Description:
A telephone survey of 177 New Jersey business customers was conducted during September and October 2007.  Respondents included 71 small businesses (2-49 employees), 42 medium-sized businesses (50-249 employees), 39 large businesses (250+ employees), and 25 NJ SmartStart Buildings® Program participants of all sizes.  Respondents are primary energy decision makers or share in energy decision making for their business.

Objectives: 

This survey of New Jersey business customers was designed to:

• Measure businesspeople's perceptions of, and interest in, energy efficiency and renewable/clean power.
• Understand motivations and roadblocks.
• Measure awareness of, and support for, state-sponsored programs and activities.
• Gauge the appeal of specific energy efficiency and renewable energy programs (under varying assumptions about potential ROI and payback periods).
• Aid in communication planning by measuring business customer preferences for various media and methods of communication.
• Compare key measures to a similar survey conducted in 2005, in order to track changes.

 Major Findings:

1. During the past 2 years, New Jersey businesspeople's awareness of, and interest in, energy efficiency has grown markedly.
2. Businesspeople's familiarity with renewable energy/clean power has increased, but the percentage who say that using renewable energy is important has not changed significantly.
3. Many businesses are aware of New Jersey's efforts to establish goals for efficiency, use of renewables, and greenhouse gas reduction.
4. Awareness that programs exist to help New Jersey businesses with energy efficiency and clean power has more than doubled since 2005.

Description:
A total of 4 focus groups were conducted with business customers and trade allies, December 5-6, 2007.  The sessions averaged approximately 110 minutes in length.  Participants were both end-users and trade allies; some were program participants and some were non-participants.  The end-user business focus groups included lodging, restaurant, property management, school, and warehouse executives.  Trade ally focus groups included architecture, construction, HVAC, electrical contracting, engineering, lighting design, lighting installation, and design build organizations.

Objective: 

1. The New Jersey Clean Energy Program's primary objective for this reseach was to enable the development of focused value propositions, messages, and delivery strategies that align with customer decision-drivers, so NJCEP can refine plans to motivate and reach the business audience and build participation.

 Major Findings:

1. Among business decision makers, there is a very strong focus on bottom line benefits, so all programs must highlight these.  Clear financial benefits, such as fast payback periods, drive high interest in participation.
2. Many see saving money through energy efficiency as a fundamental business priority; using renewable energy is viewed as a good thing to do but much less critical from a business perspective.
3. There appears to be untapped potential in "branding" clean energy.  A successful campaign that furthered recognition of participating businesses could build additional interest and participation.  The appeal of having a "green" image is growing.
4. The most common (non-financial) roadblocks to participation are lack of awareness, inconvenience/complexity ("red tape, bureaucracy") and the demand participation places on scarce human resources.