ST. LOUIS, Mo. — When most of the world shut down to stay home in the spring of 2020, Ameren Missouri found a way to continue serving families hardest hit by the economic effects of the pandemic to help them save money on their energy bills while keeping them safe.
Ameren Missouri’s Multifamily Low Income Energy Efficiency Program, in partnership with Spire, offered area residents a financial incentive to temporarily relocate while the International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (ICAST) performed energy efficiency upgrades to income-eligible multifamily properties – minimizing both families’ and workers’ COVID-19 exposure risks.
The work earned the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s Inspiring Efficiency Award for innovation.
“Everyone deserves access to more efficient energy solutions that work better and help them save money on their monthly bills,” said Wanda Sams, energy efficiency program supervisor at Ameren Missouri. “Being able to safely provide these upgrades during a pandemic is no small achievement, and I’m proud of our team for helping to make that possible.”
A total of 4,008 families benefited from energy updates at their buildings in 2020 and 2021, including air-source heat pumps, high-efficiency furnace and smart thermostat upgrades. The upgrades were fully funded by the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act and are expected to save customers an average of 27% in annual energy usage. This is the equivalent of eliminating approximately three bills each year. Approximately 900 of the families took advantage of the relocation incentives during installation.
“We continue to break down barriers, offering equal access to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions while minimizing infection risk,” said Tim Via, manager of energy efficiency at Ameren Missouri. “As this pandemic continues into its third year, it’s important that we continue finding innovative ways to support our community while safely keeping important, money-saving projects such as this moving. We’re grateful to ICAST for working with us to make a difference for these customers.”
The Inspiring Efficiency Awards recognize Midwest companies and individuals accomplishing meaningful achievements in energy efficiency. Awards are broken down into five categories: innovation, leadership, marketing, impact and education. The awards were presented at the 18th annual dinner and gala on February 2 during the 2022 Midwest Energy Solutions Conference in Chicago.
About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company’s electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri’s mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 132,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company’s service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.