Climate Change Central Claims National Energy Efficiency Award

The not-for-profit organization received an ENERGY STAR® Market Transformation award from Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency in Ottawa yesterday for its successful consumer rebates program encouraging Albertans to swap old appliances and furnaces for energy-efficient models.

“We share this award with the thousands of Albertans who have made smart energy decisions in their homes and offices,” said Simon Knight, President and CEO of Climate Change Central.  “Consumers benefit by saving energy costs and reducing their carbon emissions.”

Climate Change Central’s selection as the 2010 Advocate of the Year was based on its partnerships with the Alberta government, two large companies and four municipalities in breaking barriers to the uptake of ENERGY STAR qualified products across the province.

These consumer programs “have had an enormous impact on the market for ENERGY STAR qualified products in Alberta,” cites the award.

Rebates worth more than $3.8 million were issued for ENERGY STAR qualified products in 2009, including more than 13,000 clothes washers, close to 6,500 furnaces/boilers and about 300 water heaters.  In addition to saving consumers energy and money, Climate Change Central estimates these products will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 10,000 tonnes per year.

Climate Change Central is a non-profit organization that empowers Albertans to take action on climate change through consumer rebate programs, demonstration projects and educational outreach.