ENERGY JOURNEY, continued from page 15
Pediatric Healthcare won $5,000 in energy efficiency improvements from DTE
she says. “Our intention with the “The energy cost efficient,” contest was to remove barriers so they could savings was do even more.” immediately The contest’s three grand-prize winners awarded $5,000 in energy efficiency effective for are improvements following a detailed, on-site assessment by a professional DTE us and will energy energy advisor. Ten additional finalists perpetuate itself receive the energy assessment, which educates and guides small-business owners for years.” on the next, most helpful steps to take in —DR. SHARON MCMANUS, FOUNDER OF PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE
reducing energy consumption. In addition, several print, web and social media marketing opportunities help the grand-prize winners promote their energy efficiency journeys to more than 200,000 DTE business customers statewide, Liang says. Small and medium-sized businesses entering the contest must be current DTE electric, gas or combo customers that are open and operating. They also should have a story to share. “We are looking for intentional energy efficiency measures already taken, but also a comprehensive entry that tells a story,” Liang says.
‘Good, smart changes’ One thing that made McManus’s entry stand out from the others was her prior commitment to energy efficiency and her future goals beyond the contest. “She had already done what she could with lighting efficiency, but 16
there was more to do, and she was looking for guidance and the funds to help get her there,” Liang says. After finding out she had won the $5,000 in upgrades and a professional energy efficiency assessment, McManus wasn’t surprised the DTE energy advisor focused immediately on the lighting. “We have a lot of lights throughout our medical practice,” she says. “While we knew they were less effective than we wanted them to be, we also wanted to pay attention to the kind of light we provide our patients and employees who are in the office for multiple hours. “We wanted to make good, smart changes.”