this approach. We tested the PBP method in six pilot projects and observed the outcomes. We supplemented our study with assessment of existing programs, interviews and analysis through the Sustainable Buildings 2030 program, and outreach to energy modeling professionals. More
Energy Efficiency Day
Blog | October 5, 2017 by Elizabeth Schroeder

Celebrate and Save!

Thursday, October 5 is America’s second 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. The 2016 event drew more than 175 official supporters. Want to help us grow this initiative even further this year? Read on for five easy ways to celebrate, get involved, and spread the word! More
Utility Rebates
Blog | August 7, 2017 by Elizabeth Schroeder

Are You Taking Advantage of Utility Rebates?

While browsing your local retail store for a new washer, dryer, refrigerator, or even light bulbs, you may have seen a sticker or other signage on the appliance—or in the aisle—about instant savings or rebates available toward the purchase of an energy-efficient product.  Have you ever wondered where these rebates come from, or why they’re available to you in the first place? Read on to learn more about how retail energy efficiency programs work, and how to reap the rewards! What are retail energy efficiency programs? More
Publication
Publication | August 4, 2017 by

Statewide commercial behavior segmentation and potential study

A recently completed CARD research project led by ILLUME Advising addressed the barriers small businesses face in reducing energy consumption. It estimated the achievable potential energy and bill savings of behavior-change approaches for small businesses in Minnesota. For 10 measures and six business segments studied in Minnesota, the research team estimated total achievable savings of 245.7 million kWh, or enough to power nearly 23,000 houses for a year, and 7.8 million therms, or enough to heat nearly 12,600 houses in the winter. More
Utility Scorecard
Blog | June 23, 2017 by Elizabeth Schroeder

ACEEE Utility Scorecard: Trends and Findings

Earlier this month, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released their first-ever scorecard of utilities in the United States.  The scorecard reveals which utilities are leading the way in energy efficiency programs, and identifies areas for improvement.  More
World Environment Day
Blog | June 5, 2017 by Elizabeth Schroeder

It's World Environment Day!

Did you know? Today is World Environment Day, the United Nations' most important day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the protection of our planet! The initiative began in 1974, and has evolved into a global platform for public outreach that is celebrated in more than 100 countries. More
Leading by Example
Blog | April 10, 2017 by Elizabeth Schroeder

Leading by Example

As a business focused on saving energy for our clients and their customers, it’s important for us to lead by example! We’re committed to making our own headquarters as sustainable as possible, and have made some great strides in the past year. More
Publication
Publication | March 1, 2017 by

Commercial roof-top units in Minnesota: characteristics and energy performance (supplement document)

RTUs are used in more than one third of U.S. commercial buildings, the highest of any cooling equipment type. Why? They are reliable and have a low capital cost, as well as established service and distribution networks. There is anecdotal evidence, however, that these systems operate inefficiently. To validate or refute this evidence, we conducted a multi-level field study sponsored by Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources. More