Sample Studies
Non-English Speaker Benchmarking and Customer Journey
ILLUME conducted a benchmarking study and interviews for the Program Administrators to understand best practices for non-English outreach and to understand customer journeys of non-English speakers (process, market assessment).
Residential Nonparticipant Market Characterization and Barriers Study
ILLUME conducted primary research for the Massachusetts Program Administrators and EEAC to characterize Mass Save residential nonparticipants, investigate barriers to participation, and identify engagement opportunities (process, market assessment).
Multicultural Small Business Owner Research
ILLUME conducted small and mid-sized business (SMB) multicultural research for Georgia Power (process, market effects) to explore barriers to program participation and identify engagement and messaging strategies.
Georgia Power is Leading by Their Customers’ Example
ILLUME conducted in-home and in-business ethnographic research (process, market effects) for Georgia Power to explore how language and social & local culture impacts perceptions of energy and examine the impact on participation.
Using Art to Personalize Data
ILLUME provided primary research on the customer and retailer shopping experience when buying a light bulb to inform a detailed and interactive journey map on Georgia Power’s retail lighting program (process).
Water Heater Demand Response Pilot Evaluation
ILLUME consulted with Georgia Power to provide EM&V of a water heater DR pilot to quantify demand and energy impacts, estimate savings, and assess the customer experience (process, impact).
Bring Your Own Thermostat (BYOT) Pilot Evaluation
ILLUME conducted a Bring your Own Thermostat (BYOT) Pilot evaluation for Georgia Power (process, impact) to assess demand impacts and savings from a thermostat-based DR program.
Optimizing Thermostat Demand Response Program Performance Paper
This paper, co-presented at the 2019 IEPEC conference, explores how weather and program design factors influence DR program participant behavior, particularly customers’ likelihood of overriding/opting out of DR events (process, impact).
Optimizing Thermostat Demand Response Program Performance Presentation
This presentation, with additional findings on understanding how DR program participants may react to weather and program design elements, is a companion piece to the 2019 IEPEC paper (process, impact).
Consumer Messaging for Ductless Heat Pumps and Heat Pump Water Heaters
ILLUME conducted a message testing study (process, market effects) of ductless heat pump and heat pump water heater technologies on behalf of NEEA.
Do You Ever Wonder What People Actually DO With Their Thermostats?
Co-presented with Guidehouse at the 2019 AESP Conference, this research of customers in Worcester, MA includes a comprehensive analysis to better understand how people use their thermostats and AC (process, impact).
Understanding the Role of Weather in Air Conditioning Use Behavior and Demand Response Program Participation
This research for the Massachusetts Program Administrators analyzes weather effects on timing of first and last use of AC during a given season and DR event participation (process, impact).
Orchestrated Energy Reduced AC Run Times Daily and During Demand Response Events
ILLUME assisted in experimental design and impact analysis of thermostat data for participants in four utility territories to understand how DR events contribute to demand reduction in minutes per hour (impact).
Massachusetts Statewide Residential and Commercial Awareness
ILLUME conducted a statewide marketing survey of residential and commercial customers for the Program Administrators (process, market effects) to assess the Mass Save® marketing campaign.
Language Needs Assessment
ILLUME conducted research of Korean and Vietnamese communities in the Atlanta-area for Georgia Power (process, market assessment) to assess language barriers, communication preferences and needs, and expectations around language services.
Commercial Behavioral Program Evaluability Assessment
ILLUME conducted this evaluability (process, impact) assessment for a utility client’s Commercial Behavioral Program (CBP) to ensure it was on track to collect and measure data for future evaluation and deliver customer insights.
Statewide Commercial Behavior Segmentation and Potential Study
ILLUME conducted statewide Commercial Behavior Segmentation and Potential Study to measure the technical and human potential of energy saving behavior changes in small and medium sized businesses in Minnesota (process, impact, market assessment).
Natural Gas Segmentation Study
ILLUME conducted this research for NEEA (market effects) to support the development of new, high efficiency natural gas initiatives in the Northwest.