INTEGRATED UTILITY SERVICES

The report outlines a new business model for Fort Collins Utilities that bundles energy efficiency and solar PV services into integrated packages. It recommends a hybrid approach using auto-enrollment (opt-out) for a basic package, financed via on-bill repayment mechanisms such as on-bill tariffs and energy service charges. RMI's analysis suggests the model could support 90% of residential building emissions reductions and generate net income for the utility. The document details a pilot project for 200–300 homes to test customer demand, financial viability, and operational infrastructure before a city-wide rollout.

• The IUS model is projected to be highly effective in meeting climate goals, potentially supporting up to 90% of the emissions reductions for the residential buildings sector as articulated in the Stepping Up report.
• The proposed model is financially viable for the utility, with the potential to generate additional net income of at least $1 million by 2030, which can be used to offset grid integration costs or pay for stranded assets.
• To overcome adoption barriers, the report recommends a 'default' opt-out basic package of energy efficiency and solar PV, ensuring that the fee is less than or equal to the expected savings so that customer bills do not increase.
• The report identifies three primary residential building stock segments in Fort Collins based on build-out periods: Pre-1945, 1945–1980, and Post-1980, each with different energy bill averages ranging from $1,260 to $1,400 per year.
• The IUS model suggests a shift toward on-bill repayment, specifically recommending on-bill tariffs (tied to the meter/property) and energy service charges (where the utility owns the asset) to eliminate upfront capital costs for customers.
• A pilot project involving 200–300 homes is planned for early 2015 to test market demand, financial viability, and the efficacy of a 'concierge-like' sales and installation process.
• The report recommends a program administration structure where the utility remains the lead administrator but utilizes third-party home performance integrators to manage sales and installations.
• By 2030, the IUS model could generate 1,015,998 MWh of annual energy efficiency savings and help customers access 195 MW of distributed renewable generation capacity.

APA

RMI (2014). INTEGRATED UTILITY SERVICES. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2014-36_eLabFortCollinsIUS-Report-FINAL-20141219.pdf

Chicago

RMI. INTEGRATED UTILITY SERVICES. 2014. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2014-36_eLabFortCollinsIUS-Report-FINAL-20141219.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=INTEGRATED UTILITY SERVICES |date=September 2014 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2014-36_eLabFortCollinsIUS-Report-FINAL-20141219.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2014integrated, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{INTEGRATED UTILITY SERVICES}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2014}, month = sep, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2014-36_eLabFortCollinsIUS-Report-FINAL-20141219.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }