APPRISE, Inc.
Applied Public Policy Research Institute for Study and Evaluation
32 Nassau Street, Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08542
Telephone: (609) 252-8009
Fax: (609) 252-8015
Contact: Jackie Berger, Director of Program Evaluation
E-mail: jackie-berger@appriseinc.org
Website: www.appriseinc.org
Jump to: |
 Description Population Research |
Organization Description and Mission
APPRISE is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to collecting and
analyzing data and information to assess and improve public programs. Our
current research includes work for federal and state governments, agencies,
utility companies, and nonprofit organizations.
energy education, and energy efficiency services to low-income households;
and market transformation programs that provide incentives for undertaking
energy efficiency projects to residential, commercial, and industrial
utility customers. The goals of financial assistance programs are to improve
energy affordability and reduce the problems that are associated with high
energy bills. The goals of usage reduction programs are to increase
knowledge of energy-saving behaviors, improve energy practices, improve the
energy efficiency of the home, reduce energy usage, and improve customer
health and safety. The goals of other residential, commercial, and
industrial energy programs are to reduce energy usage and transform the
market for energy efficient products.
Current projects include:
New Jersey Energy Star Homes Program Evaluation
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities manages a portfolio of energy
efficiency programs. As part of a comprehensive evaluation of the portfolio
of programs, APPRISE is conducting an evaluation of the Residential New
Construction Program, known as the NJ Energy Star Homes Program. Under this
program, builders receive financial incentives to develop homes that are at
least 15 percent more energy efficient than a standard home. APPRISE is
conducting research to assess the effectiveness of this program and to
estimate actual program energy and demand savings from 2001 through 2006.
The research will include a survey with Energy Star homebuyers and
non-participating homeowners and analysis of electric and gas energy usage
data for these households.
Colorado Energy Efficiency Evaluation
Colorado's Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation
implemented new energy efficiency initiatives in 2006 to improve the energy
efficiency of low-income homes. The initiatives include a First Response
Program to provide low-cost, cost-effective energy efficiency measures and
education and an E$P Plus Initiative to provide heating system and other
appliance replacement. APPRISE is providing evaluation research on these new
programs, and additional research on Colorado's ongoing E$P weatherization
services. The goals of the research are to estimate the energy savings
from the program, determine which service delivery methods are most
cost-effective, and provide recommendations for program improvement.
OHIO REACH Evaluation
Ohio's Department of Development, Office of Community Services, has been
awarded a REACH grant to research how they can provide additional resources
to low-income weatherization services in a way that addresses the more
comprehensive needs of low-income households. These funds will be used to
assess the in-home environmental health risks for vulnerable individuals,
prioritize usage reduction measures to meet the energy and health needs of
vulnerable individuals, and provide additional measures that enhance the
health and safety of the home. The program will also establish a partnership
with vulnerable households to take actions to mitigate the environmental
health risks in the home and refer clients to other services that can
improve the health of the home and the clients who live there. APPRISE is
conducting a process and impact evaluation of this project.
WA LIHEAP Research
APPRISE is conducting research to assist Washington's Department of
Community, Trade, and Economic Development assess low-income household needs
for energy conservation and energy assistance services. The research
includes an analysis of the fuels used, energy costs, and energy burden for
low-income households in WA; documentation of current energy prices and
assistance programs offered by utility companies in WA, and recommendations
for the types of energy assistance programs that may best meet the needs
that are documented in the study.
Community and Population Served by the Organization
APPRISE provides research for federal and state government agencies, utility companies, and nonprofit organizations. The programs that APPRISE conducts research on provide benefits to low-income households, residential utility customers, and commercial utility customers.
- OHIO REACH Evaluation
Ohio's Department of Development, Office of Community Services, has been awarded a REACH grant to research how they can provide additional resources to low-income weatherization services in a way that addresses the more comprehensive needs of low-income households. These funds are being used to assess the in-home environmental health risks for vulnerable individuals, prioritize usage reduction measures to meet the energy and health needs of vulnerable individuals, and provide additional measures that enhance the health and safety of the home. Much of the work focuses on the remediation of moisture and mold issues that negatively impact clients who have breathing-related health issues such as asthma and chronic bronchitis. The program establishes partnerships with vulnerable households to take actions to mitigate the environmental health risks in the home and refer clients to other services that can improve the health of the home and the clients who live there. APPRISE is conducting a process and impact evaluation of this project. We would like to conduct case studies to explore the specific work that was done in a sample of homes to restore healthy living environments and interview clients to determine how this work has impacted the home and the clients’ health status. - Energy Education and Energy Usage Reduction: APPRISE has recently conducted an evaluation for a local electric and gas utility company that showed that customers, on average, had high savings from energy education. We conducted a survey with high and low savings to determine what types of actions they have taken as a result of the usage reduction program. We would like to further analyze the usage data and the survey data to determine what types of relationships there are between actions that customer report taking as a result of the program and energy savings. We would also like to investigate whether certain customer characteristics are correlated with greater energy savings. This research will involve statistical analysis of data that APPRISE has collected using software such as STATA.
- Energy Case Management: Utilities in Pennsylvania are required to have programs called Customer Assistance Referreral and Evaluation Program (CARES). These programs help customers with special needs by referring them to social assistance programs. APPRISE is developing a database for a PA utility to use to help them provide better CARES services and analyze the services that they provide. APPRISE would like to conduct surveys with CARES recipients to understand how they have been helped by the program and what their needs are for additional services. This research would involve survey development and telephone interviews with customers who have received CARES services.
- Emergency Bill Payment Assistance: APPRISE provides evaluation support for NJ SHARES, a nonprofit that provides assistance to families in New Jersey that need temporary help with their utility bills. Recent research has only included impact analysis, to determine characteristics of grants awarded and grant recipients, and to determine whether customers are able to pay their utility bills after receiving program assistance. APPRISE would like to learn more about how the program could be improved. This research could include 1) Gather and review documentation on NJ SHARES policies and procedures 2) Interview NJ SHARES staff regarding implementation of program procedures 3) Interview staff at local agencies around the staff that do intake for the program 4) Observe intake for NJ SHARES staff at local agencies around the state 5) Survey clients to determine satisfaction with the program and impacts of the grant on their ability to meet bill payment obligations.
- Home Performance with Energy Star: Home Performance with Energy Star is a program that offers a comprehensive, whole-house approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort at home, while helping to protect the environment. This program, implemented in several states around the country, trains contractors to provide services using the whole house approach and sometimes provides rebates to customers who undertake a home audit or home performance services. There has not been much research on these programs that show why contractors do or do not choose to become involved, why customers do or do not use these services, and what level of energy savings customers achieve by undertaking these improvements. This research would involve the development, and possibly the implementation, of a research plan for one or more of these issues.
Continue searching profiles in alphabetical order.
Continue searching profiles by area of interest.
Continue searching profiles by geographic
location.
