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ICF International’s national award-winning
communications experts partner with our technical
experts in emergency
management, energy efficiency, environment,
electric power markets, oil, and gas, to provide knowledge-based
communications solutions that ensure that messages are
appropriate for the audience, address their needs, and
speak their language.
Our experts are world-renowned problem-solvers called
on by the top public agencies and private companies in
the industry. ICF International combines the very best in
energy industry expertise with dynamic communications counsel
to deliver public
relations and marketing solutions to complex problems
challenging today’s energy market players. ICF International's
clients include all levels of government agencies; nonprofit,
multilateral, and metropolitan planning organizations;
and major utilities charged with affecting change in organizations
and communities.
Our services include:
Planning
- Campaign Development
- Risk Communications
- Market Research and Evaluation
- Message Development
Implementation
- Media Relations and
Public Relations Outreach
- Video Production
- Web Site Development
- Collateral Material Development
- Speaker Placement and Logistics
- Event Planning and Promotion
Featured Solutions
Raising the Profile of Renewable
Energy Investments and Environmental Commitments. ICF International developed a
communications outreach campaign to raise the profile
of a major electricity provider’s
renewable energy investments and environmental commitment.
The effort was developed to enhance the utility’s
environmental reputation among energy industry audiences.
Target audiences included state legislators and the U.S.
Congress, congressional energy-related committees, local
environmental organizations, energy and environmental
trade associations, and alternative retail electric suppliers.
ICF International developed an editorial outreach plan that
delivered bylined articles on behalf of the utility to
key industry publications. We wrote press releases about
new renewable energy developments, programs, and awards
received to maintain a constant presence in the news
media. ICF International trained utility representatives
to effectively communicate with news media. The plan
also included recommendations for speaking opportunities
at conferences and trade shows.
Personalizing Solutions to an Energy Crisis. The
volatile energy market of California had consumers, including
individuals and major corporations, scrambling for ways
to manage their energy consumption and reduce the impact
of price fluctuations. ICF International performed research
and identified goals, audiences, messages, strategies,
tactics, and evaluation mechanisms to develop a multimedia
communication plan for an energy efficiency program sponsored
by the state’s four investor-owned utilities and
defined by the California
Public Utilities Commission.
We developed and executed a coordinated advertising campaign,
including media buys for radio, on-line sources, and
print, as well as a cooperative advertising program for
retailers and manufacturers. The program offered cost-sharing
opportunities for partners who implemented special events
or promotions, such as sidewalk sales, cost-shared media
buys for partners that included the ENERGY STAR logo
and supported educational messages in their existing
advertising, and customizable templates of the program’s
advertisements.
Supporting the Homeland Security
Council (HSC). ICF International
provides communications
support to several HSC workgroups and committees. Topics include building air protection,
radiological dispersal devices, water security, chemical
facility security, hazardous materials transportation,
decontamination, and other issues. Support activities include
developing and providing briefing and presentation materials;
preparing analytical reports; preparing guidelines, checklists,
pamphlets, Web site text;
and supporting workgroup meetings.
Educating the Public about Renewable
Energy. ICF International
developed and managed an 18-month long statewide Renewable
Energy Consumer Education campaign (RECE) for the California
Energy Commission (CEC). The program goals were to develop
an understanding of consumer attitudes, perceptions, knowledge,
and level of awareness concerning renewable energy; raise
consumer awareness of renewable energy; increase consumer
knowledge about the benefits and mechanics of purchasing
renewable energy technologies; and increase renewable energy
technology purchases. Through the effort, ICF International
helped position the CEC as the source of reliable and impartial
information on renewable energy in California, driving
target audiences to the Energy Commission’s Web site
and toll-free phone number as the first stop on their way
to learning more about renewable energy and the systems
that capture it. As part of this comprehensive marketing
campaign, ICF International created the Renewable Energy Alliance
to bring together and leverage partnerships among local,
state, and national nonprofit, public, and private sector
organizations connected to renewable energy in California.
Alliance membership currently stands at more than 150 members.
Using Multimedia to Reach Stakeholders. ICF International produced two videos for the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY
STAR Buildings and Green Lights Partnership for use as marketing tools
aimed at high-level managers of prospective partner companies.
The video increases program awareness and encourages
participation by highlighting the financial and environmental
benefits of partnership with EPA. We managed the script
preparation, solicited private- and public-sector organizations
to be interviewed, coordinated video editing, managed
local production crews, and distributed the final videos.
We also used the video footage to create a CD-ROM Video
Information Database, which contains searchable video
clips.
Assessing Chemical Hazard Risk. ICF International
served as advisors/reviewers for the District of North
Vancouver, Canada, regarding a risk assessment study conducted
for a chlorine plant adjacent to an area being considered
for rezoning. The work involved reviewing the past studies
of other consultants, as well as new reports prepared in
response to initial comments. We made numerous presentations
to the public and various regulators (via formal hearings,
informal meetings, and open houses) and have continued
to provide ongoing assistance as the zoning project evolves.
Promoting Energy Efficiency to Business Decision
Makers. ICF International provided the marketing
and communication support for EPA’s ENERGY
STAR Buildings and Green Lights Partnership. Support
included developing communication strategies; conducting
market research; selecting appropriate business-to-business
tactics; pitching trade and national business publications;
and designing outreach materials, including brochures,
public service announcements, videos, annual reports,
and marketing events. We crafted a message to convey
the financial benefits to facility managers, corporate
communicators, executives responsible for energy decisions,
CEOs, and CFOs. ICF International provided marketers and
account managers with collateral materials for conferences,
and recognition materials and informational tools for
existing partners. We created performance metrics milestones
for partner awards and recognized the top partners in
public service announcements in Forbes, Fortune, Newsweek,
and the Harvard Business Review.
Harnessing the Web for Energy Management. ICF International developed a corporate
Web site and content management infrastructure for
ConEdison Solutions. Implementation involved the configuration
of Microsoft (MS) Content Management Server and the development
of content management templates to allow business users
to create, edit, and publish content. The site includes
several diagnostic tools to help users assess energy services
requirements. The Web site was developed using MS Technologies,
including MS Content Management Server, MS Internet Information
Services, MS Active Server Pages, and MS SQLServer.
We also are working with ConEdison to design, develop,
and maintain their Web-based customer interface, which
is powered by SQLServer.
Philippines Energy Efficiency Awards
Program. ICF International
assisted the Philippines Government in launching a national
climate change mitigation awards program for a joint U.S.
Agency for International Development (AID)-EPA program.
ICF International staff worked with the Philippines Department
of Energy and Department of Environment and Natural Resources
to set objectives for the program, design awards program
management processes, and implement the initial awards
event. The awards program was designed to complement
other ongoing initiatives in the Philippines to promote
energy efficiency and other climate change mitigation
efforts.
Outreach Support for ENERGY STAR Commercial, Institutional,
and Industrial Sectors. ICF International supports
EPA’s ENERGY
STAR Buildings Program by assisting
and motivating partner organizations with commercial and industrial portfolios
to aggressively reduce operating costs associated with energy. We assist more
than 1,600 organizations in identifying and implementing energy performance
improvements that result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions. ICF International
staff work one-on-one with on-site personnel at participating companies to
establish and assess energy management policies and plans, overcome implementation
barriers, and evaluate and communicate performance improvements and successes.
We have developed relationships with numerous trade associations and support
them in leveraging ENERGY STAR and offering it as a value-added service to
their members. These associations actively promote ENERGY STAR to their members
and capitalize on the potential revenue stream and increased membership base
that ENERGY STAR can offer. Since the inception of the commercial ENERGY STAR
Buildings program, ICF has recruited over 2,300 organizations encompassing
over 11 billion square feet.
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