Client: NYSERDA (subcontracting to Heschong Mahone Group, Inc.)
Project: General Evaluation Assistance for the New York Energy $mart Program

NMR is assisting NYSERDA in planning, coordinating, and analyzing evaluation activities for the Energy $mart programs. Tasks include gap analysis, review of evaluation plans and schedules, assistance in coordinating the work of specialty evaluation contractors, assistance in data collection and tracking, and assistance in reporting.

Client: NYSERDA and LIPA
Project: Lighting Catalog and Bulb Offer Surveys

NMR conducted a survey of participants and non-participants in NYSERDA’s ENERGY STAR Lighting Catalog program and Two-for-One Bulb offer, and LIPA’s ENERGY STAR Lighting Catalog promotion. Issues addressed included demographic differences between buyers and non-buyers of ENERGY STAR lighting; awareness of ENERGY STAR lighting and of the utilities’ programs; prior experience with energy-efficient lighting; disposition of the products, including placement and hours of use; estimated energy savings, after adjusting for free ridership, spillover, and snapback/snapforward; customer satisfaction; motivations for and barriers to purchasing energy-efficient lighting; and likelihood to purchase under different market conditions.

Client: U.S. EPA (subcontracting to Cadmus), Southwest Gas, Reliant, Entergy
Project: Market Research on New Home Buyers

NMR conducted surveys of buyers of newly constructed homes in the Phoenix and Houston areas in order to assess the regional markets for newly constructed homes and the role of ENERGY STAR-labeled homes in each market and to provide a baseline for assessing the effects of a campaign to promote ENERGY STAR-labeled homes. NMR produced separate reports on the Phoenix and Houston markets, and also provided a comparison report outlining similarities and differences between the two markets.

Client: U.S. EPA (subcontracting to Cadmus)
Project: Concept Testing for ENERGY STAR Ads

As part of its ongoing efforts to “brand” ENERGY STAR and thus provide a meaningful and compelling connection among the various products bearing the ENERGY STAR label—and to support the marketing efforts of the numerous ENERGY STAR partners—the EPA commissioned the development of a national PSA (public service announcement) advertising campaign. Before investing in full-scale advertising production and PSA placement, however, the EPA wanted to assess consumer reactions to the ads’ messaging and design concepts in preliminary, unfinished form. This project was an assessment of consumer reaction to a national PSA (public service announcement) advertising campaign in preliminary, unfinished form, and involved 103 in-person interviews in five markets throughout the country. This work guided refinement of the final ads, demonstrating how consumers understand and relate to the EPA’s advertising and the ENERGY STAR message it conveys.