Even though the staff at Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) got its picture taken for winning the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency March Madness competition, it’s the 11 small businesses who received free energy assessments who are the real winners.
In early spring, BAPA was among four Chicago organizations selected to participate in a March Madness themed pilot competition. The goal was to get the most small businesses in the selected communities to schedule free energy assessments provided by the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program. During March, BAPA shared the information with local businesses through social media and the Villager Weekly Report enews to build participation.
Businesses that scheduled the assessments benefited from free energy saving products such as programmable thermostats, pipe insulation and faucet aerators. They also were eligible for rebates for energy-efficient upgrades for furnaces and boilers, HVAC optimization, demand-controlled ventilation, and more. These businesses can expect to see a reduction in their energy bills.
Business owners and homeowners interested in learning more about free energy efficiency products or services can contact the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program at 855-849-8928 or peoplesgasrebates.com.
BAPA won a $500 prize from Peoples Gas by beating out the other participating organizations. The award was presented by the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency team in May.
“We are excited about BAPA’s continued commitment to helping us provide energy-saving opportunities to residents and businesses,” Yvette Pittman, Government and Community Relations, Peoples Gas. “Through our work with the organization, we have continued to boost participation for the Peoples Gas Energy Efficiency Program offerings. We look forward to continuing along this pathway to community savings.”
Founded in 1947, BAPA is a not-for-profit community based civic organization that serves the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood with programs in business advocacy, housing and housing preservation, safety, school support, events and communications. BAPA is located at 1987 W. 111th St., Chicago. Learn more at www.bapa.org.
