NOVA Home Energy Makeover Contest Announcement

Homeowners Can Win One of Three Grand Prize Makeovers and a Free In-Home Assessment; Nonprofits Compete For Cash

FAIRFAX , VA (August 2, 2012) – The Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) today announced that Northern Virginia residents have the chance to win a home energy makeover worth up to $10,000 as part of their Northern Virginia Home Energy Makeover Contest sponsored in part by The Dominion Foundation and Dominion Virginia Power.

The contest officially opens today and will run through September 21, 2012. Winners will be announced in October. In addition to LEAP, other official partners include local governments and financing institutions, such as Arlington County, Alexandria, Arlington Community Federal Credit Union, and Commonwealth One Federal Credit Union. The Northern Virginia Regional Commission and Virginia Energy Sense are also assisting LEAP in promoting the contest.

What you need to know about the Northern Virginia Home Energy Makeover Contest:

 Enter online at www.novaenergycontest.com by filling out an online home energy report

 Whose eligible: homeowners in the Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon and Prince William counties, the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and the region’s towns.

 One entrant will win a home energy makeover worth up to $10,000

 One entrant will win a home energy makeover worth up to $5,000

 One entrant will win a home energy makeover worth up to $3,000

 Six entrants will win a professional Home Energy Assessment in weekly drawings (estimated value: $500)

 Registration also allows people to enter the name of a local nonprofit organization and help them win a $1,500 cash donation (the Nonprofit Challenge).

“Dominion is pleased to help northern Virginia residents find ways to use energy wisely and save money while remaining comfortable in their homes,” said Ken Barker, vice president of customer solutions and energy conservation for Dominion Virginia Power. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Dominion Resources, of which Dominion Virginia Power is a subsidiary. Foundation grants are funded by shareholder dollars and are not borne by customers.

“The NOVA Home Energy Makeover Contest will be a unique and exciting opportunity for the northern Virginia community to get involved with energy efficiency and improve the comfort, affordability, and health and safety of our homes.” said Cynthia Adams, Executive Director of the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP).

“Our goal is help our members make financing home energy improvement projects affordable” said Jim Wilmot, Vice President of Lending with Arlington Community Federal Credit Union.

“Supporting a program that encourages Virginians to make their homes more efficient makes sense,” said Andy Farmer, manager of the Virginia Energy Sense consumer education program. “Whether contestants win a makeover, or simply take the assessment, any step toward efficiency is a step in the right direction.”

“We are happy to be a part of the Northern Virginia Home Energy Makeover Contest,” said Shane Cochrane, Division Chief for Alexandria’s Office of Housing. “Installing Energy Star certified products is just one important way to lessen your home’s energy use, and we hope this contest will help our residents learn more about the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.”

“This contest is a great opportunity for homeowners to make big improvements to their home and utility bills,” said Mark Gibb, Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. “We encourage all Northern Virginia residents to participate.”

Contest Eligibility & How to Enter

The contest is open to residents who own and occupy a home in the counties of Fairfax, Loudon, Prince William and Arlington, the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and the region’s towns. Contestants may enter online at www.novaenergycontest.com where they must complete a quick and informative online profile about their home. Homeowners without internet access can enter by calling LEAP at 434-227-4666. For a complete list of contest eligibility and rules, visit www.novaenergycontest.com. The deadline to enter is September 21, 2012.

Winner Selection

There are nine chances to win prizes throughout the contest. Each week, starting August 8, there will be a random drawing for a Home Energy Assessment (valued at $500) – for a total of six winners. At the end of the contest period, 10 contest finalists will be selected from the entire pool of entrants based on their online profiles to receive an energy assessment. From the finalists’ assessments, winners of the $3,000, $5,000 and $10,000 home energy makeovers will be selected and notified in early October.

About LEAP (leap-va.org)

The Local Energy Alliance Program is a community-based 501c3 nonprofit serving areas of central and northern Virginia. Leveraging and bundling existing incentives from all levels of government and local utilities, LEAP provides local residents with a one-stop shop of who to call, what to do, and how to pay for it when it comes to creating a healthier, more comfortable and affordable home or building. As the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program sponsor for the community, we seek to streamline the home energy assessment-to-upgrade process in order to keep costs down for everyone. www.leap-va.org

About The Dominion Foundation

The Dominion Foundation is dedicated to improving the physical, social and economic well-being of the communities served by Dominion companies, including Dominion Virginia Power and Dominion North Carolina Power. For more information about Dominion, visit the company’s website at www.dom.com. Follow Dominion Virginia Power on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/DomVAPower. ‘Like’ Dominion on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dominionvirginiapower.