Thermalize Juneau 2021: Community Survey Report

Energy campaigns, such as Thermalize Juneau 2021 or the solarize campaigns that have occurred throughout the United States, use a campaign model to reduce the cost of adopting clean energy technology, accelerate adoption by setting deadlines for action, and make it easier to act by providing technical and community resources on the specific technology. The campaigns are useful tools for breaking down barriers to the installation of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. However, even with thoughtful outreach plans and alternative financing options, these types of campaigns have limitations in reaching every demographic equitably. Knowing the Thermalize Juneau 2021 campaign was the first thermalize campaign in Alaska and one of only a handful of thermalize campaigns in the United States to date, the Thermalize Juneau team planned a community survey at the conclusion of the recruitment phase of the campaign to gather input from groups that were unable to participate. The objective of this community survey was to help evaluate the 2021 Thermalize Juneau outreach campaign by identifying barriers to participation and possible ways to address them. The Thermalize Juneau team is hopeful that future programs can repeat the successes and learn from any mistakes of this campaign so they are able to reach as many people as possible in the most effective way. The survey, open to Juneau residents who did not register for Thermalize Juneau 2021, collected demographic data and participant knowledge and perceptions about energy use, heat pumps, local programs in Juneau, and outreach methods. These questions were meant to identify groups that the Thermalize Juneau 2021 campaign did not reach and why, as well as potential ways to reach more people in future campaigns.