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Leverage the many complementary benefits of energy efficiency programs to broaden your organization’s reach and partnership opportunities

Home energy assessments and upgrades can offer more than just energy savings benefits. They can make homes safer, enhance home value, and reduce health risks for residents. Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners found that emphasizing the full range of benefits that upgrades offered helped...
Tips for Success

Connect home performance professionals to trainings focused on the skills that employers want and the community needs

Effective home performance contractors require many types of skills and expertise. To help individuals develop those skills, programs can target training on the specific topics and skills needed for successful home performance work. Many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners found that they...
Tips for Success

Innovative Approaches to Financing

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on types of financing used to support home energy upgrades, including Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans (WHEEL) and on-bill financing (OBF) through rural electric cooperatives. It featured speakers from the Energy Programs Consortium and The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Do You Hear Me Now? Communicating the Value of Non-Energy Benefits (101)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Elevate Energy

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on communicating non-energy benefits that homeowners and building owners are most interested in. Speakers include Elevate Energy, Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, and Skumatz Economic Research Associates, Inc.

Resource - Topical Presentations

He Said She Said: The Power of Messaging (101)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2016

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on messaging strategies to capture the benefits of home upgrades and attract new customers to home performance.

Resource - Topical Presentations

On-Bill Financing: Reducing Cost Barriers to Energy Efficiency Improvements (201)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
Help My House

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on strategies and challenges of on-bill financing programs.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Programs: Operating as a Prime Contractor

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
SustainableWorks,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA),
CharlestonWISE

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on the challenges, strategies and advantages of  operating as a prime contractor.

Resource - Topical Presentations

ResStock State Fact Sheets

Author(s)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date
2017

Each ResStock fact sheet presents the potential for residential energy and utility bill savings for the state. The top ten energy savings home improvements are highlighted.

Resource - Publications

Enhancing State Energy Efficiency Efforts Through Information and Outreach to Consumers

Author(s)
National Governors Association
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
TakeCharge! Challenge,
Enhabit,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

Many states have adopted policies intended to overcome the barriers that limit the more efficient use of electricity. Yet because such efforts have not addressed the lack of consumer information and motivation to improve efficiency, many opportunities for energy efficiency remain untapped. To help address that problem, states, utilities, and other energy efficiency service providers have begun to develop new approaches to informing and motivating customers based on behavioral economics and psychology research. This report describes three broad strategies that states can use to engage consumers' participation in energy efficiency programs: provide direct consumer information and feedback on energy use, influence social norms; and match messages and messengers to target audiences. Recommendations for actions that governors can take within the context of each of those three strategies are provided.

Resource - Publications

Financing Energy Efficiency Retrofits of Affordable Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Community Development Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Publication Date
2014
Organizations or Programs
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Watt Watchers,
Neighborhood Energy,
Energy Savers,
Ratepayer Inte-grated On-Bill Payment Program,
I'M HOME initiative,
Multifamily Energy Efficiency and Housing Affordability,
Residential Multifamily Housing Program

There are more than 17 million multifamily households nationwide, yet they remain a significant and mostly untapped opportunity for energy efficiency gains. Many cities and states that have embraced energy retrofitting as a job creator and boon to both the environment and economy have yet to address potential savings in multifamily properties, primarily because of obstacles not faced by single family and commercial properties. This paper discusses two barriers -- a lack of information and financing -- that stand in the way of multifamily energy retrofits.

Resource - Publications

More Savings for More Residents: Progress in Multifamily Housing Energy Efficiency

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2017

This report updates ACEEE's 2013 assessment of multifamily energy efficiency programs in US metropolitan areas with the most multifamily households. Using housing, policy, and utility-sector data from 2014 and 2015, this report documents how these programs have changed in the context of dynamic housing markets and statewide policy environments. The report also offers an analysis of the number, spending, offerings, and targeted participants of current programs and their potential for further expansion.

Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Jobs in America

Author(s)
E4TheFuture,
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
Publication Date
2016

The report, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and a survey of tens of thousands of businesses across the country, provides detailed breakdowns of clean energy jobs not available previously, and it was developed and released in connection with a major U.S. Department of Energy study of all energy jobs in America.

Resource - Publications

Current Practices in Efficiency Financing: An Overview for State and Local Governments

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Kansas How$mart,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Michigan Saves,
Texas LoanSTAR,
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD),
Nebraska Dollar and Energy Savings Program

This report is a guide to all customer-facing financing products—products offered by a lender directly to a borrower—used to pay for energy efficiency. Intended for state and local governments that are deciding whether to start a new program, tune up and existing program, or create a Green Bank, it provides information on the full range of financing product options for target participants, the tradeoffs of various products, and potential advantages and disadvantages for different types of customers.

Resource - Publications

Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy

Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.
Publication Date
2016

The Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy is intended to give policymakers, regulators, efficiency proponents, program administrators and other stakeholders a comparative view of the progress of energy efficiency policies and programs across the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region. Along with state-level highlights, the report examines regional trends and shared challenges in harnessing the potential of energy efficiency to meet today’s pressing energy and environmental challenges.

Resource - Publications

Saving Energy Improves Americans' Health and the Environment

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016

Energy efficiency is good for you--and for the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the community in which you live. This fact sheet shows how saving energy reduces air and water pollution and conserves natural resources, which in turn creates a healthier living environment for people everywhere. It includes the stories of a family in Pennsylvania and a hospital in Florida.

Resource - Publications

A Policymaker’s Guide to Scaling Home Energy Upgrades

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
EnergySmart,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Enhabit,
Mass Save,
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA),
Manitoba Hydro,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Michigan Saves,
Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans,
Austin Energy,
Efficiency Vermot,
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
Illinois Home Performance with Energy Star,
Build It Green,
Earth Advantage,
Elevate Energy,
Arizona Public Service (APS),
Pacific Gas and Electric Company,
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad

This Guide is designed to help state and local policymakers to take full advantage of new policy developments by providing them with a comprehensive set of tools to support launching or accelerating residential energy efficiency programs. The Guide focuses on four categories of policies that have proven particularly effective in providing a framework within which residential energy efficiency programs can thrive: incentives and financing, making the value of energy efficiency visible in the real estate market, data access and standardization, and supporting utility system procurement of energy efficiency.

Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Collaboratives: Driving Ratepayer-Funded Efficiency through Regulatory Policies Working Group

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2015

Energy efficiency collaboratives vary greatly and are typically designed for a specific jurisdiction, making them hard to compare side by side. This guide seeks to highlight a few common elements and draw conclusions on the overall effectiveness of specific characteristics of collaboratives. This guide defines and examines four different types of collaboratives in terms of their origin, scope, decision-making method, membership, duration, available resources, and how they interact with and influence their respective commissions.

Resource - Publications

A Changing Landscape: The Regional Roundup of Energy Efficiency Policy in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States

Author(s)
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.
Publication Date
2015

This report represents NEEP’s annual assessment of the major policy developments of 2014, as well as its look into the immediate future, where NEEP gauge states’ progress toward capturing cost-effective energy efficiency as a first-order resource. While looking at the region as a whole, NEEP also provides summary and analysis of some of the biggest building energy efficiency successes and setbacks from Maine to Maryland — including significant energy efficiency legislation and regulations and changes in funding levels for energy efficiency programs.

Resource - Publications

Discussion of Consumer Perspectives on Regulation of Energy Efficiency Investments

Author(s)
National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency
Publication Date
2009

This report considers consumers' perspectives on policy and regulatory issues associated with the administration of energy efficiency investments funded by ratepayers of electric and natural gas utilities.

Resource - Publications

Financing Energy Improvements on Utility Bills: Market Updates and Key Program Design Considerations for Policymakers and Administrators

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2014

This report provides an overview of the current state of on-bill programs and provides actionable insights on key program design considerations for on-bill lending programs.

Resource - Publications

Delivering Energy Efficiency to Middle Income Single Family Households

Author(s)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
2011

This report provides state and local policymakers with information on successful approaches to the design and implementation of residential efficiency programs for households ineligible for low-income programs.

Resource - Publications

Better Buildings Neighborhood Program Southeast Consortium Process Evaluation - Phase 1

Author(s)
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)

This report presents the phase 1 process evaluation conducted of the 13 programs in the Southeast Consortium Better Buildings Neighborhood Program (BBNP).

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Better Buildings Neighborhood Program Southeast Consortium Process Evaluation-Phase 2

Author(s)
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)

This report presents the phase 2 process evaluation conducted of the 13 programs in the Southeast Consortium Better Buildings Neighborhood Program (BBNP).

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Better Buildings Neighborhood Program Southeast Consortium Impact Evaluation

Author(s)
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2013
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)

This report presents the impact evaluation conducted of the 13 programs in the Southeast Consortium Better Buildings Neighborhood Program (BBNP).

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Energy Efficiency: Serving the Cooperative Consumer/Owner

Author(s)
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Rural Energy Savings Program
Presentation explaining the advantages and challenges of electric cooperatives, and discussing the implementation of an energy efficiency program operated by an electric cooperative in South Carolina.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

CharlestonSAVES: Market Assessment

Author(s)
Environmental Finance Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Publication Date
2010

This market assessment for CharlestonSAVES identifies the customers and potential demand for an energy efficiency upgrade financing program.

Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Using Data to Monitor Market Transformation - Charleston WISE

Author(s)
Betsy Kleinfelder, The Sustainability Institute
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
CharlestonWISE
As part of its "intentional learning" process, Charleston WISE collects information from homeowners that helps the program systematically test assumptions and implement continuous improvement.
Resource - Program Presentations & Reports

Help My House Loan Pilot Program: Program Design and Results

Author(s)
Central Electric Power Cooperative
Publication Date
2013

This case study highlights the Help My House Pilot Program conducted in South Carolina by Central Electric Power Cooperative that included on-bill financing.

Resource - Case Studies

Content Type

  • Resource (26)
  • Tips for Success (2)

Resource Type

Program Components

  • Market Position & Business Model (10)
  • Program Design & Customer Experience (13)
  • Evaluation & Data Collection (5)
  • Marketing & Outreach (8)
  • Financing (8)
  • Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development (2)

Program Design Phases

  • Overview (1)
  • Strategy Development (18)
  • Planning (20)
  • Implementation (17)
  • Evaluation (8)

States or Territories

  • Alabama (19)
  • Alaska (5)
  • Alberta (1)
  • Arizona (37)
  • Arkansas (21)
  • British Columbia (3)
  • California (169)
  • Colorado (85)
  • Connecticut (65)
  • DC (1)
  • Delaware (14)
  • (-) District of Columbia (2)
  • Florida (36)
  • Georgia (28)
  • Hawaii (10)
  • Idaho (11)
  • Illinois (76)
  • Indiana (13)
  • Iowa (8)
  • (-) Kansas (14)
  • Kentucky (10)
  • Louisiana (18)
  • Maine (47)
  • Manitoba (1)
  • Maryland (55)
  • Massachusetts (73)
  • Michigan (58)
  • Minnesota (33)
  • Mississippi (7)
  • Missouri (29)
  • Montana (8)
  • Nebraska (7)
  • Nevada (17)
  • New Hampshire (26)
  • New Jersey (31)
  • New Mexico (6)
  • New York (89)
  • North Carolina (23)
  • (-) North Dakota (2)
  • Nova Scotia (2)
  • Ohio (43)
  • Oklahoma (7)
  • Ontario (1)
  • Oregon (90)
  • Pennsylvania (54)
  • Rhode Island (31)
  • (-) South Carolina (16)
  • South Dakota (3)
  • Tennessee (14)
  • Texas (56)
  • U.S. Virgin Islands (3)
  • Utah (16)
  • Vermont (59)
  • Virginia (36)
  • Washington (88)
  • Washington D.C. (3)
  • Washington DC (20)
  • West Virginia (3)
  • Wisconsin (36)
  • Wyoming (4)

Organizations or Programs

  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) (4)
  • Enhabit (3)
  • Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) (3)
  • Austin Energy (2)
  • CharlestonWISE (2)
  • Elevate Energy (2)
  • Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) (2)
  • Michigan Saves (2)
  • NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad (2)
  • Arizona Public Service (APS) (1)
  • Build It Green (1)
  • Community Power Works (1)
  • Earth Advantage (1)
  • Efficiency Vermot (1)
  • Energy Savers (1)
  • EnergySmart (1)
  • EnergyWorks Kansas City (1)
  • EnergyWorks KC (1)
  • Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA) (1)
  • Help My House (1)
  • I'M HOME initiative (1)
  • Illinois Home Performance with Energy Star (1)
  • Kansas How$mart (1)
  • Manitoba Hydro (1)
  • Mass Save (1)
  • Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (1)
  • Multifamily Energy Efficiency and Housing Affordability (1)
  • Nebraska Dollar and Energy Savings Program (1)
  • Neighborhood Energy (1)
  • Pacific Gas and Electric Company (1)
  • Ratepayer Inte-grated On-Bill Payment Program (1)
  • Residential Multifamily Housing Program (1)
  • Rural Energy Savings Program (1)
  • Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) (1)
  • Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) (1)
  • SustainableWorks (1)
  • TakeCharge! Challenge (1)
  • Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) (1)
  • Texas LoanSTAR (1)
  • Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans (1)
  • Watt Watchers (1)
Residential Program Guide is a resource of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.
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