# Presentation: 536298

## Marketing Minnesota's Energy Code to ConsumersWe just don't build like we used to!

- Phil Smith
- Minnesota Department of Commerce
- State Energy Office

## Greetings From Minnesota

- Land of 10,000 lakes
- Tower, MN hit -60 F February 2, 1996.

## Energy Code History

*First implemented in ‘76 *
- Code covers 20% land area 80% population
- MN Population split between TC Metro and rest of State
- Contractor Licenses oblige Code compliance
*34°F This July in Baudette*

## Energy Code History

*1991 mandate to adopt energy code rules that ****"...equal or exceed the most energy-conserving codes adopted by any other state."  ***
*Adoption of rules in stages - 1993 and 1998*
*In 2000 Legislative action amended rules, giving residential builders two options for meeting the requirements of the energy code. Category 1 and Chapter 7672*

## Communicating the Paths to Compliance

## Protection Against Excessive Depressurization

**Backdrafting**

## Partnerships

## We Just Don’t Build Like We Used too!

## Materials Have Changed

## House as a System

- Hammer Home the message that Materials and Methods have changed

## Partnerships

## Develop Media Partnerships

## House as a System

- Understand the driving forces
- understand the materials
- understand the relationships

## New Materials 

## What we had to sell

- New Energy Code Reduces problems
- Reduced moisture problems
- Reduced air quality problems
- Increased combustion equipment safety
- reduced call backs and a better bottom line

## House as a System is the Key Message

- Made up of
- Structure
- Mechanical Systems
- Residents
- All are dynamic and all interact
- Every Action has an Equal and Opposite Reaction

## House As a System

- Full Coverage - Optimum Thermal Insulation
- Air barrier to permit insulation to perform as designed
- gaps in sheathing and wind wash over top plates reduce insulation performance causing call back$

## House as a System

- Today we can test and demonstrate proving assumptions

## House as a System

## House as a System

- Rim Details

## House as a System

- Rim Details

## House as a System

## Communication Strategies

- Author Columns in press

## Develop Media Partnerships

## House as a System is the Key Message

- Made up of
- Structure
- Mechanical Systems
- Residents
- All are dynamic and all interact
- Every Action has an Equal and Opposite Reaction

## Communication Strategies

- Establish a knowledgebase among Consumers & Builders
- Home Energy Guides

## Communication Strategies

- Establish a knowledgebase among Consumers & Builders
- Home Energy Guides

## Communication Strategies

- Establish a knowledgebase among Consumers & Builders
- Home Energy Guides

## Communication Strategies

***Energy Information Center***
***Energy Specialists are available to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at (651) 296-5175 or Toll-Free (800) 657-3710, or through email at:***
***energy.info@state.mn.us***

## Communication Strategies

- Energy Information Center activities yield
- Distribution of 230,000 publications in hard and electronic format
- 10,000 to 15,000 direct contacts
- additional 30,000 to 35,000 indirect contacts

## Communication Strategies

- Web resource

## Develop Media Partnerships

## Communication Strategies

- Target consumer Trade Shows - Home and Garden Shows
- State wide events MN State Fair - 1.4 to1.6 annual attendance
- We will have 20,000 - 25,000 consumers stop at our booth over the course of the FAIR

## Trade Show Display

## Trade Show Display

## Communication Strategies

***Energy Information Center***
***Energy Specialists are available to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at (651) 296-5175 or Toll-Free (800) 657-3710, or through email at:***
***energy.info@state.mn.us***
***CD  great market response to electronic media***

## Communication Strategies

- Energy Information Center activities yield
- Distribution of 230,000 publications in hard and electronic format
- 10,000 to 15,000 direct contacts
- additional 30,000 to 35,000 indirect contacts

## Develop Media Partnerships

- An energy-efficient house undergoes a blower door test to fulfill requirements for the Premier Home program. Some of the energy-efficient features in the utility area on the first floor include an air-to-air heat exchanger, left; the furnace, and in the distance, the water heater.

##  Develop Media Partnerships 4,400 Ft. Sq. for $440 a year

- $400 for heat, air conditioning and hot water for a year.