Tyler Roberson leans against a basket stanchion inside the Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center 17 days from Syracuse’s season opener. He just dribbled a ball off his right foot, got it back and traveled before missing a left-handed hook shot while being fouled.Assistant coach Adrian Autry yells at Roberson twice to “play defense” after freshman wing Malachi Richardson scores on him. Roberson walks to the sideline, wipes the sweat off his nose with a white towel and returns. Freshman forward Tyler Lydon hits a mid-range jumper in his face on the next play.Throughout the drill, Roberson is inaudible and his facial expression remains stoic. Lydon screams in frustration after one miscue and Richardson flips his palms up at his sides, mumbling under his breath after another. But the junior forward keeps his mouth slightly agape, watching from under the hoop when he’s not on the court.Tyler has always been, even since he was a child and he used to play, he’s always been very reserved. He constantly observes. He’s very cerebral and that’s what he’s doing.Carla RobersonRoberson’s momIn watching the two freshmen face off, Roberson is observing a mix of what he’s strived to become, a player big enough to bang in the low post and one who makes his living on the perimeter. It’s what the expanding role of the power forward demands in today’s game. This offseason, Roberson methodically managed his diet and lived in the gym and weight room, inching closer to that prototype.Unlike last year when he began games observing from the bench to start the season, Roberson will be Syracuse’s primary four in 2015-16. His reserved nature masks the breakout year some expect him to have, but at the same time defines a player sometimes misunderstood.AdvertisementThis is placeholder text,“When he was playing in high school, there were some people, from what I understood, that tended to take his disposition as being, because he was so quiet, maybe he’s arrogant or maybe he’s this and maybe he’s that,” Carla said. “…He’s always going to be who he is. He can’t fake it. This is Tyler.”Roberson started every day this summer with a bowl of oatmeal topped with cinnamon and vanilla. Two hours later, he’d have the same thing, sometimes accompanied by chicken sausage and pancakes.For lunch, Roberson ate pasta and vegetables, straying away from fatty foods. He went to the gym at 2 p.m., worked mainly on his jump shot and returned to the house around 6 p.m. before lifting weights with his oldest brother. He came back for the night around 11 p.m. and after eating again, had totaled six or seven meals on the day.When Roberson returned home after his freshman year, he struggled to maintain the weight he’d gained at Syracuse. Cuse.com listed him at 212 pounds heading into both his freshman and sophomore years. Now, he’s at 226.“I think he’s stronger, more physical,” SU head coach Jim Boeheim said. “He’s a very strong, physical player and that’s what he is, that’s what he does.”,Before practice on Oct. 27, Autry set up three cones in a small triangular formation in different spots just inside the 3-point arc. He threw sharp underhand passes to both Roberson and Lydon, forcing the forwards to stay inside the cones when they shot from mid-range. Last year, Roberson released from the center part of his chest, his father, Edmon Roberson said. This year, he’s catching and shooting more toward the right side of his body, allowing for a quicker release.He’s even shown flashes of improved passing from the outside, threading a no-look bullet through traffic to a streaking Lydon, who finished the open layup during a half-court drill last Tuesday.“I think I’ll be able to expand out a little more toward the perimeter,” Roberson said. “That’s one thing I really focused on improving this offseason.”Roberson continues to flesh out his game all while staying contained. He softly makes two layups during a post-up drill while Lydon throws down two slams. Trevor Cooney pounds his chest and screams after a layup-line dunk, while Roberson finger-rolls the ball off the backboard before jogging to the back of the line.His family suggests to pump up his teammates and show more emotion. He acknowledges them with an “OK,” but when they watch him on TV, it’s still the same.He smiles more than he did, I can tell you that.Mike HopkinsSU assistant coachRoberson has a tendency to stand out in the spotlight – he held top 2015 NBA Draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns to six points in a high school game and posted 19 points and 10 rebounds against Duke in the Carrier Dome last season. He’s flashed his potential; it just may not be noticed.He dives after a lose ball in practice, falling on top of walk-on guard Christian White before the play is blown dead. Assistant coach Gerry McNamara screams “Good tackle, Ro-Ro” and as Roberson walks back to his spot, he grins ear to ear.It’s about all he’ll show, but that’s just who he is.“Inside I’m fired up … but it doesn’t show,” Roberson said. “That’s always been me.” Comments Published on November 12, 2015 at 7:53 am Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman,Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment.
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Strengthened global profile helps Kambi maintain growth momentum
GiG lauds its ‘B2B makeover’ delivering Q2 growth August 11, 2020 Submit Share Kambi takes control of Churchill Downs BetAmerica sportsbook August 28, 2020 StumbleUpon Related Articles Kambi takes full control of LeoVegas sportsbook portfolio August 26, 2020 Kristian Nylén – KambiStockholm-listed sports betting platform provider Kambi Group Plc has attributed its success during Q2 2019 to a growing number of partnerships across both Europe and the US, despite facing ‘tough comparatives including the 2018 football World Cup’.Recording a revenue figure of €21.6m, a jump from the previous figure of €17.6m, Kambi has moved towards forging new partnerships across European markets. Kambi highlights a 25 per cent increase in revenue for the first half, posting a figure of €42.6m. Meanwhile the group’s profit after tax dropped slightly from €1.7m down to €1.6m for Q2, despite an overall increase for the first half of the year. During Q2, the sports betting platform and systems provider strengthened partnerships with both the National Lottery and the Rank Group. Earlier in the month, Rank extended its current sportsbook technology and systems agreement with Kambi to cover sports betting provisions for its Spanish market Enracha brand. In the interim report, Kambi said: “National Lottery has taken the Kambi sportsbook into Moldova, having enjoyed strong growth in its home country of Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Rank will soon add the Kambi sportsbook to its Spain-facing Enracha brand, and we’ll continue to power its Grosvenor Sports brand in the UK.” Kambi hopes that its revenue figures will continue to grow as it moves to expand across the Latin American markets via its new partnership with BetWarrior.The statement added: “Q2 2019 was yet another positive period for Kambi, delivering solid financial growth despite the lighter sporting calendar, and signing new customer agreements to keep up our positive commercial momentum.“The development of the competitive landscape in the US has certainly been dynamic, with operators and suppliers taking a variety of strategic routes. For some, joint ventures or M&A have been the preferred choice, while for our multiple US customers, the decision to partner with Kambi has brought them immediate success, and long may that continue. “As the number of regulated states steadily increases over the coming years, so too will the number of attractive opportunities. The fact Kambi has proven its ability to deliver in the US, coupled with our ongoing US investments in people and products, puts us in a good position to convert the best of these opportunities.“Although much focus is on the US, Kambi continues to explore opportunities globally. In this regard, I am delighted we signed another new customer in Q2, with BetWarrior the latest to join the Kambi network. Although a new operator, BetWarrior is led by an experienced and ambitious management team, one which plans to target countries in Latin America, a region where we’ve seen positive regulatory developments of late.”Throughout the first half of the year, Kambi also strengthened its positions across both Pennsylvania and New York, after brokering new deals to power the first three online sportsbooks to launch in Pennsylvania, as well as taking the first legal bet in New York state with RSI at Rivers Casino & Resort Sportsbook. Share
Watch Yasiel Puig hit 2-run HR off Clayton Kershaw in Dodger Stadium return
Puig just homered at Dodger Stadium in a Reds uniform 😍— daryl foust (@darylfoust4) April 16, 2019 Cody Bellinger homer gives Dodgers their first walkoff win of season Dodgers fans hating Puig make no sense— cos (@CosmicPls) April 16, 2019 Puig received a loud but mixed ovation from the Dodger Stadium crowd as he walked up to the plate in his Cincinnati Reds’ uniform. I hate how Puig isn’t with the dodgers anymore— nancy 💙 (@naaucy) April 16, 2019 How did I know this dude Puig was going to go yard in his first AB back at dodger stadium 😂🤧— chilean goose ++ (@MarcoDelgado04) April 16, 2019 Who Puig is this?— Damian Calhoun (@DamianCalhoun) April 16, 2019 Yasiel Puig, say what you want, miss that guy— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) April 16, 2019 Even as a Dodger fan, that was fun watching Puig take Kershaw deep.— Nathan Keil (@Nathan_Nation) April 16, 2019 Dodgers hit seven home runs, sweep Colorado Rockies Puig’s at-bat also led to reaction from baseball fans and reporters on social media:Puig would homer in his return to Dodger stadium on Jackie Robinson Day with Kershaw debuting for the season in his first at bat…poetic.— El Padrino 💡🏁 (@_AntStacks_) April 16, 2019
As always, Puig performs better when motivated or with something to prove. #Dodgers— Rafaelinho (@AgentRB) April 16, 2019 I’m so happy for Yasiel Puig. That’s 1 home run I’m not mad to see the Dodgers give up. Now go 0 for whatever through the rest of this series.— Matt Wagner (@MW_GoJoeBruin) April 16, 2019Related Articles Puig rattles Andrew Friedman’s eardrums with a towering HR off Kershaw in the first.— Mark Whicker (@MWhicker03LANG) April 16, 2019 How Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling topped the baseball podcast empire Is Yasiel Puig still your friend?That answer might vary after the result of his first at-bat against former Los Angeles Dodger teammate Clayton Kershaw. Puig homering off Kershaw and the Dodgers in his first at-bat against them. Not sure to happy or not. 🤔— Kyle Fraser (@FraserKnowsBest) April 16, 2019 Fire danger is on Dave Roberts’ mind as Dodgers head to San Francisco Dodgers’ Max Muncy trying to work his way out of slow start Newsroom GuidelinesNews TipsContact UsReport an Error
DECKED OUT RALLIES TO WIN GRADE III, $150,000 PROVIDENCIA BY 2 ¾ LENGTHS; DESORMEAUX BROTHERS TEAM FOR 1 1/8 MILES WIN OVER ‘GOOD’ TURF IN 1:52.72
ARCADIA, Calif. (April 9, 2016)–Last early, a rejuvenated Decked Out rallied wide turning for home to register and emphatic 2 ¾ length win in Saturday’s Grade III, $150,000 Providencia Stakes, the first of six stakes events on Santa Anita Derby Day at The Great Race Place. Trained by Keith Desormeaux and ridden by his Hall of Fame brother, Kent, Decked Out negotiated 1 1/8 miles over a turf course listed as “good” in 1:52.72.“I wish I could say that I’ve done something different with her, but really, it’s just been the switch to turf that’s turned her around,” said Keith Desormeaux, when asked if he could explain his filly’s rapid improvement. “It only took us about eight races to figure out that we should try the grass, and really, that’s been the biggest reason.”Breaking from the rail in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies, Decked Out was hammered down to 3-1 off of a morning line of 8-1 and paid $8.60, $5.40 and $3.80. Owned by Gene Voss and Big Chief Racing, LLC, Decked Out, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Street Boss, picked up $90,000 for the win, increasing her earnings to $202,768. In garnering her stakes win, Decked Out improved her overall mark to 10-2-1-3.“She’s matured,” said Kent Desormeaux. “She’s letting me drive, instead of wanting to go all out…Now she can go a mile and an eighth. That’s just maturity and Keith’s training.”Irish-bred Jeremy’s Legacy traded punches on the front end with Do the Dance and wrested control mid-way around the far turn, opened up two length advantage approaching the furlong pole, but was inhaled by the winner approaching the sixteenth marker and finished second, a head in front of an on-coming Nodiac.Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Jeremy’s Legacy was off at 19-1 and paid $17.40 and $10.00.Nodiac, who was also bred in Ireland, finished well under Rafael Bejarano at 7-2 and paid $3.60 to show.Lady Valeur, who was favored at 2-1 with Gary Stevens, was attentive to the early pace but flattened out late to finish fifth.With the temporary rail set at 20 feet, fractions on the race were 23.51, 49.17, 1:15.14 and 1:40.36.
Golden Pulse by Mbappé
As this newspaper has already told, the idea of Florentino Pérez is to try his signing in the summer of 2021, when he only has one year left on his contract. A roadmap similar to the one he devised with Hazard, who brought by 100 million, a much lower price than the Belgian had in the market. Madrid tries that Mbappé does not renew, but always from a distant attitude, since he does not want to break relations with the PSG. Madrid will not be so easy to get Mbappé from the PSG ”, he says ACE very surely a source that is perfectly aware of its situation in the Parisian entity. It is also the idea that has spread among the main intermediaries who participate in the great operations of European football. Protagonists accustomed to charging million-dollar commissions every summer but to those who, on this occasion, Mbappé’s father has left out of business. With everything, according to what has transpired for them, the PSG prepares a worldwide coup, an offer of renewal star that will present to Mbappé before the Eurocup of this summer and that it would lead him to have a salary at the level of Messi and Cristiano (around 50 million net per season). “They don’t want to let it go before the Qatar World Cup 2022 dispute. It is a strategic issue, ”this source tells AS.Mbappé’s salary is now strangely low. According to the data filtered by L’Equipe, is around 15 million net per season, alone three more of the 12 he signed when it was transferred from Monaco for 180 million in the summer of 2017. Mbappé ends the contract with the PSG in 2022, and that attempt of stellar renewal can disrupt the plans of Madrid … Mbappé is not only important for PSG within the field. Outside of it is one of the main causes (along with Neymar) for which Nike decided to extend the contract with the Parisian entity from 2022 to 2032. He went from paying 25 million a year to disbursing 75. There is information that suggests that this figure would decrease if either of them, Mbappé or Neymar, leave the PSG. Since Qatar bought the entity it has gone from sell 80,000 shirts in 2008 to more than one million in 2019, according to data from the multinational itself.Florentino knows well the economic return of Mbappé. According to Forbes, he now earns 10 million gross in advertising (five are from Nike), and the estimate is that he would triple those amount wearing the white shirt. “Part of his salary would be paid,” They say in the offices of the Bernabéu. But, for that to happen, first you have to deal with the PSG a golden pulse. The white entity has made Mbappé reject two renewal offers, but the third promises to be thunder …
Mbappé is the cornerstone of the PSG. “To say that Mbappé is a spoiled child, I do not accept it,” Leonardo said these days trying to redirect the situation of the star in the entity. “Because he is an adorable person, very committed and a fantastic player. In the Top-5, there is one of 35 years (Christian), another of 32 years (Messi) and the other two are 28 (Neymar) and 21 years (Mbappé). And these two are with us. Let’s be glad. I am a happy sports director. We should take advantage of that and stop talking about the problems. ”
Marega, sarcastic with the penalty to Guimaraes: “Can I pay it?”
Moussa Marega, Porto center forward, has once again expressed his discomfort after the unpleasant episode he suffered last February 16 in the match against Vitoria Guimaraes. In that encounter, The Dragons they would end up taking the cat to the water for a result of 1-2 and with a bit of the Franco-Malian. But the most talked about did not happen on the grass, but in the stands of the Dom Alfonso Henriques Stadium. It was the 70th minute of encounter when Marega said “enough” and insisted vehemently to leave the field, due to the racist insults he had been listening for several minutes.The Portuguese League He was no stranger to this event and took action on the matter. After an extraordinary meeting, He decided that he would financially sanction the Vimaraense club for this cause with a fine of 714 euros. After hearing the news, Marega soon reacted. And he did it to show his disagreement, since consider the quantity insufficient with which the Guimaraes club has been punished. It was through your Instagram account where the striker left an ironic message in which he left, very clearly, his disagreement: “Não! E Muito! Can I pay for it?” (“No! It’s a lot! Can I pay for them?”) However, to 714 euros from the sanction imposed by racist insults must be added another 17227 euros. As the Portuguese media has broken down Saturday, Vitoria Guimaraes has been fined 4017 euros for pyrotechnic devices, 3392 for firing torches and other objects towards the Porto bench, 2678 for exchanging torches between ultras of the two teams and 7140 for throwing chairs. A total of 17941 euros what The Conquerors, nickname by which they are known in Portuguese lands, will have to pay.
Leicester owner Copter crashes near stadium
The crash took place hours after Leicester drew 1-1 with West Ham in a Premier League match at the King Power Stadium.Sky Sports said the helicopter took off from the pitch between 8.30pm-8.45pm local time (1930-1945 GMT) but developed problems shortly afterwards with its tail rotor and crashed in a nearby car park.Leicestershire Police tweeted: “We are dealing with an incident in the vicinity of the King Power Stadium. Emergency services are aware and dealing.”The ambulance service also tweeted: “We are also in attendance and will update when possible.”Meanwhile broadcaster and former Leicester footballer Gary Lineker tweeted: “Hearing that the Leicester City owners’ helicopter has crashed in the club’s car park.”0Shares0000(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today) 0Shares0000Sky Sports broadcast pictures of what it said was the helicopter in flames, reporting it belonged to Leicester City Football Club’s Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.LONDON, United Kingdom, Oct 27 – A helicopter on Saturday crashed near the football stadium in the central United Kingdom city of Leicester, police said.Sky Sports broadcast pictures of what it said was the helicopter in flames, reporting it belonged to Leicester City Football Club’s Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Delta pilots taking pay cut
“Given the critical nature of our financial situation, this provides much needed financial relief while we seek to reach a comprehensive agreement with (the Air Line Pilots Association),” Delta’s chief executive, Gerald Grinstein, wrote. Delta, which has lost more than $11 billion and cut more than 20,000 jobs over the past five years, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York on Sept. 14. Last week, Delta asked the court for a six-month extension to file a reorganization plan due Jan. 12. Analysts said the airline was bogged down in part by pilot salaries that ranked among the nation’s highest. In a 2004 study of 103 airlines conducted by Washington-based Airline Forecasts LLC, Delta had the highest per-capita pilot cost of any airline in the industry. The deal lowers the bar on pilot costs and brings the company in line with the industry average, said Vaughn Cordle, a financial analyst who heads Airline Forecasts and works for a rival major airline. “This bodes well for Delta, although they still have a long way to go before they are a viable airline,” he said. The deal might also encourage customers wary of a strike and help pilots avoid a fruitless legal fight, he said. “They had no choice. If they didn’t agree to it, a bankruptcy judge would impose it,” Cordle said. “It’s in management’s – and the pilots’ – best interest to have everyone agree to the cuts so they don’t have morale problems.” 160Want local news?Sign up for the Localist and stay informed Something went wrong. Please try again.subscribeCongratulations! You’re all set! ATLANTA – Delta Air Lines Inc. pilots accepted a 14 percent pay cut in a deal their union negotiated with management to help the bankrupt carrier cope with an expected cash crunch. About 58 percent of the members who voted Wednesday approved the deal, which is the second double-digit pay cut Delta pilots have taken in 13 months. Delta and the Air Line Pilots Association, which represents the Atlanta-based company’s 6,000 pilots, will now try to hammer out a comprehensive agreement by March. If not, the sides have agreed to let the decision be made by a three-person arbitration panel. Ultimately, 3,001 pilots voted to slash the average salary of rank-and-file pilots from $170,000 to about $146,000. The pilots also would give up other pay and cost items equal to an additional 1 percent hourly wage reduction. AD Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MORERose Parade grand marshal Rita Moreno talks New Year’s Day outfit and ‘West Side Story’ remake Before the two sides reached the tentative agreement, the union had threatened to strike if the contract pay terms were thrown out. An unusually high 86 percent of the union’s members voted, said Capt. John Culp, a spokesman. The fairly narrow margin, he said, “reflected the pilot group’s anger over the concession request.” The pilots were also concerned that management of the nation’s No. 2 airline had failed to specify how further sacrifices would ensure Delta’s future, he said. Still, he said a majority of pilots approved the union-brokered deal because it bought them extra time to forge another agreement. “We don’t like the position we’re in, but we feel time is of the essence,” Culp said. “This agreement gave us time for management’s reorganization plan to become clearer.” The agreement, which management said would save $143 million, adds to the $1 billion in annual concessions that Delta pilots approved in a five-year deal reached in 2004. That deal, meant to keep the cash-strapped airline out of bankruptcy, included a 32.5 percent pay cut. 
Thursday victories for Donegal jockeys Orr and Harley
Donegal jockeys Oisin Orr and Martin Harley were in the winners’ enclosure yesterday.Orr won the feature race, the EOS IT Solutions Handicap, at Dundalk yesterday evening.The Ballyarr man took victory by the narrowest of margins aboard Alfredo Arcano. Orr and Alfredo Arcano had just a neck to spare on the other 15/8 joint favourite in the race, Dali. Over the final furlong, Alfredo Arcano held on to edge out Aidan O’Brien’s mount.Orr was riding for Royal Ascot-winning trainer David Marnane.At Newbury, meanwhile, Harley had success on Alan King’s Outofthequestion in the Parkway Shopping Handicap.Harley took his 53rd win of the year, with half-a-length to spare from the 33/1 shot Ochos Rios. Outofthequestion, sent off at 11/2 hit the front a furlong from home to give Harley – who won on Henry Candy last weekend at Nottingham – his latest win.Thursday victories for Donegal jockeys Orr and Harley was last modified: July 13th, 2018 by Chris McNultyShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:Aidan O’BrienAlan KingBallyarrDavid MurnaneDundalkMartin HarleyNewburyOisin OrrTrentagh
An Award-Winning Efficiency Program in Colorado
Solar and Energy Efficiency Need to Work TogetherEnergy Efficiency Costs Less Than New GenerationLocation Efficiency Trumps Home Energy EfficiencyUtilities Should Stop Driving With the Brakes OnNYC Mayor Wants a Smaller Carbon FootprintEncouraging Progress on Carbon Reduction RELATED ARTICLES An award-winning programAPPA represents more than 2,000 community-owned electric utilities, serving more than 49 million people or about 15% of the nation’s electricity consumers. Each year the organization grants awards to utilities that embody the spirit of APPA’s DEED program — a research and demonstration program that supports innovative energy and efficiency activities. The DEED program’s Energy Innovator Award recognizes utility programs that apply creative, energy-efficient techniques or technologies, provide better service to electric customers, or increase the efficiency of utility operations or resource efficiency. “We look at utilities that are going above and beyond to power their communities in efficient and responsible ways,” says Tobias Sellier, director of media relations and communications at APPA. “Fort Collins definitely fit the bill.”This is actually the fourth APPA award for Fort Collins, which has been involved in the association’s DEED program since it began in the early 1980s. The judges for the award are experts from government, academia, and the energy industry, and in the past have included folks such as Michael Dukakis, Amory Lovins, and Buckminster Fuller. One important criterion for the judges is that the program has to be transferable to other utilities.Lessons learned from Fort Collins’ Efficiency Works Neighborhood program are applicable both to utilities that have efficiency programs and want to take the next step, as well as to utilities that are starting from scratch. “What Fort Collins is doing may not seem trailblazing or cutting edge, but it really is,” says Hyland. “The breadth of utilities that can learn from this project is large; it will transfer to hundreds of utilities around the country.” Pushing the envelopeUtilities around the country have efficiency programs; however, Fort Collins wanted to take its project to the next level. “Utilities started doing efficiency programs by implementing the low-hanging fruit. Now that they already have early adopters doing the easy projects, the question is how to take the next step, getting more people involved and getting to deeper savings,” says RMI manager Jacob Corvidae. “Fort Collins is doing that by taking the best practices from efficiency projects around the country and putting them in one streamlined process for their customers. It’s like having all the best flavors of ice cream in one bowl.”Mike Hyland, senior vice president of engineering services at APPA adds, “Utilities around the country have found that energy efficiency programs stall after enrolling the first tier of interested consumers. What Fort Collins did was take a step back to figure out how to remove the barriers keeping the rest of the consumers from joining.”To increase participation in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, the model includes an audit by a third-party home performance expert that results in three package options that are presented in the same site visit: good, better, and best. Utilities selects a qualified contractor to complete the upgrades, which during the pilot could be financed up to 100% on the customer’s monthly bill without increasing the customer’s monthly costs. Successes and lessons learnedThe pilot program ran for a year and half, and was extremely successful, more than tripling the number of customers proceeding with energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, with 60% greater carbon savings. Kevin Gertig, Fort Collins Utilities executive director, notes, “The Efficiency Works-Neighborhood pilot represents the culture of results and innovation that we are fostering in Fort Collins to support our community’s energy and climate goals.”The utility learned some valuable lessons from the pilot project; lessons that APPA feels are applicable to other utilities.(1) Simplify the process. Bundling and packaging the information and letting customers know which package option makes the most sense for them were critical to increasing participation. “Just providing rebates and a list of contractors is not going to achieve the kind of results that we as a community have as our goals,” says Phelan. “A more engaged approach is a benefit to us and to the customers. The customers need and want the help.” Corvidae adds, “At RMI we have found that one of the biggest barriers to efficiency upgrades is the very complicated process, which loses people along the way. Fort Collins Utilities streamlined that process for consumers, making it much closer to a one-step process.”(2) Remove the financial barrier. Fort Collins made the efficiency projects economical by financing them up to 100%, and allowing consumers to pay back the money on their electric bills over 20 years. “We are always trying to find innovative ways to get folks involved in energy efficiency,” says Hyland. “When we send out polls, 90% of people respond that they are interested, but when you put a price tag on it, it quickly drops down under a few percent. That’s one of the things this program really did: remove the financial barrier.”(3) Do targeted marketing. Using readily available information, utilities started targeting homes and neighborhoods that had the most potential to participate and to save energy. Starting with that group helped the program gain traction.(4) Work with contractors. Providing a steady stream of work for contractors provided stability, standardized pricing allowed package pricing, and vetting the contractors beforehand and conducting quality assurance provided confidence to the consumers. This helped the program work for everyone simultaneously. Setting ambitious goalsFort Collins Utilities (Utilities) is a municipal utility serving about 63,000 residential customers. In 2009, Utilities set out to improve the quality of home efficiency services available in the community. Through its Efficiency Works-Home program, Utilities created installation standards, a contractor network, and training programs so that homeowners could have confidence in the quality of work being done on their homes. However, Utilities realized that its à la carte approach didn’t work for all customers. Like other forward-thinking cities, Fort Collins — a city of 167,500 located in northern Colorado — had a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. However, following a Rocky Mountain Institute e–Lab design charrette, the city decided to see if it could push that goal up by 20 years.Rocky Mountain Institute’s Stepping Up: Benefits and Cost of Accelerating Fort Collins’ Energy and Climate Goals report showed it was possible, and now the city is on its way to eliminating 80% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and eliminating them entirely by 2050. This impressive target is partly due to a pilot program born from a year-long RMI engagement with the city’s utility to design a new integrated utility services model to get more homes implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy. The successful project is now receiving the Energy Innovator Award from the American Public Power Association (APPA). “Continuing with the same results will not reach Fort Collins’ energy and climate goals; we need to make it vastly simpler for customers to participate,” says John Phelan, resource conservation manager at Fort Collins Utilities. “We had to scale the results and participation in the program without compromising quality.” So with RMI’s help, Utilities set out to increase the number of customers in its renewable energy and efficiency programs, and to create a program that would be a win-win-win for customers, Fort Collins Utilities, and contractors. This led to the Efficiency Works-Neighborhood Pilot. Laurie Guevara-Stone is a writer and editor at the Rocky Mountain Institute. © 2017 Rocky Mountain Institute. Published with permission. Originally posted on RMI Outlet.