Every Neighbor has a Story
The people in and around Chicagoland come from remarkably diverse backgrounds, viewpoints and heritage.
Let’s get to know a few of your neighbors. These profiles give you a glimpse into their lives, their homes and the energy that powers their hobbies, passions and pursuits. You’ll also learn about the steps they’ve taken to use energy more efficiently for greater comfort, savings and peace of mind—
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Meet
Vinh’s story began with a great deal of uncertainty before becoming a classic American dream. His family left Vietnam while his mother was pregnant with him, eventually settling in Chicago. Growing up, his family always rented their homes, making Vinh the first person in his family to achieve homeownership.
“We moved from an apartment into a little townhouse where we all lived together. Eventually, my brother got married and started having kids, so my mom moved in with him to help raise them. My sister moved out around the same time, and shortly after that my girlfriend moved in. We stayed there for a few years.”
It was after their first son was born that Vinh’s wife decided their rented townhouse had become too small. They needed more space, so they moved to the northwest suburbs and bought the home they still live in today—
Becoming a first time homeowner felt intimidating at first.
“It was nerve-wracking. I’m going to be honest with you. No one in my family had ever owned a house before. I had a friend who knew the real estate game, and I had her dad come with me to the closing because I really didn’t know anything or what to expect. I was only 24 years old when I bought the place. So, I was very nervous at that time.”
Once you buy a home, you want to make it your own. One of Vinh’s improvements was sparked by a ComEd offer for a smart thermostat.
“So, I went, bought and installed it.”
“And that made everything very, very nice. Convenient. Like sometimes I’m lying in bed and think ‘Ah, it’s too hot.’ But I just lower the temperature from the app on my smartphone.”
He initially just saw it as a good deal but discovered it was so much more than a bargain.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it before. I had this really old, old junky thermostat. It was like this rectangular device that looked very outdated. And then I could get something that looks a little more modern and everything. So, I’m like, ‘Oh, let’s just do that’.”
In the life of a busy dad, every moment counts, so the convenience of Vinh’s smart thermostat allowed him to focus a little bit more on his two very active sons.
“My kids, they play soccer. They also do jiujitsu. They play the piano.
They both speak Spanish fluently. They learned it in school. Obviously, I don’t understand what they’re saying. So, I feel like sometimes if they’re speaking Spanish to each other, it’s like they might be talking about me.”
Find out how a smart thermostat can help you save.
Go to ComEd.com/SmartTherm to learn more, including how you can get rebates and discounts up to $75 on eligible models.
Meet
An engineer at work and a numbers cruncher at home, Brian loves to solve problems. As a homeowner, that certainly comes in handy since he finds inefficiency to be, well, painfully inefficient. Brian really wanted a home that could handle everything the volatile Illinois weather could throw at him. Spoiler alert: He found a way that involved a healthy number of spreadsheets.
“I’m way too analytical, and problem-solving involves about everything I do.”
His family appreciates Brian’s “engineer brain.” For them, it’s not something to be fixed or accepted but, instead, something to celebrate. That includes allowing him to tackle everything from the heating and cooling system to making sure they have the cleanest dishes in the neighborhood.
“I’m trying to solve and optimize and fix everything. Like when I load the dishwasher? I don’t just load the dishwasher. I have to put everything in the right way. It’s because I understand how it works and how the water is sprayed. So, what’s the optimal option?”
Brian admits that having his brain in constant problem-solving mode can make it difficult to live in the moment. His way of thinking often requires some adjustments in social situations. He’s learned that helping people can often involve a bit of timing and persuasion.
“You need to know your audience. You need to know the person you’re talking to and what makes them tick—
And everybody, regardless of scientific awareness or anything like that, they’re motivated by saving money.”
He doesn’t immediately tell people how to use their energy, but he’s always on the lookout for people who are receptive to the idea. Once he finds a prospect, he’ll start by telling his own story.
“I will share what I have done and why. I also talk return on investment.”
“Like solar panels for me were a massive no-brainer, just financially, if you have the upfront funds to do it. I put solar panels on to save money.”
Brian also admits that he tends to overanalyze things a lot.
“We did the heat pump because I was able to gather enough information, analyze it and make a decision. My wife is different. She just wants to save money.
She wants it to be efficient. She wants it to be comfortable. But she doesn’t want to analyze it. She doesn’t care what the SEER rating is.”
That’s OK. Brian’s wife isn’t alone. Most don’t know that SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, which measures the cooling efficiency of an air conditioner or heat pump over a typical season. He understands that pooling their knowledge as a team is the best way to make a joint decision.
Find out how a heat pump can help you save.
Go to ComEd.com/HeatPump to learn more, including how you can get rebates up to $2,000 on eligible models.
Meet
A midwestern pair that met online, Arti was originally from Missouri but followed her family up to the Chicago area. Born and raised here, Shaun went away for college and was drawn back to the area after graduation. Now, Arti and Shaun are settled in the northern suburbs. And they love their proximity to Chicago.
There’s something for everybody. Shaun says, “Chicago is a big city. There’s a little bit of everything. You have all the concerts and sporting events—
“We love nature, we love nature a lot,” Arti adds. “I mean, I grew up in the sticks. So, I was basically outside every day, all day, just growing up.
Even before I met him, I would go camping with friends. We would go hiking—
Their love of the environment easily led them to wanting to reduce their carbon footprint. They not only use an ENERGY STAR® clothes washer but recently upgraded to a smart thermostat.
“We have the new washer now. That was the first move and then we upgraded to a smart thermostat. The rebate on the washer had a little printout that said ‘make sure you go to ComEd.com’ since there’s a rebate program. And they told us about the program a little bit. We also got an email.”
The rare moments when they are inside, they focus on their energy consumption. The couple gets weekly emails that keep them up to date on saving opportunities. Some even tell them how much energy they’ve saved.
The washer led to their ENERGY STAR® smart thermostat purchase which automatically adjusts to their schedule, helping them use less energy without sacrificing comfort. So, while they’re out bird watching or enjoying the great outdoors, their AC won’t be working hard to cool an empty home.
They see the difference in their bill, too. That being said, they don’t really crank up the heat in winter, or the AC in the summer.
“We kind of try to be a little bit flexible,” Shaun adds. “Getting a break on our bill was nice,” he says. “But also, we both care about the environment and try to be environmentally conscious. So, it’s a great way to save money and still do something to help protect the environment.”
Find out how an ENERGY STAR® certified clothes washer can help you save.
Go to ComEd.com/Washer to learn more, including how you can get rebates up to $40 on eligible models.
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