Clients

Multiple

OPPORTUNITY

The Home Assistance Program (HAP) was designed to help low income homeowners save on their energy bills through the installation of energy-efficient upgrades. Summerhill is frequently asked by utility companies to coordinate and execute this program, and in recent years, we have implemented it for:

  • Peterborough Distribution Inc.
  • Oshawa PUC
  • Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc.
  • Brantford Power Inc.
  • Burlington Hydro Inc.
  • Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro
  • Energy+ (Cambridge)

STRATEGY

Summerhill promotes HAP through a variety of marketing strategies, including:

  • Direct mail
  • Postcard distribution
  • Postering
  • Co-branding with gas utilities
  • Partnering with food banks and social agencies

When a customer calls the toll-free number, a customer service representative explains the program and takes the customer through the eligibility requirements. If the customer qualifies, an application is pre-filled and sent via the customer’s preferred correspondence method. Once the completed application and supporting documents are received, a home energy assessment appointment is booked with an energy assessor. The assessor inspects the customer’s home, installs basic energy-efficient measures such as LED lights, and recommends replacements for appliances, if eligible.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

  • HAP helps customers save energy and money through energy-efficient upgrades
  • Average of 2,000 kWh in annual savings per home
  • 260% performance achieved in Peterborough, Ontario in 2016, alone.

IMPACT

Having served over 400 participants across seven local distribution companies since 2016, Summerhill helps HAP participants customers achieve an average of 2,000 kWh in annual savings per year. Summerhill’s implementation of Peterborough Distribution Inc.’s HAP achieved over 260% performance in 2016 alone.

“Summerhill Group’s client-centric approach and organized professional program delivery of Peterborough Distribution Inc.’s Home Assistance Program resulted in overwhelming success in 2016. Our modest HAP kilowatt hour (kWh) target was exceeded by 164% while remaining under budget and cost-effective.”

Cathy Mitchell

Conservation Technical Coordinator, Peterborough Distribution Inc.DI