1. Convince / Help Others to Adopt Solar or Other Clean Technologies
Research shows that consumers are 24% more likely to implement clean energy systems and efficiency upgrades after seeing them themselves, but schedules being what they are, visiting in person isn’t always possible. Your EnergySage case study, however, is available for review 24 / 7 /365 allowing people to access valuable data about your real-life experiences living with these systems. Information about the products and service providers you used, your ratings and reviews, photos of your home or business, environmental and financial results and, most importantly, your expertise, go a long way toward convincing others that these systems can work for them, too.
The case studies are always there just waiting for visitors to EnergySage.com to access them. Some case study authors, however, take matters into their own hands, taking an even more proactive approach. They promote their case study through their own social media channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.), highlighting key details and providing a link. Some are even using their case studies to further the conversation around clean energy or illustrate specific points in discussion groups, Q&A forums, or in the comments sections of popular blogs and online articles. One EnergySager, Heather Parker used a link to her case study showcasing her passive solar home in the comments section of a New York Times article, The Passive House: Sealed for Freshness. That one link brought more than 200 people (and counting) to visit her case study.
2. Brag About All the Money You Are Saving
Let’s face it, despite all the information to the contrary, there are still people who doubt that an investment in solar or other clean technologies is worth it. What better way to politely prove them wrong than to send them a link to your case study highlighting your indisputable results? Or maybe you’re just really excited about all the money you’re saving and you want to spread the word. Either way, your case study can serve as a home base for all the facts, figures and details of your project. The reach of your broadcast is up to you. You may only want to use your case study as a way of answering all those questions from friends and neighbors about your system or you may want to jump up on your social media soap box and tell the world.
3. Help Others to Think About New Ways to Use Clean Energy
More often than not, the case studies on EnergySage spark new ideas and new ways of thinking about how to use clean energy. Sometimes the details catch our eye and we’ll write a blog that highlights a unique or different case study to amplify its impact. For instance, Diane Hammond adopted solar PV as a retirement strategy. Neeraj and Archana Aggarwal are using their solar power system to fuel a new electric car. These are two of our most popular blogs and they’ve gone a long way toward helping people to see how they can maximize their investment in solar power and also, how they can use solar power to solve other problems such as increasing retirement income or dealing with rising gasoline prices.
4. Help to Sell Your House
We’ve written a lot about the impact adding solar or other clean energy can have on your property values as well as how quickly you can sell your home when it’s equipped with a clean energy system. Studies continue to show the benefits of clean energy systems in these areas, but real estate listings have yet to catch up. One EnergySager in Maine used a link to his case study as a clever work-around to this situation. By including the link in his listing as well as in a posting on Craig’s List, he was able to showcase the benefits and added value his solar PV system delivers to his property.
5. Provide Valuable Feedback On Your Contractor
Your case study serves as a testimonial that allows potential consumers to see actual results through a real-world example of your contractor’s work. It also includes your ratings and reviews of the company as well as the products that were used in your installation. Positive reviews can help to build your contractor’s business and guide potential consumers to proven resources. Conversely, less than stellar reviews can help newcomers to avoid some of the pitfalls that you may have encountered. This kind of community feedback is invaluable as people look to make decisions regarding who to employ for their own installations.
6. (BONUS!) Create A Virtual Tour
Many sustainability organizations that recognize the benefits of our case study database have used it to create their own virtual tours of clean energy systems working in their communities. In fact, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) uses EnergySage case studies to host the virtual component of its annual Green Building Open House Tour each October. Organizations interested in creating similar virtual tours should contact us for details.
The case studies hosted on EnergySage serve a vital purpose, helping to dispel misconceptions about everything from aesthetics to cost / benefits as well as convincing people about the suitability of these technologies. If you’re thinking about installing a clean energy system of your own, you can search the case study database by zip code to find properties in your neighborhood with successful systems. If you already have a clean energy system installed at your property and you want to take advantage of some of the benefits listed above, you can create a case study of your own. For maximum impact, make your case study as complete as possible by including financial details about the costs and savings associated with your project . We’ll do our part, too! We’ve made sure that your case study is fully integrated with all of the educational and shopping resources on the EnergySage website, including our Solar Marketplace. Once you’ve convinced them that solar is the way to go, we’ll help them get to the finish line by providing a simple online comparison-shopping experience that lets them compare quotes from multiple pre-screened installers in an apples-to-apples format across all financing options. With your help, we’re making it easy for people to decide to adopt these technologies themselves. Thanks!