Monthly Archives: December 2008

Tom Moskitis The 2009 International Builder’s Show – Will Builder’s Show?

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Tom Moskitis | Comments Off


Everybody knows of the rough times in the U.S. housing industry. In 2005, the nation’s home builders built 1.7 million single family homes. They will end this year with 626,000 new homes and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is forecasting a drop to 501,000 new single family homes for next year. So, given this steep decline, what can we expect in terms of builder attendance at the annual convention next month in Las Vegas? NAHB expects about a 10 to 20 percent drop from the over 100,000 who have attended the International Builder’s Show (IBS) in Orlando the past few years. I think they will be lucky to go over 80,000. Still, that is a lot of builders and these are the survivors! There may be fewer but they will be of high quality. And natural gas will have a huge presence at the January 20-23 convention, the largest light construction trade show in the world. Follow this link for more information on the IBS and leave us a comment if you’re planning on attending. You can find us in the gas industry booth (#N2617).  Hope to see you there!

ibsspeakers The 2009 International Builder’s Show – Will Builder’s Show?

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Tom Moskitis The New Secretary of the Interior – Good News for Natural Gas Consumers?

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Tom Moskitis | Comments Off


ken salazar web The New Secretary of the Interior – Good News for Natural Gas Consumers? President-elect Obama has chosen Colorado Senator Ken Salazar to run the U.S. Department of the Interior. On balance, this is good news for natural gas consumers as the Senator has been a proponent of the cleanest fuel the earth produces – natural gas. He is a big supporter of renewable energy to be sure and some may have concerns over his opposition to oil-shale development and his generally cautious attitude about energy production on western federal lands. I believe his caution, however, stems from a concern over potential threats to the regions scarce water supply and not from a desire to prevent fossil fuel energy development. Salazar was also a member of the Senate’s “Gang of 16″ that tried earlier this year to broker an agreement on opening the Outer Continental Shelf to more drilling. He also voted for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act which opened up new areas in the Gulf for exploration and production. He should be confirmed easily.

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Dan Gibson Utility companies join together to help thaw the ice

Posted on December 17, 2008 by Dan Gibson | Comments Off


I live in a rural area in Southern Maryland. I mean, it’s not really country anymore, but it’s not the suburbs either. Why that’s important to this particular conversation is that you need to understand that I really need my power. I know, everybody needs their power, but I REALLY need mine. You see, I have a well, so if the power goes out that puts a real damper on my water supply. Water … kind of important.

A few years ago, my community was hit hard by Hurricane Isabel. Some people were without power for more than a week. Horrible. Imagine being without water for a week. At least it was warm out so people weren’t freezing. We’re not always that lucky.

capt0d4eeeeff75646818d55084dd936e50fice storm mejp102 Utility companies join together to help thaw the iceSo that’s why whenever I read stories like this one about people losing their power in the recent ice storm, I totally empathize. But what caught my eye about this story was:

“Crews from Canada and as far away as Virginia and Michigan were assisting in restoring power lines.”

My background is in communications and marketing with a slant towards the Web. I just came on board at AGA a few months ago so I’m in total learn mode. I had heard about the “assisting in restoring power lines” concept before but had never really given it much thought.

As I asked about this news around the office, I was told, “this happens all the time.” Really? “Yes, this is a common practice in the utility world.”

While it may be common practice, I still think this is a big deal. . People pulling together in times of crisis to help others IS always a big deal and doesn’t happen often enough today, IMHO.

I’m working now to figure out which of our members are involved in this initiative, because we always want to promote our members J, but if you know of a utility in your area that has dispatched help, let us know in the comments below. Stories like these, and the one we have to tell about Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), are the ones we need people to know about. It’s important.

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Paula Gant Natural Gas Utility Energy Efficiency Programs: Good for the planet (and your pocketbook)

Posted on December 16, 2008 by Paula Gant | 1 Comment


Utility companies may not be the first bunch that comes to mind when one thinks of proponents of energy efficiency, but maybe they should be.  In reality, natural gas utilities are uniquely positioned to promote smart energy use.  Due in part to natural gas utility efforts to help their customers implement energy saving measures,  the average American home uses 32 percent less natural gas now than in 1980 – benefiting both consumer finances and the environment.

Each year, AGA surveys its member natural gas utilities to determine what they are doing to help customers use natural gas more responsibly.  Ways in which these utilities encourage responsible energy use include offering cash rebates for upgrades to more efficient appliances, providing  tools to help customers understand their energy use, and supplying information about what changes a customer can make to his home or business to use energy smartly.

map Natural Gas Utility Energy Efficiency Programs: Good for the planet (and your pocketbook)

This year’s results demonstrate that utilities and their customers are taking energy efficiency seriously, and that their actions are having an impact.  In 2007:

  • Nearly $329 million was budgeted to help customers use natural gas more efficiently.
  • Energy savings achieved through natural gas energy efficiency programs were enough to offset 0.6 million tons of carbon.

  • Programs administered by utilities helped customers reduce the amount of natural gas they use in their home by an average of 9 percent.

For consumers of natural gas, these programs are helpful in reducing energy bills without sacrificing the comfort or productivity of homes and businesses.  For all of us, they help contribute to a cleaner, greener planet.

For a link to the full survey report, and related information about natural gas utilities and energy efficiency, please click here.

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