Vermont Businesses Discuss Jobs and Energy at Sixth Annual Best Practices Exchange

Killington, VT

Efficiency Vermont today hosted its sixth annual Best Practices Exchange at Killington Grand Resort Hotel. More than 150 people representing some of Vermont’s largest businesses attended the event, which brought together Vermont business leaders and facility operators from across the state to network, learn, and share the best approaches to energy management.

A central focus of this year’s forum was jobs in the energy efficiency sector, which according to a recent U.S. government study now exceeds 10,000 jobs statewide.

Efficiency Vermont Director, Karen Glitman welcomed attendees by offering a challenge. “We’re here to celebrate the 10,000 people throughout Vermont that comprise the energy efficiency workforce—a number that far surpasses any other energy sector in our state, including power generation and motor vehicles combined,” Glitman said. “But we’re also here to address how we can, as a state, decrease the costs and carbon emissions that come from our transportation energy use. What if we, together, could do more?”

At a lunch-time jobs panel, business and economic development leaders talked about the importance of supply chain partnerships that help businesses reduce their total energy costs—heating, cooling, transportation, and electric—with best-in-class services and products.

As Ann Hoogenboom of Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamer Cooperative put it, “The way we can respond to energy challenges is through collaboration and talking to other businesses in our respective industries. Working with Efficiency Vermont allows us to share knowledge with other dairy facilities in a productive way that helps our bottom line in an environmentally responsible way.”

Other panelists included Ted Brady, Agency of Commerce & Community Development; David Weaver, Control Technologies, Inc.; and Bob Flint, Springfield Regional Development Corporation.

Efficiency Vermont recognized businesses who demonstrated leadership in energy efficiency at the event. The 2017 Award recipients are listed below.

Energy Leadership Awards

• Bennington College, Bennington, VT
• Isovolta, Inc., Rutland, VT
• Killington Pico Ski Resort, Killington, VT

Project of the Year Awards

• Return on Investment: Harbour Industries, Inc., Shelburne, VT
• Innovation: Bromley Mountain Ski Resort, Inc., Peru, VT 
• Impact: Imerys Talc, Inc., Ludlow, VT

Commitment Award: Vermont Precision Tools, Inc., Swanton, VT

Employee Engagement Award: Harpoon Brewery, Windsor, VT

Energy Champion Award: Holly Andersen, Bennington College, Bennington, VT

Partner of the Year Award: VHV Company, Inc., Winooski, VT

For more information, contact Abby White at [email protected].

About Efficiency Vermont

As the nation’s first Energy Efficiency Utility, Efficiency Vermont has helped Vermont avoid over 13.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence award for the last eight consecutive years. Efficiency Vermont works with partners to help our state transition to more affordable, low carbon energy use through education, incentives, and support for our clean energy workforce. Learn more at www.efficiencyvermont.com.

Efficiency Vermont Press Contact
Matthew Smith
Phone: (802) 540-7662
[email protected]