Family-Owned Business Honored for Energy Efficiency Investment

Kimps Ace Hardware Increases Store Appeal, Saves Money with Lighting Upgrade

Green Bay, Wis. – A family-owned Green Bay hardware store is working with FOCUS ON ENERGY® to create a better experience for its customers and be more efficient in a competitive market.

Kimps Ace Hardware was recently presented an Energy Efficiency Recognition Certificate from Focus on Energy after completing a large lighting project.

The Kimps have replaced 80% of the store’s older florescent interior light fixtures with new, more-efficient LED lamps and also upgraded the outdoor wall packs to LED fixtures. Focus on Energy provided a financial incentive of $2,880 to help offset the initial cost of those upgrades.

“The Focus on Energy Small Business Program incentives helped our business upgrade to better lighting for
our customers and [improve] our operational costs,” said Wes Kimps, who helps run the store, which is co-owned by his parents, Craig and Laurie. “And it makes the store look clean, modern and shows off our products better.”

In addition to the financial incentive, Kimps Ace Hardware has seen its interior lighting costs cut nearly in half. The estimated savings over the life of the LED lights is 313,344 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to meet the electric needs of 38 homes for a full year.

Wes Kimps worked on the project with Focus on Energy’s Darin Tappy, an Energy Advisor for chains and franchises.

“Not only did we save money on our lighting, but the process was very straightforward.” Kimps said. “Darin was very helpful and responsive to our needs. Any questions I had were only a phone call away.”

Maybe that’s why the Kimps are now planning more upgrades. They hope to convert the rest of their interior lighting by August and are considering upgrades to their exterior pole lights in the fall.

Focus on Energy offers energy expertise and financial incentives to customers of the 107 Wisconsin utilities that fund and participate in the program. A recent third-party evaluation noted Focus on Energy runs the most-cost-effective energy efficiency programs in the nation.

About Focus on Energy
Focus on Energy is Wisconsin utilities' statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program funded by the state's investor-owned energy utilities and participating municipal and electric cooperative utilities. Focus on Energy works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Focus on Energy information, resources and financial incentives help to implement projects that otherwise would not be completed. Its efforts help Wisconsin residents and businesses manage rising energy costs, promote in-state economic development, protect our environment and control Wisconsin's growing demand for electricity and natural gas. For more information call 800.762.7077 or visit www.focusonenergy.com.