Little Rock, Ark. — May 2010 — In today’s economy $50,000 is quite a boost to most homeowners and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas are about to provide a prize much more valuable than money to a lucky electric cooperative member in the form of an energy efficiency home makeover.
For the third consecutive year, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas will sponsor an energy efficiency home makeover contest for electric cooperative members. The winner’s home will be transformed into an energy-efficient home. Entrants must reside in Arkansas, be a member of a participating Arkansas electric cooperative and own and occupy an all-electric home.
“The past two contests have been very successful and resulted in thousands of Arkansans learning how to apply better energy efficiency practices,” said Doug White, vice president of systems services for the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas. “We receive thousands of applications each year with many heart-wrenching pleas for assistance. While we can only renovate one home, we strive to help everyone, with the assistance of the media, by educating them on cost effective methods to make their homes more comfortable and energy efficient.”
In 2009, Aaron and Jerissa Rogers of Wesley, members of Ozarks Electric Cooperative, were the winners of the energy efficiency makeover. During the makeover their 1,304-square-foot home was transformed to achieve maximum comfort and energy efficiency.
The home energy efficiency makeover will be promoted via television, radio, the Internet and through other communications vehicles in an effort to reach the cooperatives’ nearly 500,000 members. An application may be obtained at your local electric cooperative or by visiting http://www.smartenergytips.org.
The grand prize winner will receive up to $50,000 worth of energy-efficiency improvements which create a more comfortable home with lower utility bills. To enter, contestants are asked to fill out and sign the required entry form, answer a few energy-oriented questions about their home, submit a photograph of their home and include a copy of their electric bill. In addition to the winning cooperative member, 16 semi-finalists will receive a free high energy efficient 40-gallon Marathon water heater.
The makeover home will receive a complete pre- and post -diagnostic energy audit, including a blower door test and infrared thermography.
The project’s major sponsors include: Doug Rye; Harry G. Barr Company; Marathon Water Heaters; Rood Heating and Air of Russellville; and WaterFurnace.
The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise 17 electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides various services to the distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC), a generation and transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to more than 500,000 members, or customers, in Arkansas and surrounding states.
For additional information, contact:
Rob Roedel, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, 501.570.2296 or rroedel@aeci.com
