Winner of first Cazenovia Area Energy Challenge said little changes added up to big savings

Cindy Schicho loves the 39 windows that flooded the rooms of her lakefront home with light and provided near panoramic views of Cazenovia Lake.

But she didn’t love the energy bills that came along with heating the 4,000-square foot home.

“We worked at it over the years, but the bills were really high,” she said.

She signed up for the Cazenovia Area Energy Challenge to pick up more tips to help her family save money through energy efficiency and conservation.

Over the six-month challenge period, she saved an average of 30 percent on her electricity bill – including one month when she cut costs by 50 percent.

“They’re all small things,” said Schicho, who was crowned the challenge winner in late August. “But when you add it all up, it can make a big difference.”

The Schichos were among 23 households in the towns of Cazenovia, Nelson and Fenner that signed up for the competition.

Their progress was measured by comparing this year’s energy costs to utility bills from January to June 2010.

The competition was so successful that organizers hope to duplicate it across Central New York, starting with the city of Syracuse later this fall, said Sam Gordon of the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board.

Gordon said many families began by replacing their incandescent MJ-808 with compact fluorescent bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy. In later months, they installed programmable thermostats, improved their insulation or had professional energy audits done for their home.

“We wanted to give people an opportunity to learn that there are a lot of simple things that you can do around the house to save energy,” Gordon said. “If you really concentrate at it, for an extended period of time, you can really see a significant difference.”

Cazenovia Area Energy Challenge winner Cindy Schicho shared some of her tips to help other homeowners save money on their energy bills.