Is the state conducting energy evaluations door to door?

[Detwa]

A man rang my doorbell, dressed in some type of yellow vest that LOOKED legit but it had a BB symbol on it. He said he was conducting energy evaluations as part of the statewide energy initiatives and he was letting me know that they would be back tomorrow to conduct an eval. on my home. If I was losing energy, they would let me know how to resolve it.

I have a No Soliciting sign on my door, so I asked him if this was a solicitation because it sounded oddly like one. He said no. I asked if he worked for the state - he said no, but it was part of the state's initiative blah blah.

I'm thinking, I don't know if I believe the state is going door to door to evaluate people's energy consumption. Seems like they would send something by mail first and announce it on the news. Sure sounded like a solicitation set-up to me, they just got more slick about it.

I didn't let him in. But I wanted to ask if you guys had heard of this and if it sounded legit to you?

[7miledog]

Yes, the State received a competitive Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act [[aka the Stimulus) that is being implemented under the Better Buildings brand, hence the BB. Part of this initiative is conducting neighborhood "sweeps" to perform energy audits and I believe some "low-hanging fruit" upgrades. Detroit is one of the cities is it being operated in. You can find more info here: http://www.betterbuildingsformichigan.org/

[detroitsgwenivere]

There are several companies offering the same service that will actually install, for free, some energy saving products, like CFLs, pipe wrap, sink aerators, showerheads, and sometimes a programmable thermostat. DTE, WARM Training Center, InspireGreen, and ClearResults are all companies that will give you a home energy assessment and installations, and at your convenience. You can find more info about these programs online and phone numbers to make an appointment

[Detwa]

Thanks 7Mile! I appreciate that. You can never be too safe these days, lol. I wasn't letting anybody in if their story didn't add up! I wasn't rude though, maybe he'll come back, I'm sure there's some type of bonus in it for him. I think they should first either mail something or hang something on your door to let you know about the program, let you know how to research it, etc., then when they do show up on your doorstep, you'll be aware of them.

[Detwa]

Thanks, detroitsgwenivere! I knew if I came here, I'd get the right info. I'll let my neighbors know too. We get so many solicitors for siding and roofing that we all just kind of shut down completely now.

[Parkguy]

Our neighborhood [[Rosedale Park) was part of a statewide energy audit program pilot last winter. I know that there were plans to do more neighborhoods in the city, but I don't know which ones. I do know that the program included neighborhoods in Detroit, and [[if I recall) Ferndale and Grand Rapids. We had our house audited, as did several of our neighbors. There was a charge involved, but it was very low, considering the work they did and the devices they would install if you needed them. The audits were done by contractors, not by DTE or actual state employees. BUT, we had to set up the audit appointment weeks in advance. I guess I would try to confirm that this guy or his company were actually part of the program.

[Parkguy]

I dug out the paperwork from our neighborhood project. It was sponsored by the SE Michigan Regional Energy Office and Better Buildings for Michigan, which was a Recovery Act project, as 7miledog said. There were fliers and mailings before the program got going. The literature I have says 27 neighborhoods in Michigan were part of this round.

SE Mich. Regional Energy office: 866.402.1061
www.regionalenergyoffice.org

Note: the website says they are currently working in SW Detroit/Hubbard Farms through Aug. 15

[Detwa]

Thanks, Parkguy!

Everything about the program looks legitimate, but neither I nor my neighbors have received anything in the mail or on our doors about this. I asked one of them last night.

And I'm not in Detroit, I'm in Macomb County. From the website, it looks like they are starting in Roseville later this year, but I'm not even in Roseville.

So now I don't know exactly how straight this guy was. Whatever the case, he could have offered me some literature to leave with me to read over. I think I'll call the number at the website and just give them my address and see if they know of anything in this area.

[Detwa]

Okay, just now a group of THREE people just rang my doorbell about the same program. Now I think they are up to a scam. The guy was acting overly friendly [[lol). He starts off with, "we are in the area conducting energy evaluations". I cut him off and told him that someone had come to my door yesterday about it, and he asks if they had explained to me about the price protection? I said, no, can you just leave me some information about it?

He says, 'absolutely - is there a good time I can come back to talk to you about it?" [[Didn't I just say LEAVE me the information?) I reiterated that I would prefer he leave the materials so I can read on my own and contact him. Then he said, sure, and they all turned and walked away without leaving me anything!

Yeah, I think they might just be taking advantage of this new program to push their own sales business, whatever it is. Awfully strange the way they're behaving.

[Parkguy]

That sounds like a natural gas supplier company. They typically use that sales pitch-- price protection or price guarantee.