Annual Business Pride contest receives record breaking number of entries, three receive awards
DETROIT, Feb. 10, 2023– DTE Energy, Michigan’s largest provider of energy efficiency savings, announced today the grand prize winner and runners up in the company’s annual Energy Efficiency Business Pride contest. The contest invites DTE business customers to share what they have done to improve their businesses’ energy efficiency through projects that reduce energy use, create more energy efficient operations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide savings on their energy bill. The 2022 contest, which closed in November, recorded a record-breaking number of contest entries since its inception nearly a decade ago.
The DTE 2022 Business Pride winners are:
· Ray’s Ice Cream in Royal Oak. Grand prize winner of $5,000 in energy efficiency improvements
· Sanilac County Humane Society in Carsonville. Second place winner of $3,000 in energy efficiency improvements
· Gold'N Oven Gourmet Bake Shop in Sterling Heights. Third place winner of $2,000 in energy efficiency improvements
Grand prize winner, Ray’s Ice Cream, was founded in 1958 by Raymond and Bernice Stevens as a neighborhood ice cream parlor and soda fountain with a focus on quality products and family friendly service. Over the years, Ray's has remained dedicated to the same old school family and community values. Seventy years later, the founder’s great-granddaughter continues to make ice cream using many of the same recipes that have been perfected over generations. Today, Ray’s remains a local favorite for its premium ice cream products and gourmet ice cream desserts.
“We are proud to be a long-standing fixture in the Royal Oak community and improving energy efficiency in our eyes is important both from a community perspective and from a practical business perspective,” said Jason Eddleston, owner of Ray’s Ice Cream. “Because of the age of our building there are several improvements to be made and that’s a key part of our efforts to reduce long-term operating costs. Thank you to DTE for this award that helps us make those improvements and reduce our environmental impact, so future generations can enjoy our beautiful city and delicious ice cream.”
With onsite manufacturing operations, a store front, two walk-in freezers, and a walk-in refrigerator/cooler, Ray’s Ice Cream had multiple ways to improve energy efficiency. The business replaced old hot water pipe insulation, added weather stripping for outside doors and invested in preventative maintenance for their two furnaces, two AC condenser units and tankless water heater. Additionally, they replaced compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) with LED lights including the eight high-output awning lights in front of the building and installed occupancy sensors on light switches for areas that are not continuously occupied.
All three winners also receive a walk-through energy assessment with a DTE energy expert who will make energy efficiency recommendations and coordinate the direct installation of these upgrades. DTE’s Energy Efficiency Business Pride winners will be featured in an upcoming edition of EnergySmarts magazine.
“Inflation is taking a toll on everyone and reducing energy use is a practical way that everyone can save money on energy costs. That’s why DTE offers multiple programs and resources to help our customers use less energy,” said John Boladian, director, Energy Efficiency, DTE. “Congratulations to our Business Pride winners and thank you for your commitment to improving the energy efficiency of your business and serving your community.”
DTE was ranked the second-most improved utility by The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), in the portfolio comprehensiveness metric (program breadth, emerging programs or offerings, low-income programs and electric vehicles). DTE offers more than 20 energy efficiency programs for residential, small business and commercial and industrial customers in total today. Since its inception in 2009, more than 7.7 million electric customers and 3.8 million gas customers have directly participated in DTE’s energy efficiency programs. That participation has saved 8,203 GWh of electricity and 19,575 MMcf of gas. For more information visit dteenergy.com/savenow
About DTE Energy
DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.3 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio also includes non-utility businesses focused on industrial energy services, renewable natural gas, and energy marketing and trading. As an environmental leader, DTE utility operations will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by more than 80% by 2040 to produce cleaner energy while keeping it safe, reliable and affordable. DTE Electric and Gas aspire to achieve net zero carbon and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. DTE is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com/dteenergy.
For further information, members of the media may contact: Anne Santori, DTE Energy, 313.235.5555