In the first two posts of this series, we looked at the foundation of energy efficiency messaging and how to tailor that message to different audiences. But even the most compelling story or value proposition can fall flat if it’s delivered at the wrong time. Timing isn’t just about when your message goes out; it’s about when your audience is most ready to hear it.

Energy efficiency often becomes top-of-mind when people are reacting to a problem, a spike in their utility bill, an aging HVAC system, or a sweltering heatwave. These are the moments when messaging can feel most relevant and most likely to drive action.

“People search for energy efficiency opportunities in a reactive state of mind,” said Rad Tollet from Brand Federation. That means we need to be proactive. Anticipate seasonal pain points, like the start of summer or winter, and use those moments to promote energy-saving programs or resources before people feel the strain.

Use the Calendar to Your Advantage:

 Planning around seasonal or situational triggers can help your message land:

• Spring and fall: Prime time to promote energy audits, insulation, and HVAC tune-ups.
• Tax season: Remind audiences about credits and rebates tied to energy efficiency upgrades.
• Move-in/back-to-school seasons: Reach renters and new homeowners with simple, low-cost solutions.

Align Timing with Platform

How you deliver the message matters just as much as when. Newsletters may resonate with homeowners. Text alerts or targeted social ads might better reach renters or younger audiences. And in historically underserved communities, trusted local partners, like non-profits, schools, or neighborhood leaders, may be your best messengers.

Repetition Builds Recognition

Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself, thoughtfully. People rarely act the first time they see a message. Use a mix of channels, voices, and formats to keep the message fresh while reinforcing your core point. Repetition builds recognition, and recognition builds trust.

As West Cary Group noted, effective campaigns plan for the full customer journey, not just a single impression. The key is showing up consistently and meaningfully, not just loudly.

Test, Learn, and Adjust

Timing isn’t a perfect science. Track when and how people are engaging with your messages, opens, clicks, participation rates, and feedback, and use those insights to improve. Over time, you’ll gain a clearer picture of what matters most to your audience and when.

Throughout this series, we’ve explored the foundations of energy efficiency messaging: how to make it relatable, how to tailor it for different audiences, and how to time it for the most impact. These strategies are more than just communication tips; they’re tools to help build trust, drive engagement, and ultimately, help more people benefit from energy efficiency.

We hope our Effective Communication, Efficient Energy blog series sparked ideas, offered useful insights, and gave you a strong foundation to build from, whether you’re launching a campaign, crafting an outreach plan, or simply looking for ways to connect with your community.

In last week’s post, we explored the importance of starting with the basics, what energy efficiency is, and why people should care. However, knowing what to say is only half the battle. If we want energy efficiency messaging to resonate, we have to consider who we’re speaking to. Different audiences have different needs, motivations, and frustrations, and our messaging needs to reflect that.

Be Curious:

Energy efficiency isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept. What resonates with a homeowner may not connect with a renter, small business owner, or contractor. That’s why understanding your audience is the key to making any message stick.

Communications professionals stress the importance of starting with simple, grounded questions:

“What behavior are we asking them to change, and what’s in it for them? Is it about cost savings, environmental impacts, comfort, control, or something else entirely?” said a representative from West Cary Group.

The answers to these questions can shift dramatically depending on the audience. Contractors and installers, for example, are on the front lines of bringing energy efficiency technologies into homes and businesses. Messaging for them should highlight opportunities for professional growth, available training, financial incentives, and how offering energy-efficient solutions can help them stand out in a competitive market. Meanwhile, low-income renters may feel they have limited control over their energy use. But with the right approach, messaging can make them aware of rebates, tax credits, or community programs that can directly lower their bills and improve comfort, at little or no cost. In both cases, tailoring the message to the audience’s unique circumstances makes engagement and action much more likely. 

Once these foundational questions are answered, the next step is developing insights that shape the entire communication strategy. 

West Cary Group recommends using a strategic brief that incorporates four core elements:

A deep human truth: What do people believe or feel about the topic, often beneath the surface?

Example: “I’m tired of being targeted and everything feels like a sales pitch, not something that’s actually for me.”

The tension: What’s the barrier or contradiction keeping them from acting?

Example: They distrust utility or government programs that promise benefits but feel like marketing spin.

A fresh idea: What’s a motivating angle that reframes the topic and opens the door for action?

Example: This isn’t a pitch, it’s an opportunity you already paid into.

The solution: What role does the campaign play in shifting perception or behavior?

Example: Frame energy efficiency programs as a benefit customers have earned and highlight real testimonials or neighbor-led stories to shift the tone from promotion to empowerment. At its core, effective messaging isn’t about convincing people; it’s about connecting with them. By starting with the audience’s lived experience, acknowledging their skepticism, and offering clear, personal benefits, energy efficiency becomes a real solution and less of a technical buzzword. 

Next week, we’ll explore how timing and delivery can make or break a message. Even the best crafted message can fall flat if it arrives at the wrong moment. We’ll dive into how strategic timing and multi-channel delivery can help ensure your message lands when your audience is most ready to listen.

Why Energy Efficiency?

The Virginia Energy Efficiency Council lives and breathes energy efficiency; however, we recognise that it is a subject most people are not familiar with. Acknowledging this communication gap, the VAEEC  is exploring how to best discuss and promote energy efficiency. To guide this work, we interviewed local public relations firms and communications professionals for our June blog series: Effective Communication, Efficient Energy. Each post will build upon the last, sharing key insights, guiding principles, and best practices for communicating a complex topic like energy efficiency to a broad audience.

The What and the Why

When introducing a topic most people aren’t already familiar with, it’s important to start with the basics: What is it, and why should your audience care? Energy efficiency advocates are passionate and informed, but the general public? Not always. SEO data backs this up; most people don’t seek out energy efficiency information until something happens to them, like a surprise high electric bill or the dreaded HVAC breakdown.

“People search for energy efficiency opportunities in a reactive state of mind,” said Rad Tollet from Brand Federation.

So, how do we take that knowledge and run with it?

Communication professionals recommend that we anticipate those pain points and promote energy efficiency programs, resources, and messaging right before peak moments, like the start of summer or winter, when bills often spike. Then we tailor the message to reflect what our audience cares about: saving money. If we want people to see the value of energy efficiency, we have to show it through real-life examples of how it impacts people just like them. Not in abstract numbers or policy jargon, but in stories that reflect their day-to-day realities and frustrations.

This kind of storytelling is strategy, and it’s the foundation of the most effective messaging in the energy world today.

That’s why effective energy efficiency messaging often starts with a simple premise: “This helps people just like you.” Instead of focusing on the technical benefits or environmental impact, though those matter too, we lead with how it can make a difference in someone’s daily life. 

“We always start by reframing the message from the reader’s point of view, what would make this feel relevant or actionable?” said a representative from the West Cary Group.

Maybe it’s a single mom who cut her energy bill in half after a home weatherization project. Or a retiree who avoided a costly HVAC replacement thanks to a free energy audit. These kinds of stories show that energy efficiency isn’t just a policy buzzword; it’s a way to save money, reduce stress, and make homes more comfortable and resilient. When people see themselves reflected in the message, they’re more likely to trust it. They’re more likely to take action, and most importantly, they begin to understand that energy efficiency isn’t something abstract or out of reach; it’s a tool that can improve their quality of life, right now. 

Several communication professionals recommended searching for and promoting success stories to demonstrate that energy efficiency programs can and will save you money. By highlighting the human impact, we can see how these programs help people save, shifting energy efficiency from an abstract concept to an everyday solution. The Virginia Energy Efficiency Council launched its Energizing Efficiency Campaign in 2023 to do exactly that. By uplifting success stories across the Commonwealth, we hope to enlighten our audience to the numerous benefits of energy efficiency. Applications are currently open and will close on August 4th, 2025. Click here to submit your success story! 

But knowing what to say is only half the challenge. Next week, we’ll dive into who you’re speaking to and how to shape your message so it resonates. From renters and homeowners to business owners and community leaders, energy efficiency messaging is most effective when it meets people where they are. 

The Virginia Energy Efficiency Council (VAEEC) recently hosted the Energizing Efficiency Webinar, an engaging and insightful event that celebrated past Energizing Campaign participants and their energy efficiency projects impacting Virginia, as well as the launch of VAEEC’s 2025 Energizing Efficiency Campaign. Held on Tuesday, February 19th, 2025, this webinar brought together three expert speakers and compelling projects. The event kicked off with an introduction to the VAEEC, and our work as a leading voice for energy efficiency since 2012. 

Our first speaker was Jessica Greene, Virginia Energy’s Energy Outreach Coordinator. Jessica started with a history lesson on the Energizing Efficiency Campaign, which invites submissions from across the Commonwealth to highlight impactful energy-saving projects. This campaign provides a platform for all projects—big or small—to showcase their contributions to energy efficiency. She emphasized Virginia Energy’s intent to participate in the 2025 campaign and promoted the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Sub-Grants for local governments. 

Samantha Hudson, Sustainability Division Director at Henrico County, detailed the impressive sustainability measures integrated into five of Henrico County’s Libraries, which achieved LEED Gold certification in 2021. Key features of the libraries include enhanced energy efficiency, reduced energy use by approximately 50% compared to the baseline model, improved indoor air quality, daylight accessibility, and sustainable materials. All features contribute to decreasing the building’s carbon footprint. Her presentation included multiple gorgeous photos of the Fairfield Library, which she encouraged participants to visit if they could.

Bryan Burris, Vice President of Energy Conservation at project:HOMES, presented their weatherization efforts on Tangier Island, a remote community in the Chesapeake Bay with limited access to resources. This project, supported by the Community Energy Innovation Prize, tackled key challenges such as high contractor costs and aging infrastructure. Notable achievements include training local subcontractors to sustain long-term efficiency improvements, as well as upgrading insulation, air sealing, and HVAC systems to enhance energy conservation.

The Energizing Efficiency Webinar successfully highlighted the VAEEC’s commitment to energy conservation, innovation, and community engagement. The event not only provided a platform to showcase impactful projects but also reinforced the importance of sustainable practices in shaping a more energy efficient future. With initiatives like the 2025 Energizing Efficiency Campaign now underway, we continue to lead the charge in making energy efficiency a cornerstone of its clean energy vision. 

The federal elections cast a long shadow over many of the energy efficiency, climate, and financing programs that were established under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. While there is a lot of uncertainty, here’s what we currently know. 

The Good: 

• The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Priority Climate Action Plan projects have been selected and money is in hand. The Comprehensive Climate Action Planning process is underway. The DEQ received one-time CCAP funds to create the plan, but there was never a goal to provide additional funds to states to implement. Instead, the goal is to drive policy decisions down the line at the state and local levels. DEQ is collecting public feedback via this survey through January 15th. 
• The Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant funds that are allocated via formula funding to localities have been secured and will be dispersed as planned. Applications closed on October 31st, and the DOE announced $18M in awards this week. 
  • Virginia Energy received the state allocation and is utilizing a portion of it to administer subgrants to localities that were not eligible for formula funding. Applications for awards of between $10,000 to $100,000 are open through November 29th. Learn more on the VA E website. 
  • An additional allocation of EECBG funds is being used to establish the One-Stop Shop for consumers and contractors to more easily access energy efficiency, solar, EV, and battery storage upgrades.  This program is expected to launch in Q1 of 2025.
• The Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grants for Region 3 via the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative are open through the end of the year. As these funds are being passed through GHHI, they are considered secure. We encourage our members to apply!
• The Rural Energy Assistance Program (REAP) announced over $256M in investments across 41 states, with many projects in Virginia (start at page 188). The REAP program predates the IRA and BIL and benefits many constituencies that are represented by incoming federal lawmakers, so we predict that these funds will be safe. 
• Virginia Energy is awaiting the formula award for the Revolving Loan Fund. The funds are anticipated to be received later this year. 
• While not strictly EE-focused, the state’s award for the Solar For All program and the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program are both secure.  

The Bad: 

• The consensus among many policy analysts is that, if the ink on a contract is not dry and/or money for a climate-related program is not in hand, those funds will not be dispersed. Many incoming federal lawmakers campaigned on promises to repeal or strip the IRA, so the future of unsecured funding is uncertain at best. 

The Big Question-mark- What does this mean for Virginia? 

• The biggest uncertainty is around the Home Energy Rebate Programs. While Virginia is further along in the application process than many other states, its plan has not been submitted or approved by DOE. A recent article in the Washington Post states that “Any states without an accepted plan and a signed contract could lose out on that funding under a new administration. Congress could rescind the unspent funds, or the Trump administration could slow the process of evaluating applications.” Virginia Energy has selected its implementation vendor and intends to submit applications by next month. Hopefully, DOE will expedite the approval process before the inauguration so that more states can launch these valuable programs. 
• The Training Residential Energy Contractor funds were approved by the DOE but have not been received. Likewise, the state was notified that they would be awarded Residential Energy Auditor Funds via the competitive grants under the BIL, but are still in negotiations on that award and are uncertain when the funds will be received. 
• The tax credits for heat pumps, heat pump hot water heaters, EV chargers, and rooftop solar are predicted to be first on the administration’s chopping block. “The parts most vulnerable are consumer-facing: Tax credits for electric-vehicle purchases, tax credits for rooftop solar, for heat pumps,” Ben Cahill, director of energy markets and policy at the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, said. However, analysis from Power Brief and Crux anticipates that changes to the IRA will be “more surgical in nature” as many of the tax credits and domestic manufacturing goals align with the administration’s policy claims. 

Energy efficiency will continue to be the cheapest, easiest, and most accessible way to a cleaner and greener future. As the co-founder and President of VAEEC Member AnnDyl Policy Group stated in the Washington Post, “Energy efficiency has always been bipartisan. Wanting to breathe clean air and have a home that’s comfortable are nonpartisan issues.” While the clouds of change over DC may look daunting, we will persevere and keep working towards our collective mission – to advance energy efficiency across Virginia.