News Release
Release Date:
For immediate release
Media Contact:
Ashley Kimble (616) 355-1576
HOLLAND FOURTH ACROSS THE NATION TO WIN FIVE MILLION AND CHANGE
Holland, Mich. – December 16, 2015 — In rankings released today, the City of Holland is
ranked fourth among 50 cities nationwide competing in the Georgetown University Energy Prize
(GUEP), a contest that is challenging communities across the U.S. to rethink their energy use.
To earn its 4th place ranking, Holland currently holds a net -20 in energy reduction. The current
leader, Huntsville, Ala., holds a net -32. The results are an accumulation of data from the first two
quarters of 2015 and are available at http://guep.iconics.com. GUEP is a two-year competition.
“In less than a year, Holland homeowners have become more conscious of their energy usage,
and it is because of their efforts that we are ranked as one of GUEP’s most energy efficient cities,”
said Nancy DeBoer, mayor, Holland. “We are only one quarter of the way through this contest
and Holland’s volunteer and marketing efforts are just getting started. We look forward to the next
reporting from GUEP.”
The GUEP competition officially kicked off in January 2015 and the City of Holland has worked
collaboratively with Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) and SEMCO ENERGY Gas
Company to develop participatory, community-facing programs to help reduce energy
consumption.
“Holland is a world-class city that values collaboration, and because of that, we have become a
contender in the Georgetown Energy Prize,” said Ryan Cotton, city manager, Holland. “Our
volunteers have knocked on thousands of doors to tell this story, and there is an entire year
remaining, so we still have work to do. Holland needs the resolve of the entire city to earn first
place and win $5 million to support the new Holland Energy Fund.”
GUEP rankings represent an estimated snapshot of the overall energy score, which calculates
each community’s reduction in overall energy use in 2015, compared to the same period in 2013
and 2014. It also adjusts for number of households, weather and to account for the energy used
in producing and distributing the energy.
“The buzz around the competition is growing, but we need to make a concerted effort to keep
residents excited and interested in reducing their energy consumption if we want to win the prize,”
said Dave Koster, general manager, HBPW. “Residents can call the city or HBPW for an
immediate energy savings package. The long-term goal is to save homeowners money and help
our environment too.”
To reach residents on a personal level, volunteers from throughout the City, City employees and
HBPW employees rallied together for two different energy blitzes, one in June and most recently
in November. Additionally, the City and HBPW have participated in community events, used a
variety of marketing techniques including videos, social media, radio ads and billboards, and
implemented quarterly competitions with prizes to help incentivize residents to take action.
“We implemented the quarterly competitions through City of Holland and HBPW Facebook pages
as an easy way to remind residents how they can be energy-conscious, and give them the
opportunity to contribute to the competition in a fun way,” said Anne Saliers, community energy
services manager, HBPW. “In fact, we have a competition running right now! Throw on your ugly
holiday sweater and upload the photo to the HBPW or City of Holland Facebook pages for a
chance to win a Nest thermostat valued at $250.”
Anyone interested in the city of Holland’s progress can use the interactive dashboard at
http://guep.iconics.com. There, visitors will see an aggregated electric and natural gas energy
consumption from the municipal and residential sectors. The residential sector includes all homes,
condos, apartments and other residential properties within the community while the municipal
sector includes all government buildings, K-12 schools, public infrastructure and other public
services provided by the city and/or county.
In 2014, the city of Holland developed a comprehensive strategy and tactics to reduce energy
usage by municipal and residential buildings. The final outcome is intended to be utilized by cities
of all sizes across the country, making it as important for Holland's plan to be efficient as well as
replicable and scalable.
To learn more about the Georgetown University Energy Prize and to track the competition’s
progress, visit www.guep.org, or follow the Prize on Twitter (@GUEnergyPrize) or Facebook
(www.facebook.com/guenergyprize).
For more information about Holland’s efforts and ways you can get involved, please visit
www.hollandenergyprize.com.
About Georgetown University Energy Prize
The Georgetown University Energy Prize aims to rethink America’s energy use by harnessing the
ingenuity and community spirit of towns and cities all across America. Over the course of a twoyear period, the Prize will challenge small- to medium-size towns, cities, and counties to rethink
their energy use, and implement creative strategies to increase efficiency. To compete for the
Prize, local governments, residents, utilities, and others will need to work together to demonstrate
success in sustainably reducing energy consumption. For more information, visit www.guep.org.
About Georgetown University
Georgetown University is the oldest and largest Catholic and Jesuit university in America,
founded in 1789 by Archbishop John Carroll. Georgetown, today, is a major student-centered,
international research university offering respected undergraduate, graduate and professional
programs in Washington, D.C., Doha, Qatar, and around the world. For more information about
Georgetown University, visit www.georgetown.edu.
About the City of Holland
The City of Holland, Michigan is a vibrant community in a beautiful lakefront setting. It is a worldclass city with a small-town feel making it one of the best places to live, visit and retire. Holland
has been recognized by Forbes Magazine and Money Magazine as one of the safest and most
beautiful places in the U.S. and was voted as the “Second Happiest and Healthiest Places to Live
in America” by Gallup-Heathways Well-Being Index. Most recently, Livability named Holland one
of the top 10 cities in the country for families.
About Holland Board of Public Works
The Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) is a community-owned enterprise providing electric
generation and distribution, water, wastewater treatment and broadband utility services to nearly
28,000 business and residential customers in the Holland area. HBPW is committed to enhancing
the economic and environmental vitality of the community, providing reliable services at the
lowest rates achievable through innovation, efficiency and professional operations.
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