The Energy Upgrade California Roadshow is a new mobile educational exhibit designed to inform and inspire Californians to learn about and install energy-saving improvements in their homes. It promotes the concepts and benefits of Energy Upgrade California^TM to reduce residential energy use, curb greenhouse gas emissions and create more comfortable and healthy homes. Inside are interactive displays to help people understand the benefits of energy-efficiency improvements in their home.

One display asks, "Which home is high performing?" Visitors can choose from a solar home, a new home, and an old home. The answer is not what most people think—the answer is, you cannot tell how high-performing a home is just by looking at it. The best way to measure a home’s performance is to have BPI-certified analyst assess the home. Remember—Test, don’t guess!

Another display focuses on the importance of pairing insulation and air sealing together. Many homes in California have insufficient, poorly installed insulation and those built before the 1980's like have no insulation at all! Insulation prevents the transfer of heat through walls, attic and floor, but it will not stop drafts. Having properly installed insulation pair with air sealing with prevent drafts and dirty air leaking into your home from dirty places like the attic.

The Roadshow has gone high-tech with a computer simulation of home performance. Visitors can choose from different types of homes on a touch screen and can drag-and-drop home-performance improvements into the house. The goal of The Home Energy Game is to reach 25% or 30% energy savings without blowing your budget. Many visitors are surprised to learn that the price tag on certain improvements does not necessarily result in the best energy savings.

The roadshow will be visiting cities throughout California, appearing at conferences and major home shows, community and utility events and neighborhood meetings. We invite you to view the roadshow at one of its many stops.

Funding for the roadshow comes in part from the Department of Energy in support of its goals for the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program. CCSE built the roadshow to be a one-stop information resource for Californians to learn how Energy Upgrade California can help them understand their options to make the best energy decisions and improvements.

A statewide initiative of the California Public Utilities Commission and the California Energy Commission, Energy Upgrade California provides a "whole house" approach that focuses on a house as a system and looks at how various elements affect energy use. Through Energy Upgrade California, local governments and utilities are supporting a suite of consumer and contractor resources including incentives, rebates and financing options. Rebates range from $1,000 to $4,500, depending on the energy savings achieved.