Urban planning and energy saving non-profit Urban Options has tripled in size over the last three years, increased its budget by 70 percent and added a new office in Marquette.
Urban Options is an East Lansing-based non-profit that was developed during the 1970s energy crisis to teach people how to make their houses more environmental friendly. Both the East Lansing and the Marquette 
offices have model homes to show the public how they can be more energy efficient.
Urban Options’ Executive Director Aileen Gow says the company started back when it wasn’t trendy to be energy efficient. More than 30 years of knowledge has helped them compete in a market that’s being saturated by large companies, she says.
“Unlike the corporations and national companies, we’re not here while the money’s good and leave when it’s gone,” Gow says. “We’ve stayed here and we’re ready.”
Urban Options also runs energy programs and seminars, provides educational workshops to different groups and administers large energy programs for commercial areas and municipalities.
Source: Aileen Gow, Urban Options
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
All Photographs © Dave Trumpie
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