From Puget Sound Energy:
On Thursday, Puget Sound Energy introduced the six contestants for Re-Energized by Design, a design competition in which PSE customers will compete weekly in a series of energy efficiency room makeover challenges. Prizes include light emitting diode (LED) and compact fluorescent light (CFL) lighting from GE, and a full laundry and kitchen appliance suite by Frigidaire. The last contestant standing will win $5,000.
“The stakes are high so we know the competition will be intense,” said Dennis Rominger energy efficiency expert at PSE. “These six contestants are ready to compete head to head. Sweat will be shed, winners will be crowned and most importantly, we will see creative ways to bring great design and energy efficiency together.”
The six contestants who will compete in Re-Energized by Design rose to the top during an intense selection process, including submitting videos or photo entries, a public vote to select 10 finalists, and final interviews. During the process, each entrant was evaluated on a variety of factors, including the originality and creativity of their entry, their understanding and enthusiasm for design and energy efficiency, and the energy savings potential of their home.
Each Re-Energized by Design contestant brings unique skills to the competition:
- Scott and Nia Sayers of Bellingham (“Dream it. Build it.”)
| The Sayers family is a creative force to be reckoned with. They built their house themselves, using the movie Big as inspiration. If you can count on one thing in Re-Energized by Design it’s that the Sayers family won’t approach their projects like anyone else. |
- Peggy White of Redmond (“The Ace in the Hole.”)
| No other contestant has a team that packs a secret punch like Peggy’s. She shares her home with her son, a professional architect and daughter-in-law, an industrial designer. |
- Marie Mendes of Seattle (“Cool, Calculating Customers.”)
| Marie is an environmental engineer and her husband, Mike, is a geologist. They bring an analytical focus and knowledge of energy efficiency to the challenge that no other team can match. |
- Mitch Grafstein of Shoreline (“The Blank Slate.”)
| Mitch’s home screams potential. He and his wife Stephanie recently moved into a new home that is the perfect playground for experimentation with color and lighting. Stephanie’s history running a woman’s clothing boutique means she knows style when she sees it. |
- Kristen Corning Bedford of Seattle (“Impossible is Nothing.”)
| No challenge is too big for Kristen. She and her husband, Slade, purchased their home from hoarders, moving in with a two-year-old with another child on the way. They have spent the last two years working to make it their dream home. |
- Kay Reilly of Bellingham (“The Siren Song.”)
| Kay and her partner, Nat, bring a creative style all their own to Re-Energized by Design. They entered the contest with a song bemoaning their home’s beige interior. If their musical skills translate to design savvy, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with. |
Each contestant’s efforts will be supported by a dedicated design coach who will provide style guidance and encouragement. Design coaches include the ever-competitive Northwest lifestyle and entertaining expert, Alexandra Hedin; DIY force and Old House New Tricks blogger, Alysha Findley; master interior decorator Maggie Morgan of Maggie Rose Interiors; foodie, DIYer, Shelterrific blogger and general bundle of energy, Megan Barone; architect and veteran remodeler, Lauren Zerbey, blogger at Chezerbey; and Sara Eizen of Nest Seattle, the ultimate practical-but-elegant interior decorating, home organizing resource.
Re-Energized by Design contestants will participate in five room makeover projects. After each makeover challenge, local society and events photographer Duell Fisher, 425 andSouth Sound Magazine editor Lisa Patterson and radio personality Marty Riemer will review and score each contestant’s effort. The lowest-scoring contestant in each round will be eliminated.
Online “webisodes” that get up close and personal with each contestant as they make their homes more beautiful and energy efficient will begin airing weekly in March, at ReEnergizedbyDesign.com. Until then customers can follow Re-Energize on Facebook at Facebook.com/Re-Energize for energy efficient design tips, special product promotions, and to learn more about contestants.
All contestants will receive free, energy-efficient LED and CFL lighting from GE and a small stipend to spend on each room’s makeover. The final three contestants will win a high efficiency clothes washer and matching dryer from Frigidaire, and the final two contestants will win a Frigidaire Ultra Efficient Kitchen with a refrigerator, dishwasher, range and microwave. The last contestant standing will win a $5,000 prize.
