Duke Energy, Mayor Sakbun team up to give Terre Haute an ‘energy makeover’ – Duke Energy | News Center

Collaborative Initiative to Advance Sustainable Development Goals in Terre Haute

Program Overview and Alignment with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)

A joint awareness campaign has been launched by Duke Energy and the City of Terre Haute to advance key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a primary focus on SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). The initiative aims to connect local residents with resources to improve household energy efficiency, making energy more affordable and sustainable.

The central component of this collaboration is Duke Energy’s Home Energy House Call program, which provides residents with critical tools to manage and reduce their energy consumption. This directly supports the targets of SDG 7 by promoting energy efficiency and ensuring access to affordable energy services.

• Provision of free in-home energy assessments conducted by efficiency specialists.
• Generation of customized reports detailing steps for increased energy efficiency.
• Distribution of self-install energy efficiency kits to facilitate immediate energy savings.

Fostering Sustainable Communities and Reducing Poverty (SDG 11 & SDG 1)

This partnership serves as a strategic effort to build a more sustainable and inclusive community, in line with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). By empowering residents to lower their utility costs, the program enhances the affordability and sustainability of housing. Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun noted that the initiative provides a “simple, free way to make homes more efficient and lower monthly bills,” which directly addresses the economic well-being of households and contributes to SDG 1 (No Poverty) by alleviating financial burdens associated with high energy costs.

Participants receive an energy efficiency kit designed to deliver immediate savings. The contents include:

1. Bathroom aerators
2. Weatherstripping
3. Water heater insulation pipe wrap
4. A furnace filter whistle

Program Implementation and Accessibility

The Home Energy House Call program is available to Duke Energy customers residing in single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes, or manufactured homes with an electric water heater, electric heat, or central air conditioning. To ensure broad access, Duke Energy offers multiple enrollment options, including virtual, phone, and online assessments. An in-person sign-up event will be held at Terre Haute City Hall on Monday, Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., where representatives will also provide information on other energy management programs.

Comprehensive Support and Contribution to Climate Action (SDG 13)

Beyond the assessment program, Duke Energy provides a framework of additional support to ensure energy affordability, which is crucial for achieving sustainable development. These measures help mitigate the impacts of energy costs on vulnerable households.

• Payment Flexibility Programs:
  • Budget Billing
  • Pick Your Due Date
  • Installment Payment Plans
• Financial Assistance Partnerships:
  • Low-income Energy Assistance Programs (LIHEAP) for state and federal aid.
  • Duke Energy’s Share the Light Fund® for qualifying customers.

By promoting widespread adoption of energy-efficient practices, this initiative contributes to SDG 13 (Climate Action). Reducing household energy consumption lowers the overall demand on the power grid, subsequently helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy generation.

A Model for Public-Private Partnerships (SDG 17)

The collaboration between Duke Energy, a private sector entity, and the City of Terre Haute, a public institution, exemplifies the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This partnership demonstrates a successful model for leveraging joint resources and expertise to deliver tangible benefits to the community and advance the global sustainable development agenda. Stan Pinegar, president of Duke Energy Indiana, highlighted the partnership’s value in providing “personalized recommendations and insights to help them save energy and ultimately money.”

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

This goal is central to the article, as the entire initiative between Duke Energy and the city of Terre Haute focuses on making energy more affordable and efficient for residents. The “Home Energy House Call” program is designed to help households reduce energy consumption and lower their bills.

SDG 1: No Poverty

The article addresses poverty by focusing on reducing a significant household expense. The Mayor is quoted saying, “utility bills can be a major part of a household’s budget.” By providing tools to lower energy costs and offering financial assistance programs like LIHEAP and the “Share the Light Fund,” the initiative directly helps alleviate financial strain on low-income families.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The program is a city-level initiative aimed at improving the quality of life for its residents. By promoting energy efficiency in homes, the city of Terre Haute is taking steps to create more sustainable and resilient housing, making the community more affordable for its citizens.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

This goal is demonstrated by the collaboration between a private company (Duke Energy) and a public entity (the city of Terre Haute). The article describes a “joint awareness campaign” and quotes both the Mayor and a Duke Energy representative, highlighting the public-private partnership formed to achieve the shared objective of helping residents save money on energy.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. The article’s focus on lowering energy bills through efficiency and providing payment assistance programs like “Budget Billing” and LIHEAP directly contributes to making energy more affordable for residents.
• Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. The “Home Energy House Call” program is a direct measure to improve energy efficiency. It involves analyzing home energy usage, checking appliance efficiency, and providing an “energy efficiency kit” with items like weatherstripping and aerators to help residents “increase efficiency.”

SDG 1: No Poverty

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. The initiative helps reduce the financial burden on households, particularly those “in need.” Programs like the “Share the Light Fund” and LIHEAP provide direct financial assistance to qualifying customers, helping to prevent energy costs from pushing families into poverty.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums. The program improves a basic service—energy—within existing homes to make them more affordable and sustainable. By helping residents manage and reduce their utility bills, the initiative supports the affordability of housing in Terre Haute.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article is a clear example of this target in action, describing the partnership as Duke Energy and the city of Terre Haute launching a “joint awareness campaign.” The Mayor states, “By teaming up with Duke Energy, we’re giving residents a simple, free way to make their homes more efficient,” which exemplifies a public-private partnership working to deliver value to the community.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 7 Targets

• Implied Indicator for Target 7.3: The number of households participating in the “Home Energy House Call” program. The article mentions that representatives will be at City Hall to “sign customers up for the program,” indicating that participation numbers are a key metric of the program’s reach.
• Implied Indicator for Target 7.3: Reduction in household energy consumption and/or monetary savings on energy bills for participating customers. The program provides a “customized report detailing steps they can take to increase efficiency and lower their energy bills,” implying that these savings are a measurable outcome.

Indicators for SDG 1 Targets

• Implied Indicator for Target 1.2: The number of qualifying customers who receive financial aid through assistance programs. The article explicitly names the “Low-income Energy Assistance Programs (LIHEAP)” and “Duke Energy’s Share the Light Fund®,” suggesting that the number of beneficiaries and the amount of aid distributed are tracked.

Indicators for SDG 17 Targets

• Direct Indicator for Target 17.17: The existence of the formal partnership and joint campaign between Duke Energy and the city of Terre Haute. The article itself, which details the collaborative effort, serves as evidence of this partnership.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.duke-energy.com