It’s all about power! Green power to run our homes and business, and economic power to sustain our communities through efficiency and sustainable energy generation. Michigan is on the cusp of an energy revolution, and our region and laying the groundwork to keep our local governments on the forefront of policy and program development, ultimately showcasing southeast Michigan as a leader in the green economy.

In 2008 our founding partners--the Suburbs Alliance, WARM Training Center, SEMCOG and the Michigan Municipal League--joined forces to create a regional entity that could aggregate our buying power for energy efficient products and renewable energy projects. Beyond that, the Office will provide a variety of services that can make energy programming really sing at the local level:

Strategic Services
Hiring professional energy analysts and managing the data entry necessary for effective planning are two areas where regional cooperation makes great sense. By pooling resources communities can secure top-line talent and avoid both practical pitfalls and duplicate programming. The Office intends to coordinate strategic services on behalf of participant communities in five areas:

•    Benchmarking and Auditing
•    Sustainability Planning
•    Evaluation and Reporting
•    Advocacy and Policy Development
•    Marketing

Educational Services
Customized staff training and community events, as well as regional forums and advanced technical seminars will be core services provided by the shared staff of the Office.

Technical Services
To maximize the capacity of participating cities to leverage their energy block grant funding, the Office will provide professional assistance in these four areas:

•    Grant Research and Writing
•    Technical Assistance (advice and support on project development and management)
•    Joint Purchasing and Contracting
•    Revolving Loan Fund Management

Participation in the Regional Energy Office is much more than a service contract; it is an investment in the sustainable future of each of our cities and the entire region. Together we will develop innovative policies and programs that will transform the way we see metro Detroit. One city alone cannot change our “rust belt” image, but together we can present a greener face to the world and catalyze an economic development revolution built upon conservation and sustainability.

We believe the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office is the vehicle for realizing that vision. And we hope your community will enthusiastically join us!

Download the documents that will get you started (PDFs except where noted):

•  Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office Summary Memo for Public Officials
This short document summarizes the opportunity presented by the Energy Office, how the entity will be structured and governed, and what services it is anticipated to provide.

•  In the Ring: Energy
Issued in the spring of 2007 following a meeting of regional mayors and city managers, this publication captured the pressing need for energy policy reforms and first proposed the regional energy office.

 •  Regional Energy Office DRAFT Business Plan
This working document--developed by Plante & Moran and the four founding partners with the support of the Michigan Environmental Council, DTE Energy and the U.S. Green Building Council as well as several city leaders from across the region--goes into detail about how the office might be managed and funded.

•  Energy Office Participation Agreement for EECBG Entitlement Communities
Communities can avail themselves of technical support funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Labor and Economic Growth and the Michigan Public Service Commission to prepare their applications to the US Department of Energy to secure funding through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. It requires committing 10% of the community’s EECBG funding back to the office to support its first-year programming.

•  Energy Office Participation Agreement for EECBG Non-Entitlement Communities
Non-entitlement communities can also have the advantage  of technical support funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Labor and Economic Growth and the Michigan Public Service Commission to prepare their applications to the US Department of Energy to secure funding through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.

•    DTE Customer Information Release Form
Let Energy Office staff do your data management! This form allows us to partner with DTE to track and report on your energy usage, identifying opportunities to save money as well as moments to celebrate success!