Consumers spending money to save money

By Stephanie Tavares

Friday, April 17, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The retail outlook remains bleak with one exception.

Apparently people are still willing to spend a buck to save two.

A recent survey by the Shelton Group found that consumers were buying things such as new appliances to cut down on energy costs.

About 70 percent of consumers cited saving money as a motive for buying energy-efficient products.

That’s a major shift from a survey the Shelton Group conducted in 2006 and 2007 — before the recession — when consumers were most likely to buy an energy-efficient appliance to protect the environment.

Only 55 percent of respondents this year said protecting the environment was a motive.

Most consumers also said they had purchased or were considering purchasing other energy-saving technology.

• 32 percent of respondents have purchased a programmable thermostat and another 44 percent said they are likely to buy one.

• 26 percent already have installed extra insulation in their homes while another 43 percent said they were likely to do so.

• 26 percent of the respondents have already installed higher-efficiency water heaters and another 42 percent said they were likely to do so.

“Americans are concerned about their jobs, their homes and their bank accounts. They’re now more focused on saving money than saving the Amazon,” said Suzanne Shelton, president of the Shelton Group. “Yes, conserving energy is the greenest thing anybody can do, but consumers are not buying more efficient products because they want to save the world. They want products that can save them money in the long run.”

For those who already had installed energy-efficient appliances, most said they had seen a drop in energy prices.

Fifty-three percent of the respondents who had purchased Energy Star appliances completed energy-efficient home renovations or participated in special-utility programs had seen the reduction in their utility bill.

But 32 percent said they did not see a savings on their energy bill after installing an energy-efficient appliance.

The Shelton Group said that was likely because of rising utility rates or increased power consumption from other new appliances or gadgets. The researchers also conceded some of that could be because of the “Snackwells effect.”

“A lot of us buy a box of Snackwells and think, ‘They’re low fat, so I can eat all of them.’ Then we wonder why we haven’t lost weight,” Shelton said. “Buying an energy-efficient product can create the same type of effect. We’ll say, ‘I just got a high-efficiency air conditioner, I can lower the temp and make my home even cooler in the summer.’ Then we get frustrated that our new air conditioner isn’t reducing our utility bills.

Locally, NV Energy has seen increased interest in its energy-conservation programs, company executives said.

The utility offers a variety of incentives and rebate programs for everything from digital thermostats to renewable energy systems.

Consumers can also get an informal energy audit through the company’s Web site. The online application allows homeowners to create a customized profile of their home electric use and compare their energy use to similar homes.

The company offers low- and no-cost energy saving tips.

For more information on these programs and services, log on to www.nvenergy.com/saveenergy/home.

• • •

The Nevada Institute for Renewable Energy Commercialization is accepting applications for its 2009 grant program.

The grants are meant to help bring together researchers, experienced entrepreneurs and business executives to identify, fund and accelerate the development of renewable energy technology.

The institute awards grants up to $100,000 for technology validation and technical proof of concept activities. Projects also participate in the entrepreneur-in-residence program, including business planning and development counseling.

The program is open to all faculty, students and staff of the institute’s research partners, including UNLV; UNR; the Desert Research Institute and the University of California, Davis, as well as pre-seed stage renewable energy companies either registered in Nevada or affiliated with one of the institute’s research partners.

Application instructions are available at www.nirec.org and www.nirec.org/rfp.

The deadline is June 18.

• • •

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has the new I-9 immigration forms businesses are required to use in the hiring process.

As of April 3, businesses must use the new form, which has a Feb. 2 revision date and June 30 expiration date.

The form is necessary for employers to verify that every new hire is either a U.S. citizen or authorized to work in the United States, according to the service.

Additional information, including what types of identity verification are required, can be found at www.uscis.gov.

Stephanie Tavares covers utilities and law for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached at 259-4059 or at [email protected].