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Recognize and reward good contractor performance

Many programs used the information they gathered through their quality assurance efforts to recognize contractors that deliver consistent, high-quality work. Rewarding good contractor performance can help you build trust, strengthen partnerships, and boost workforce morale. You can incentivize...

Provide materials and training to ensure data quality, consistency, and accuracy

Many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners found that it is important to get buy-in from program staff and contractors on the importance of data integrity to the program mission and then to invest time to develop materials and train everyone who has a role in data collection and analysis...

Make sure there are enough customers in your target market to meet your goals and attract partners

Many programs that focused on a specific neighborhood or other small geographic areas have found it difficult to generate enough customer interest, partner interest, and upgrade activity to meet program goals. Regional or statewide approaches are often more attractive to contractors, lenders...

Design your financing activities to enable long-term sustainability

In order to overcome lenders’ concerns over the risk associated with energy efficiency loans, many Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners offered credit enhancements to lenders (e.g., loan loss reserve funds) to attract lender participation and to mitigate lender losses in the event of loan...

Part III: Keeping it Going: Financing Options for your Clean Energy Programs

Author(s)

Neelam Patel, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Pat McGuckin, The Cadmus Group, Inc.,

Niko Dietsch, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

Keith Canfield, Clinton Climate Initiative,

James Christensen and Yvette Rincon, City of Sacramento, California

Publication Date

2012

Organizations or Programs

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD),

Home Energy Affordability Loan (HEAL)

This webcast (Part III of a three-part series) covers how to choose and implement financing options that meet local needs.

Powering the New Energy Future From the Ground Up

Author(s)

Climate Solutions

Publication Date

2012

Organizations or Programs

Hailey's Community Climate Challenge,

EnergySmart,

Eugene Water and Electric Board,

Community Energy Challenge,

Hailey's Community Climate Challenge,

Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project,

Knoxville,

TN,

Oberlin Project,

Energize New York,

RePower Kitsap,

RePower Bainbridge,

RePower Bremerton,

Burlington Sustainability Action Team,

Gainesville Regional Utilities,

Hillsboro Solar Advantage,

Issaquah,

WA,

MPower Madison Program,

Solarize Pendleton,

Clear the Air Challenge,

Santa Fe,

NM,

West Union,

IA,

Sustainable Williamson,

CharlestonWISE,

City of Aiken,

SC,

City Green Initiative,

Kilowatt Cruncher Challenge,

Smarter Sustainable Dubuque,

Small Cities Climate Action Partnership,

City of Grand Rapids,

MI,

Town of GreenÞeld,

MA,

City of Keene,

NH,

Home Energy Affordability Loan (HEAL),

Clean Local Energy Accessible Now,

RichmondBuild Pre-apprenticeship Construction Skills and Green Jobs Training Academy

This report from Climate Solutions analyzes small- to medium-sized American cities that are using successful methods to further clean energy economic development. Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners that are featured in the report include Bainbridge Island and Bremerton, Washington; Boulder, Colorado; Bedford, New York; Madison, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The report includes details on the how the featured cities funded their projects, found successful models to reach their goals, and to see which new projects are off to a promising start.