A new program available to IAMU electric and natural gas municipal utility members can now help customers lower utility bills, save money, and conserve energy through a host of efficiency solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

Program Overview

The MunEE Bucks Prescriptive Energy Efficiency Incentive Program is a municipal utility customer incentive program designed to encourage the installation of energy-efficient equipment and systems in residential, commercial, and industrial facilities including, but not limited to: homes, public buildings, schools, hospitals, grocery stores, food processing plants, and advanced manufacturing facilities.

By providing a centralized, online rebate and incentive processing solution, this program helps IAMU members overcome the challenges that often discourage customers from participating in efficiency programs. Confusing qualification requirements, lengthy paper forms, and limited time are just a few of the reasons. MunEE Bucks encourages wider adoption of energy-efficiency measures across market segments using a simplified, easy-to-understand process, administered by IAMU.

With quarterly and annual reporting, the program provides utilities with valuable information about program participation, the total value of rebates processed, and much more. IAMU can work closely with your utility to identify trends and use the data to enhance the quality of the programs being offered to customers.

How It Works
As a municipal utility, you have the option to enroll in the program at no additional cost. Each utility will be provided a recommended portfolio of rebates and incentives to offer their customers. Members can choose which measures to move forward with and wish to leave out. You can have as few or as many as you prefer. The rebate and incentive amounts are set annually and are consistent across the program. At the end of each program year, rebates and incentives are evaluated for cost effectiveness and performance. IAMU manages rebate processing, while each utility is responsible for rebate payment and installation verification.

Have a rebate or incentive that’s specific to your community? No problem, the MunEE Bucks program is flexible. IAMU’s Energy Services team can work with you to incorporate your unique requirements, whether it’s commercial kitchen equipment, grain dryers, or something entirely different.

To complete rebate applications, either the municipal utility or the customer uses an online portal hosted by IAMU and made available through your local utility’s website. The rebates and incentives are processed through the system and a report provided to the utility.

Available Incentives
The MunEE Bucks Program provides incentives to customers for the installation of energy-efficient equipment for numerous applications including, but not limited, to the following measures:

• Appliances
•  Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment
•  Air-source heat pumps and ductless mini splits
•  Programmable thermostats
•  Variable frequency drives (VFD) for motors
•  Domestic-water heating
•  Cooking, refrigeration, and food-service equipment

Program Support
Program support, including multimedia content development, training, workshops, marketing, and local promotion are provided by IAMU with the assistance of the local utility.

Program Eligibility
Customers who are provided electric and natural gas services through a participating municipal utility are eligible for the program. Some restrictions apply based on location, construction type, and available utility funding. Customers are encouraged to contact their municipal utility or IAMU for additional information on eligibility.

Program Availability
The MunEE Bucks program will be available to members for the 2019 calendar year. Once a member has signed up, IAMU will work with you to get your program up and running. A marketing and outreach campaign will kick off the program beginning in early 2019.

To find out more information and how you can help your customers save big bucks on energy, contact Jeremy Caron at jcaron@iamu.org or by phone at 515-289-1999.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (the agency responsible for tracking occupational illness, injury and fatality data), deaths from trench cave-ins have hit an all-time high. With 23 lives lost in 2016, the trench and excavation-related fatalities were nearly double the average of the previous five years. Although 2017 saw only 17 deaths, when combined with injuries reported to OSHA involving trenches, it was the most dangerous year for trench safety in recent history.

This past October, OSHA re-affirmed its commitment to reducing the number of injuries and fatalities due to unprotected trenches and excavations by renewing the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Trenching and Excavations. This emphasis program covers all states, including state OSHA programs, and requires that Compliance Officers initiate inspections under this NEP whenever they observe an open trench or an open excavation, regardless of whether a violation is readily observed. This program also allows the Compliance Officer to expand the inspection to include the entire jobsite if other violations are observed.

The OSHA regulations regarding trench and excavation safety are very specific.

• They require that a competent person, who is qualified to recognize hazards and has the authority to take quick action to eliminate the hazard, inspect the trench for hazards and determine the specific type of protective system to be put in place.
• Correcting the hazard can include stopping the work, if necessary.
• The competent person must have specific training in, and be knowledgeable about, soil analysis, the use of protective systems, and the requirements of OSHA’s Excavation standard.

An important part of the program is the emphasis placed on training and education. OSHA has updated its trenching and excavation fact sheets and quick cards. Links to educational materials and videos are available at www.osha.gov . Common Ground Alliance’s Best Practices Guide is among other industry educational materials in its resource list LINK.

Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) has been conducting Trench Safety workshops for its members for 25 years. Contact IAMU’s Safety Services department if you need this training. If you have questions regarding trench safety, contact Margret Meade mmeade@iamu.org or 515.210.6617.