Have you heard of Innovation Avenue? It's a living laboratory where Reliant customers in Texas, the state where households use more electricity than any other state in the country, are putting energy-saving appliances and practices to use every day to reduce their environmental impact. Twelve Houston homes, all located on the same block, participate in the program and use green technologies to monitor and improve their use of energy.

Since the project's inception in October 2011, energy usage in the 12 homes was reduced an average of 17 percent. Homes saw between a two and 36 percent decrease in the amount of energy used in the last six months as compared to the same six months a year ago, depending on service provided and customer engagement.

The project is demonstrating the positive environmental impact products like solar panels, home-energy monitors, and smart appliances can have on the day-to-day lives of the people who live there.

One couple who lives on Innovation Avenue participates in Reliant's Solar Leasing Program and has noticed significant savings (approximately 17 percent) in their electricity bills and appreciates the fact that their house also generates energy instead of just consuming it. Overall, the home's solar panels generated 1174 kWh, reducing approximately 1470 lbs. of CO2 emissions.

Additionally, through the program, families on Innovation Avenue have been able to take better control of their family budgets and energy usage. In Texas, electricity can be one of the largest components of a family's monthly budget.

Because of Reliant's innovative smart energy solutions being showcased through Innovation Avenue, these participating families (and other Reliant customers) have an exact idea of how much they are spending on electricity and when.

By using the Reliant eSense smart energy solutions, including the home energy monitor and weekly summary email, the families have shown access to specific, customized information can lead to better consumer understanding of consumption and options and result in a change in behavior leading to less energy usage and lower costs.

Below are real-life examples of how the customers are changing their behavior, and reducing their energy consumption, as a result of their experiences on Innovation Avenue:

"We can look at the thermostat and see how that correlates to electricity usage on the eSense Home Energy Monitor. It has almost become a game to try to eliminate the usage and decrease the amount of cost." - Mike, Innovation Avenue resident

"I never saw any tangible evidence until my bill arrived and it was huge. Now I can monitor my electricity usage. I love that I have the ability to make educated choices on how to conserve electricity and know that whatever little steps I take make a difference." - Dennis, Innovation Avenue Resident