DMEA ‘Home Energy Makeover’ Contest to Award $45,000 in Home Improvements

MONTROSE, Colo., July 1 /PRNewswire/ — Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) is partnering with the Colorado Energy Science Center (CESC) and over 14 area businesses to present a contest in which DMEA members have the opportunity to win up to $25,000 in energy-related home improvements.

The electric co-op in SW Colorado will ask its 26,000 members to ponder, “Are your energy bills higher than your neighbor’s? Higher than those of everyone else you know? Is your home an “energy hog?”

DMEA’s good news for its member-owners: “You could be an ideal contestant for a “Home Energy Makeover.”

   Ten DMEA members with higher-than-average home energy bills will be chosen    as finalists from the contest applicants.     *  The DMEA member with the greatest potential to demonstrate home energy       savings will win up to $25,000 in energy-related home improvements.     *  The first and second runners-up will receive up to $10,000 in       energy-related home improvements!     *  The seven remaining member/finalists will receive a comprehensive       energy analysis of their home with specific recommendations on how       best to cut their utility bills.  The energy analysis conducted and       published on each finalist’s home will detail how the improvements       recommended would not COST members money, but rather MAKE members       money every month.   

“One of DMEA’s goals is to reduce our members’ overall energy consumption by 25% by 2010. This contest is designed to showcase that energy efficiency measures in homes are a one-time investment that pays off every month in lower energy bills and reduced maintenance costs,” explained Steve Metheny, DMEA’s Chief Operating Manager.

“We hope to dramatically demonstrate how much consumers can save on their overall energy bills when they make the ‘right’ home energy improvements,” added Patrick Keegan, Executive Director of the Colorado Energy Science Center. “Utility rates are climbing and homeowners can greatly benefit by understanding how they can better control energy costs through cost effective measures.”

Similar contests are being conducted by CESC, a non-profit energy education organization, elsewhere in the state this year for Xcel Energy and Colorado Springs Utilities.

“It’s exciting to see the number of businesses and organizations supporting this contest,” Keegan said. Co-sponsors include Whitey’s Home Improvement with Certainteed Windows, Accent Windows, Intermountain Energy with Climatemaster, Olathe True-Value with Marathon Water Heaters, House of Lights with TCP Lighting, Energy Outreach Colorado, Best Appliance Sales and Service, Alpine Bank, GTS Energy Star Home Sealing, Master Touch Living Systems, Excellent Insulating Systems, Energy Seal Insulation, Dennis Hughes Insulation, and WestStar Bank.

The deadline for entries is August 31, 2005. Contest entry forms and details are being distributed through inserts in area newspapers this week and are available at DMEA, Alpine Bank and West Star Bank and at http://www.homeenergymakeover.com/.

Finalists will be selected by a Review Team comprised by DMEA, the Colorado Energy Science Center, (CESC), and contest co-sponsors. Consideration will be based on an analysis of the homeowners’ total energy bills (meaning electricity, gas and propane) over the last 12 months, and other criteria such as which homes will best showcase a complete, cost- effective energy efficiency retrofit. See contest rules for details. Inquiries about contest entry should be directed to the Colorado Energy Science Center at cesc@energyscience.org. Businesses interested in co-sponsoring the makeover contest should contact Ed Thomas at ethomas@intermountainenergy.com or (970) 209-8347.

Delta-Montrose Electric Association

CONTACT: Tom Polikalas of Delta-Montrose Electric Association,+1-970-240-1245, tpoliklas@dmea.com; or Ed Thomas of Intermountain Energy,+1-970-209-8347, ethomas@intermountainenergy.com

Web site: http://www.homeenergymakeover.com/