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Energy Adviser: Counselors passionate about job

The Columbian
Published: July 24, 2014, 12:00am

Clark Public Utilities’ team of energy counselors is a group dedicated to helping customers hunt down energy waste, lower energy bills and improve the comfort of their homes. But how they come to this mission is different across the ranks.

The newest member of the energy counselor crew is Mike Wallace. Prior to joining the team, Wallace collaborated with the utility often in his work for a national homebuilder and later as the owner of a local lighting company.

Even being familiar with home construction, Wallace had a lot to learn. Prior to joining the team, Wallace spent weeks training to be a utility energy counselor. For one week, he attended training to be a certified building analyst at a facility in Wilsonville, Ore., learning about building shells, air leaks, furnace operation, air conditioning and heating and cooling systems. The facility even had a miniature house where Wallace and others seeking certification could test their new skills.

With credentials in hand, he shadowed more senior energy counselors for several weeks to see how they managed in-home energy reviews, interacted with customers, and observed ways to help homeowners save on utility bills. His mentors showed him the best starting places for assisting customers lower their electric bills — heaters and water heaters.

“Working alongside the other team counselors has been helpful on the technical side,” said Wallace. “But the best part has been seeing how committed this utility is to doing what’s right for the customer. It makes it nice to come to work knowing that we’re not just allowed to go above and beyond, it’s the expectation.”

Wallace’s path to energy counselor through the homebuilding and lighting industries prepared him well. For five years, he dealt with quality control and solved quality problems for unhappy homebuyers. Later he ran his own business and worked with subcontractors to install commercial and industrial lighting.

Dealing with “unhappy new homebuyers” in his previous work has made his new role even more rewarding, Wallace explained. “I like being the one to help customers look at their energy use in a different way and figure out how to lower their bills,” he said. “And there’s always something that can be improved, often at little or no cost, which leaves customers feeling relieved.”

Suggestions big and smalls

In the summer, it can be as simple as switching incandescent bulbs on a ceiling fan out for cooler bulbs, or turning the lighting function off altogether. The fan is helping to make the home more comfortable, but those old light bulbs are heating the house right back up and costing money at the same time.

Other times, there’s a bigger culprit, such as a meter on an outbuilding that isn’t even in use anymore. In those cases, not only does Wallace find the problem, but he can work with the customer to have it fixed. In that case, the meter can be completely removed. A solution the customer may not have even considered.

Now on the front lines with the rest of the energy counselor team, Wallace is ready to work with customers who need a closer look. Plus, he said, “Where do you find a business that wants to help you buy less of its product? It’s nice to be a part of a team that’s focused every day on helping people save money and making their homes more comfortable.”


Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.

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