Latest news with #RESA
Business Wire
a day ago
- Business
- Business Wire
RESA Encourages U.S. Energy Consumers to Shop on National Energy Shopping Day
HARRISBURG, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA), the national trade association representing competitive retail energy suppliers, is marking the sixth annual National Energy Shopping Day by encouraging Americans to take advantage of their power to choose. Today is National Energy Shopping Day, which serves as an annual reminder to review your current energy plan, compare available offers, explore clean energy options and choose a gas and electric supplier that meets your individual needs. Share Recognized every year on the first day of summer and included in Chase's Calendar of Events, National Energy Shopping Day promotes consumer awareness and engagement in competitive energy markets. The day serves as a reminder for individuals and businesses in states with retail choice to shop for energy plans that reflect their personal preferences, whether that means seeking renewable options, locking in fixed rates or finding budget-friendly pricing. 'Shopping for energy is one of the most overlooked ways consumers can make a real impact on their energy bills, their sustainability goals and take control of their energy choices,' said Tracy McCormick, executive director of RESA. 'We believe that every consumer deserves more than one monopoly option. They deserve the right to choose.' Currently, 14 states and the District of Columbia allow consumers to select their own electricity and/or natural gas supplier. However, a national survey by Ragnar Research Partners reveals a significant disconnect: 74% of Americans want to choose their energy provider, while only 28% currently have the option. RESA offers free, easy-to-use tools at to help consumers: Determine if energy choice is available in their state Where to compare energy providers and plans How to shop for energy Understand key contract terms and rate structures Energy choice isn't just about shopping—it's about empowerment, competition and innovation. RESA remains committed to educating consumers, supporting transparent marketplaces and expanding access to energy choice nationwide. ABOUT NATIONAL ENERGY SHOPPING DAY National Energy Shopping Day is an initiative created by RESA to encourage individuals residing in states that offer retail energy choice in electric and natural gas suppliers to find the best provider tailored to their specific requirements. Consumers can select a plan that offers clean energy products or benefits, such as smart home integration or energy efficiency programs, for their homes or businesses. For more information, visit ABOUT RESA The Retail Energy Supply Association is a broad and diverse group of retail energy suppliers who share the common vision that competitive retail electricity and natural gas markets deliver a more efficient, customer-oriented outcome than a regulated utility structure. RESA is devoted to working with all stakeholders to promote vibrant and sustainable competitive retail energy markets for residential and industrial consumers. For more information, visit Follow RESA on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Pro Stager Knows How to Make Any Space Feel Like It Was Made for You
As Jason Saft, founder of home staging service Staged To Sell Home, gazes around his 24,000-square-foot studio and storage space in Industry City, Brooklyn, he reminisces on how he's grown from his first 8-by-10-foot space. Almost every inch of Saft's studio is covered with some object he's collected over the years, and every story makes up his winding history that's led him to where he is now. But if I had to guess, Saft wouldn't linger too long with memories of the past; he'd be poring over the details of one of the 15 staging projects he has going on at the moment. 'This is essentially my third career that took me a really long time to organically grow into,' Saft says. He founded his staging business, which was awarded #1 Luxury Home Stager in the United States in 2024 from Real Estate Services Alliance (RESA), in 2020, after 20 years in the real estate business (he was one of Compass's founding agents in 2013) and working in PR and marketing before that. But Saft's love for good design goes back to when he was a kid in the 80s: He'd eagerly read his mom's interior design magazines (and hide them under his bed for safekeeping). Cut to a few decades later, and Saft is living out his childhood dreams. 'For me, it's this ability to design, to do the thing that at my core I've always wanted to do,' he says. 'And it doesn't feel like a job. It doesn't even feel like, I mean, it is a career, but it's just a part of me.' Saft treats every staging project with an impressive level of devotion and thoughtfulness. 'It's not like there's a template, and we just cut and paste everything into it,' he shares. 'We're often [considering] the cross-section of neighborhoods, property type, architecture, history — it's so across the board,' he says. Saft explains how he and his team immerse themselves in each project: 'I try [to] teach my team, it's like you are getting into character; you are understanding that this dwelling is very different from this other one for this list of reasons.' 'Getting into character' stands out as one of the defining factors of Saft's approach. 'We are getting into the space [and] the stories that we're creating,' he says. 'It's so thought out and detailed, and there are discussions on it.' Saft welcomes a 'back-and-forth' about an approach to a home — he likes to dig into the nuances. He likens it to how your algorithm just knows what you want: 'That's my goal … creating something that someone thinks was created just for them.' Before he started Staged To Sell Home, Saft staged homes as a hobby while working as a realtor. 'That is sort of how I got my foot in the door with the business,' he explains. 'I looked for projects that had not sold, couldn't sell, and they were always rooted in issues with design.' In 2005, when Saft was 10 years into his real estate career, he created a marketing deck that outlined a 30-point action plan for fixing up and selling a home, which is still the core of his approach today. One of the points is the 'moment of entry,' which refers to helping potential buyers instantly feel good about a home when they open the door. This includes even the simplest things, like having a clean space and emptying the garbage cans. Next, they tackle all of the visible issues in a home to capitalize on a space's 'magical moments,' as Saft refers to them. 'Any time you don't fix your [home's] flaw, you're just handing leverage to someone to use it against you,' he explains. When a home's special features are on full display, Saft and his team will capture visuals of the space to give a full picture of what it feels like to live there. They'll photograph it at different times of day and show the 'nuances and subtleties' as opposed to an overall room shot. As Saft's portfolio expanded beyond a side hobby in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he took on Staged To Sell Home full-time. 'I've never had the time to think about what I wanted to do, what made me happy, what fulfilled me,' Saft says. 'And I always kept going back to design.' He appreciates all parts of redesigning homes, whether decluttering, reorganizing furniture, or painting. Mostly, he enjoys the entire transformation process: taking a home from what it was to what it could be — and attracting buyers who could envision living in it. Using his deep knowledge of the real estate industry, Saft can anticipate what a potential buyer will look for in a specific neighborhood, like Manhattan's West Village, for example. 'That's where the brokerage experience for me comes in handy. We sort of turned the house upside down, repainted it, and just approached it in a way that [reflects] a very specific buyer in the West Village,' he says. He gets very granular, considering buyers' budgets, how people will use the home, where they hang out, where they go out to dinner, where they go on vacation. You won't see 'simple, minimalist, all-white or beige environments with very little variation' or 'generic, big, white furniture' in Saft's portfolio. In breaking away from a one-size-fits-all approach, Saft had to take sourcing materials and finding inspiration seriously (as any pioneering Changemaker would). He visits museums, rummages through flea markets, and wanders into clothing stores to appreciate a design element. Of course, Saft's friends also serve as creative fonts — offering him things like vintage shoeboxes. 'I love combining different eras, time periods, and aesthetics into this one thing that feels fully thought out and realized,' Saft explains. Saft's attention to detail, keen understanding of the real estate industry, and ability to use his imagination have paid off. Since launching the brand full-time, Saft's sold more than $3 billion in properties. If Saft and his team enter an apartment that's been unable to sell, it's highly likely that once they've reimagined the space, it'll be sold — and sold quickly. Just take a project he completed in Manhattan's Upper East Side neighborhood. After remaking the space, it was on the market for 32 days and sold for $1.7 million above the original listing price. The success is great, but for Saft, it all comes back to design — he feels a responsibility as a professional interior decorator and stylist to show people how they can live in a space. 'I am constantly investing in things that are a bit more expensive and sort of break out of the traditional mold because I love design,' Saft says. 'I want to bring real design into the home from the very beginning.' We Tested (and Rated!) Every Sofa at West Elm — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Article's DTC Furniture We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here's What They Said
The Hindu
04-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Thiruvananthapuram airport gasps for breath as terminal capacity utilisation crosses 100%
Not only has the sky above Thiruvananthapuram become significantly busier now, but also the terminals of the airport here, considering the capacity of the terminals and the number of passengers handled. Though the airport witnessed a surge in passenger volume in the previous two financial years, an upgrade in infrastructure in tune with the increase in passengers and flight services, which is necessary for positioning Thiruvananthapuram as a rapidly evolving aviation hub, is yet to be materialised. The Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has utilised around 97.90% of its terminal capacity in 2023-24 and over 100% in the just-concluded fiscal. In comparison, the capacity utilisation of Kannur, Kochi, and Kozhikode airports in the State was 13.09%, 41.46% and 50.31%, respectively, in 2023-24. The terminal capacity of the Thiruvananthapuram airport is 45 lakh passengers per annum, while the total passengers handled by the airport in the past fiscal were 48.90 lakh, a 10% increase compared to the 44.11 lakh travellers in the preceding financial year. On the other hand, the terminal capacity utilisation in the busy Kochi airport is close to 50%. Sources told The Hindu that the airport was now looking to expand its terminal area by taking up construction vertically. The international terminal would be expanded to handle 11.2 million passengers from the current 3.2 million as part of Project Anantha. The work would begin once the necessary permissions, including environmental clearance, were received. Similarly, the overcrowded domestic terminal, where the capacity utilisation was about 200% last year with the terminal handling around 26 lakh passengers against the capacity of 13 lakh, will be shifted to the newly built international terminal as part of a makeshift arrangement to facilitate the work on the domestic terminal. However, both the projects are expected to take time for completion. Work on the expansion of the security-hold area and canopy extension at the international terminal is at various stages. Land acquisition Recently, the State government has directed officials to fast-track the land acquisition for expanding the Runway End Safety Area (RESA) at the airport, a statutory requirement mandated by the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The RESA expansion had been delayed mainly due to administrative hurdles and disputes over lands.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State govt directs revenue department to expedite land acquisition for Thiruvananthapuram airport runway expansion
Thiruvananthapuram: After months of delay, expansion of runway at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has gained fresh momentum, with the state govt directing officials to fast-track land acquisition and clear all related bottlenecks. At a high-level meeting chaired by chief principal secretary to the chief minister K M Abraham, the govt instructed the revenue department to expedite procedures for acquiring 22 acres of land needed for the development of the runway end safety area (RESA) — a critical aviation safety feature mandated by international standards. Originally scheduled for completion by Sept 2024, the RESA expansion project has been delayed due to administrative hurdles and land disputes. The latest govt intervention comes as a push to meet safety norms and accommodate the growing passenger traffic at the international airport. One of the major roadblocks to the expansion has been the 4.5 acres of land under BrahMos Aerospace Ltd, a sensitive defence installation. While the land is essential for the expansion, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Union ministry of defence and its transfer requires Centre's approval. The state govt is also working on identifying an alternative site for the Chackai fire and rescue station, which lies within the proposed expansion zone. Officials have also confirmed that portions of Chackai–Shanghumugham Road may need to be taken over for the project, however they reassured that the ITI at Chackai would remain unaffected. Aviation secretary K Biju told TOI that the expansion of the runway is a top priority for both operational safety and long-term development of the airport. "State govt is fully committed to completing the land acquisition process at the earliest. Coordination with the Union ministry of defence is also underway to resolve the BrahMos land issue," he said. The project, once completed, will improve safety margins for aircraft operations, particularly during emergency landings and in adverse weather conditions. It will also enable the airport to handle larger aircraft, enhancing its potential as a key aviation hub in southern India. Airport authorities and AAI officials have welcomed the govt's proactive stance, noting that RESA expansion was critical for retaining international operational certifications. Revenue and transport officials are expected to intensify measures to complete surveys, initiate compensation packages and begin formal land handovers in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the development of Terminal 2 (International) under Project Anantha is likely to be delayed due to pending environmental clearance from the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Runway safety project delayed by govt deadlock over land acquisition at MIA
Mangaluru: The construction of the 'runway basic strip area' at Mangaluru International Airport(MIA) has not gained traction due to the administrative impasse between the Karnataka govt and the Union govt. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They are passing the buck on who will fund the land acquisition for the project. Fifteen years after the devastating Air India Express crash that killed 158 people, a crucial plan remains largely unimplemented. This essential buffer zone, a key recommendation following the 2010 disaster, requires 33 acres of additional land, which the Airports Authority of India (AAI) sought since 2015-16. An administrative deadlock persists between the AAI and the Karnataka govt, with the state arguing that the private airport operator should fund the land acquisition. While improvements like runway resurfacing and partial runway end safety areas (RESA) were completed, the full safety strip is the need of the hour at the runway. This ongoing impasse leaves thousands of passengers vulnerable every day to the same risks that led to the 2010 tragedy. The construction of the safety basic strip was a key recommendation in the report of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after the investigation of the crash. Dakshina Kannada additional DC Santhosh Kumar G, quoting a letter to the state govt in Feb 2024, as per land value in 2018, it was decided to give Rs 35 lakh per acre; however, in 2023-24, the value went up. Besides, 28 landowners have also sought a one-time rehabilitation package estimated at around Rs 7.8 crore. "In total, both land acquisition and the rehabilitation package would cost the govt exchequer a total of Rs 45 to Rs 50 crore," the letter stated. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A few months ago, MP Capt Brijesh Chowta raised the issue of land acquisition in Parliament, seeking intervention of Union minister for civil aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu to enable a dialogue between all concerned authorities to clear the bottlenecks. "After talks, AAI has given a green signal that will help take the process forward. Besides, I have held talks with officials from the infrastructure development ports and inland water transport department to expedite the process. If they start the land acquisition process, the Centre will extend full support," said Chowta. Hephsiba Rani Korlapati, additional secretary to government, infrastructure development ports and inland water transport department, declined to comment.
