“Harnessing Energy for Rural Communities”

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Complete Austin Conference Program
Including the
Growing Green Communities
Award Winners

In November 2011, the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration will honor 10 outstanding initiatives that have created economic value and opportunity through environmental stewardship, energy conservation and sustainable practices in Texas rural communities. The awards program will showcase the best sustainable practices that save money, make money and/or create jobs.

The Growing Green Communities Awards program will recognize individuals, businesses, communities and entities in five categories:

• School Districts including Private Schools
• Rural Communities
• Electric Cooperatives and Municipal Electric Utilities
• Businesses
• Elected Officials

The criteria for evaluation for all categories include the degree to which the effort saved money, made money or created jobs as a result of an activity or initiative dedicated to energy efficiency, renewable energy solutions, creating sustainable communities or clean energy technologies. Projects or initiatives undertaken between January 2008 and December 2010 are eligible for nomination.

The Growing Green Communities Awards Process:

I.         Award Categories

a.  School Districts including Private Schools

Two school districts and/or private schools will be recognized for their sustainable and/or energy efficient projects that saved money, made money or created jobs. Projects may include making buildings more efficient, constructing buildings that employ low-emission building materials, or using energy-efficient fittings. One award will be given to a small school district and one to a medium sized district as follows:

• Student population or classified as 1A  Population 199 and below
• Student population or classified as 2A – 3A Population 200 to 989

b.  Rural Communities

Two Rural Communities will receive the Growing Green Communities Awards. This award showcases two communities that have promoted and implemented initiatives to create sustainable communities. Selections will be made based on the impact the initiative had in generating wealth or creating jobs for the community. One award will be given to each population group as follows:

• Award 1 – Population less than 12,000
• Award 2 – Population between 12,000 and 50,000

c.  Electric Cooperatives and Municipal Electric Utilities

This Growing Green Communities Award will recognize two electric companies, one Electric Cooperative and one Municipal Electric Utilities, for best-in-class initiatives that promote renewable energy or energy efficiency, thus reducing costs to the customer encouraging adoption of sustainable technologies and practices and creating jobs. Selection will be based on the companies who had the most significant impact on helping residential and/or commercial customers reduce energy costs, increase energy efficiency and created jobs in the community.

• Award 1 – Electric Cooperative
• Award 2 – Municipal Electric Utility

d.  Businesses

Two for-profit businesses registered in the state of Texas will be recognized for demonstrating excellence in and commitment to the management and use of energy, and other sustainable practices. The competition is open to small and medium sized companies, from entrepreneurs to larger businesses that have rolled out energy savings programs and adopted clean energy solutions. These individuals or companies have tackled the challenges of energy sustainability with a focus on innovation in clean-energy technologies.

Awards will be given to two businesses according to the following size:

• Small Business with 20 or less employees
• Medium sized business with 250 or less employees

e.  Elected Officials

Tackling the challenges of the state’s energy consumption and conservation can be a daunting task, albeit rewarding to see results. The Growing Green Communities Award for  elected officials will be presented to two officials whose impact on statewide programs encouraged economic growth and job creation through sustainable practices.

II.  Online Nomination For

Any individual may submit a nomination to recognize a business, school district, community, elected official or energy company that meets the criteria as stated in Section I. Award Categories. The online nomination form is located at Awards.GrowingGreenCommunities.com.  The nomination form is to be completed and submitted online by 5:00 p.m., Fri. Sept. 30, 2011. Nominators may upload images with their nomination form. Should there be a problem in uploading, the nomination form and images may be mailed or delivered by 5:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 30, 2011 to:

Texas Engineering Extension Service
John B. Connally Building
Attention: Ann Lauter
301 Tarrow
College Station, TX, 77840

III.  Selection Criteria

Nominations will be judged based on the degree to which the initiative made money, saved money or created jobs. The 1,000 words or less nomination narrative should clearly describe the project or initiative, the dates the program began/ended, and how the initiative made money, saved money, and/or the number of jobs created as a result of the initiative or efforts described.

IV.  Selection Procedure

The Growing Green Communities Advisory Council will determine the winners from each category. This select committee consists of leaders with backgrounds in public utilities, energy, government, business, academia and economic development.

The Growing Green Communities Award Winners will be notified by October 10, 2011. We request that representatives of the winning organizations be present at the Statewide Growing Green Communities Conference, Harnessing Energy for Rural Communities, to accept the award on behalf of the winning organization and to participate in the conference as early adopters who can provide valuable insights to peers.

V.  Timeline

• July1, 2011 – Nominations Open
• September 30, 2011 – Nominations Close
• October 1, 2011 – Selection Process
• October 10, 2011 – Growing Green Communities Awards Winners Announced
• November 14-16, 2011 – Growing Green Communities Statewide Conference
• November 14, 2011 Peer Group Round Table Discussions featuring Award Winners (Schools, Communities, Cooperatives/Utilities, and Businesses)
• November 15, 2011 2011 Growing Green Communities Awards Dinner

VI.  Awards Presentation

The Statewide Growing Green Communities Conference, Harnessing Energy for Rural Communities, will begin Monday Nov. 14, 2011 at the Hilton Austin Airport Hotel. The conference opens with peer group round table discussions.  The 10 winners of the Growing Green Communities Awards will be featured at these peer group discussions for conference attendees (decision makers, practitioners, economic developers, business leaders and other community leaders) to exchange knowledge and experience and to identify opportunities for wider roll-out of sustainable practices.

Our winners are local pioneers of environmental stewardship and energy conservation, ranging from rural communities to schools, businesses, elected officials and electric companies.  What they share is a commitment to address energy efficiency and sustainability in order to create economic benefits that make money, save money and/or create jobs. The Growing Green Communities Awards Dinner honors these pioneers and will capture their unique and inspiring stories.

For further information, please contact:

Ann Lauter
Administrative Coordinator
Ann.Lauter@teexmail.tamu.edu
979-458-6723