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Financing – Develop Resources

Develop the procurement, outreach, and loan support resources required to perform your financing activities.
Handbook

Evaluation & Data Collection – Communicate Impacts

Communicate pertinent results of evaluations to program staff, partners, and stakeholders.
Handbook

Market Position & Business Model – Communicate Impacts

Publicize benefits and lessons learned resulting from your organization’s success in the market.
Handbook

Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development – Communicate Impacts

Communicate program results to contractor partners and workforce development stakeholders.
Handbook

Evaluation & Data Collection – Develop Resources

Identify and implement systems and tools that will support data collection and data quality necessary for effective evaluation.
Handbook

Financing – Communicate Impacts

Communicate the results of your financing activities to internal and external partners.
Handbook

Financing – Assess & Improve Processes

Focus on the continuous improvement of your financing activities by tracking and evaluating data, responding to feedback, and modifying strategies when needed.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Make Design Decisions

Solidify your program strategy and decide which customers you will focus on; what products, services, and support you will provide; and how you will partner with contractors and others to deliver services to your customers.
Handbook

Financing – Deliver Program

Launch your financing activities in coordination with other program components.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Identify Partners

Establish relationships with organizations that can help deliver your program by enhancing your knowledge, resources, capabilities and access to customers and contractors.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Set Goals & Objectives

Establish program goals and objectives to clarify what you want your program to achieve and to guide program design and implementation over time.
Handbook

Market Position & Business Model – Create a Business Plan

Create your organization’s business plan, which describes how your operational and financial structure will support the delivery of energy efficiency services.
Handbook

Market Position & Business Model – Develop a Business Model

Define your business model, including market position, products and services, type of customers, financial model, governance structure, and the assets and infrastructure your organization needs.
Handbook

Marketing & Outreach – Deliver Program

Implement marketing and outreach activities in coordination with other program components to generate demand for your program's services.
Handbook

Financing – Develop Evaluation Plans

Establish an evaluation plan that will allow you to determine how your financing activities are impacting the market.
Handbook

Financing – Make Design Decisions

Determine if enhancements to existing financing products or the development of new products are necessary to allow you to achieve your goals and objectives.
Handbook

Financing – Develop Implementation Plans

Develop a plan to implement your financing activities, with defined roles for financial institution partners, contractors, customers, and your program.
Handbook

Marketing & Outreach – Make Design Decisions

Decide on priority target audience segments, messages, and incentives that will motivate customers.
Handbook

Financing – Identify Partners

Identify and partner with financial institutions that can provide capital, underwriting, and other functions to enable your customers to access financing.
Handbook

Financing – Set Goals & Objectives

Establish goals, objectives, and timeframes for your financing activities.
Handbook

Marketing & Outreach – Identify Partners

Establish relationships with organizations that will assist with program marketing and outreach.
Handbook

Financing – Assess the Market

Determine how your target audience currently funds energy efficiency services, to what extent upfront cost is a barrier, and whether improvements to their financing options would increase the uptake of energy efficiency measures.
Handbook

Market Position & Business Model – Set Goals & Objectives

Establish or update your organizational mission, vision, and goals to encompass energy efficiency programs.
Handbook

Marketing & Outreach – Assess the Market

Identify and prioritize potential target audiences based on their likely receptivity to your program's services.
Handbook

Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development – Assess the Market

Learn about the capabilities and services of existing contractors and training providers working in your market.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Overview

Design a residential energy efficiency program that integrates marketing and outreach, contractor coordination, incentives, financing, and program evaluation to provide customers with the products and services they want through a customer-centric process.
Handbook

Financing – Overview

Ensure that your program’s customers will have access to affordable financing, so they can pay for the services you offer.
Handbook

Market Position & Business Model – Overview

Identify your organization's preferred market position by assessing existing market actors, gaps, competitors, and potential partners. Develop a business model that will allow you to deliver energy efficiency services.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Assess & Improve Processes

Improve your program’s efficiency and effectiveness through regular information collection, assessment, decision-making, adaptation, and communication.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Communicate Impacts

Develop a strategy for communicating program impacts and benefits to key audiences to create and sustain support and engagement.
Handbook

Evaluation & Data Collection – Develop Evaluation Plans

Identify the right questions to ask, appropriate metrics to collect, and the processes needed to initiate third-party impact and process evaluations.
Handbook

Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development – Make Design Decisions

Solidify your program strategy and decide which customers you will focus on; what products, services, and support you will provide; and how you will partner with contractors and others to deliver services to your customers.
Handbook

Contractor Engagement & Workforce Development – Set Goals & Objectives

Establish objectives, targets, and timeframes for your program to support local contractors and the type and quality of service they provide to help meet your program’s goals.
Handbook

Program Design & Customer Experience – Assess the Market

Research and analyze the specific barriers, needs, and opportunities for a residential energy efficiency program in your community.
Handbook

Consider a diversity of funding and revenue sources and make selections based on local opportunities when planning for long-term program sustainability

In order to craft a sustainable financial model, organizations need to identify long-term sustainable revenue sources. As with the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, grant funding can be a great way to get an effort off the ground; however, grant funding does run out, leaving the need to secure...
Tips for Success

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

When partnering with lenders through a request for proposal (RFP), establish a clear process and remain flexible

Establishing strong, collaborative partnerships with one or more lending partners is critical for successful delivery of affordable home energy lending. These partnerships are typically created through a request for proposal (RFP) process which can encourage market competition and help to attract...
Tips for Success

Develop partnerships based on an alignment of goals, strong collaboration, and consistent communication

Programs that have developed strong and lasting partnerships have done so by identifying shared goals and seeking ways in which programs and partners can mutually benefit by advancing each other's missions. Even if partners don’t have the same goals as your program, you can still try to find ways to...
Tips for Success

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...
Tips for Success

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...
Tips for Success

Streamline the financing process with easy loan applications and quick approvals

Complicated loan and program application processes have deterred many potential customers from following through with an upgrade. Delays and overly burdensome requirements raise barriers to participation. Many programs have successfully employed strategies to reduce the number of requirements that...
Tips for Success

Adapt messages to your primary target audience’s needs

Many programs found that market research can help identify, segment, and characterize audiences to understand how to prioritize them. A comprehensive evaluation of over 140 programs across the United States found that programs had greater success when they identified specific target populations...
Tips for Success

Partner with organizations or individuals that customers already trust

Many programs found it useful to partner with a range of trusted organizations or individuals to market program offerings to their constituencies or followers. Better Buildings Neighborhood Program participants enhanced their marketing and outreach efforts by partnering with trusted local groups...
Tips for Success

REEO Multifamily Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Barriers and Opportunities Webinar

Author(s)
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance,
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project,
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance,
South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource,
Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Michigan Saves,
ConEdison’s Brooklyn Queens Demand Management Program,
Florida's Multifamily Energy Retrofit Program,
Set the PACE St. Louis,
City of Chicago,
Energy Outreach Colorado,
Massachusetts Low-Income Multifamily Energy Retrofit Program

This webinar covers the Multifamily Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Barriers and Opportunities for Deep Energy Savings report published in 2016.n

Resource - Webcast

Better Together: Linking and Leveraging Energy Programs for Low-Income Households

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2015

This presentation includes a series of case studies to highlight effective efforts by state and local agencies, non-profits, and utilities to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) to low-income households. It explores the topic of linking and leveraging EE/RE programs for limited-income households, including the need to coordinate with other energy assistance programs.

Resource - Webcast

Bringing Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy to Low-Income Households

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2015

This webcast highlights effective efforts by state and local agencies, non-profits, and utilities to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy to low-income households. It explores the topic of linking and leveraging energy efficiency and renewable energy programs for limited-income households, including the need to coordinate with other energy assistance programs. It also presents case studies of organizations that have successfully advanced connections among available programs and funding sources.

Resource - Webcast

Better Together: Linking and Leveraging Energy Programs for Low-Income Households

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energy Outreach Colorado,
DTE Energy

This 90-minute webinar explored the topic of linking and leveraging energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) programs for limited-income households, including the need to coordinate with other energy assistance programs. It presented case studies of organizations that have successfully advanced connections among available programs and funding sources.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Beyond the Light Touch: Next Steps for Improving Energy Efficiency in Multi-Family Affordable Housing

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2016

This is the second webinar in a multi-part series highlighting efforts by state and local agencies, non-profits, and utilities to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) to low-income communities. This 90-minute webinar explored the specific challenges and opportunities faced by programs that aim to improve energy efficiency in multifamily affordable housing, with an emphasis on achieving multiple benefits through deeper retrofits.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Next Steps for Improving Energy Efficiency in Multi-Family Affordable Housing

Author(s)
National Housing Trust
Publication Date
2016

This presentation highlights the work and resources of the Energy Efficiency For All (EEFA) project and its mission to make multifamily homes healthy and affordable through energy efficiency. The families and individuals most in need of affordable housing are also most affected by high energy costs. Low-income families spend up to 20 percent of their income on energy. Efficiency investments in multifamily affordable housing mean energy savings, lower energy bills, more stable rental payments, reduced pollution, and a better quality of life for residents.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Challenging Topics in Cost-effectiveness - Health and Safety Impacts of Low-Income Weatherization

Author(s)
Greg Glendenning, NMR Group, Inc.
Publication Date
2017

This presentation describes a Massachusetts study on low-income weatherization, including its cost-effectiveness and impacts on health and safety.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Energy Efficiency Financing for Low and Moderate-Income Households

Author(s)
Greg Leventis,,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
2017

This presentation provides an overview of energy efficiency financing for low- and moderate-income households, including a sector overview, consumer protections, financing products, and lessons learned.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Retrofit Roulette: Case Studies in Residential Rehabilitation

Author(s)
Elizabeth Merzigian, Peabody Properties,
Beth Keel, San Antonio Housing Authority,
Rosemary Olsen, Village of Hempstead Housing Authority,
Julia Hustwit, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Publication Date
2017

This presentation features Better Buildings Challenge Multifamily partners across the country sharing what's worked and what hasn't in residential rehabilitation and weatherization of income-eligible, public housing multifamily buildings. Speakers shared case studies about their properties that have undergone upgrades during the past year and the lessons learned.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Scaling Up Clean Energy Programs to the Next Level for Low and Moderate Income

Author(s)
Diana Duva, State of Connecticut,
Benjamin Healey, Connecticut Green Bank,
Joe Pereira, State of Colorado,
Jennifer Gremmert, Energy Outreach Colorado,
Michael DiRamio, U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Energize Connecticut,
Energy Outreach California,
Energy Outreach Colorado

In this presentation, state and nonprofit leaders in Colorado and Connecticut discuss their policy and program efforts to offer rooftop and community solar and weatherization services and how they are scaling their programs to meet the needs of the underserved income-eligible market.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Finance Products for Low and Middle Income Customers: What Works?

Author(s)
Greg Leventis, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,
Bruce Schlein, Citi,
Curtis Wynn, Roanoke Electric Cooperative,
Karyn Sper, Fannie Mae,
Philip Henderson, Natural Resources Defense Council
Publication Date
2017

This presentation provides an overview energy efficiency financing products and opportunities for consumer protections and program expansion for low and moderate income customers in the single- and multifamily residential market sectors.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Leveraging Smart Meters to Benefit Low-Income Customers

Author(s)
Heather Roth, Oracle
Publication Date
2016

This presentation highlights the potential operational, financial and environmental benefits that smart meters offer to residential customers, particularly low-income customers. Low-income customers have a higher energy burden, making energy savings more impactful.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Making an Impact: Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Elevate Energy

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on unique challenges for energy efficiency and weatherization programs serving lower income residents in single-family and multifamily housing. Speakers include American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Elevate Energy, and Energy Outreach Colorado.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Low-Income Non-Energy Impacts of Energy Efficiency

Author(s)
Low-Income Energy Affordability Network
Publication Date
2016

This presentation describes non-energy benefits from energy efficiency upgrades in low-income households, draws from research on health and related benefits of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and tailors insights to Massachusetts.

Resource - Topical Presentations

On the Horizon: Making Home Energy Data Meaningful Beyond the MLS

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

Energy efficiency data can inform real estate transactions – including underwriting and appraisal, but each sector relies on its own sets of tools, data and specifications. The Home Energy Information Accelerator addresses how reliable energy information can get into the hands of decision-makers, and what types of policy, technical, and other changes are needed to make energy information useful in the real estate transaction.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Better Together: Linking and Leveraging Energy Programs for Low-Income Households

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Energy Outreach Colorado

This webcast highlight effective efforts by state and local agencies, non-profits, and utilities to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) to low-income households.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Beyond the Light Touch: Next Steps for Improving Energy Efficiency in Multi-Family Affordable Housing

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Elevate Energy

This webcast in a multi-part series highlighting efforts by state and local agencies, non-profits, and utilities to bring energy efficiency and renewable energy (EE/RE) to low-income communities.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Addressing Barriers to Upgrade Projects at Affordable Multifamily Properties (201)

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

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on challenges of energy upgrades in affordable and low-income multifamily properties.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Tailored Marketing for Under-Represented Population Segments (201)

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
Fuel Fund of Maryland,
Chicago Neighborhood Energy Challenge

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on marketing techniques for lower income and other underrepresented populations.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Serving Multifamily Building Owners: A Full Service Comprehensive Approach for Improving Existing Buildings

Author(s)
Peter Ludwig, Elevate Energy
Publication Date
2016

This presentation covers Elevate Energy's full service comprehensive approach for improving low income multifamily housing.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Messaging Strategies for Low-Income Participants

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011

This peer exchange call summary focused on messaging and delivery strategies of those messages to low-income program participants. 

Resource - Topical Presentations

Working With Weatherization Assistance Programs

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Michigan Saves

This peer exchange call summary focused on integrating income-qualified programs into neighborhood sweeps.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Targeted Marketing and Program Design for Low- and Moderate-Income Households

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2011
Organizations or Programs
Indianapolis Better Buildings Program,
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton

This peer exchange call summary focused on what energy efficiency programs are doing to target low- and moderate-income households.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Loan Programs for Low- and Moderate-Income Households

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2014

This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on strategies in building interest in and introducing energy efficiency to affordable housing.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Using Partnerships to Drive Demand and Provide Services in Communities

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
2012
Organizations or Programs
EmPower New York,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Long Island Green Homes,
Energy Impact Illinois,
CNT Energy

This peer exchange call summary focused on leveraging effective partnerships for multi-family and low-income outreach and service delivery.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Understanding Costs and Revenues

Author(s)
Glenn Barnes, Environmental Finance Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Publication Date
2011

Presentation aimed at program administrators that highlights the elements of an income statement, methods for forecasting costs and revenues, the importance of performance measurement, and potential revenue streams.

Resource - Topical Presentations

Low-Income Energy Affordability Data (LEAD) Tool

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

The Better Building Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator (CELICA) was launched in 2016 to help state and local partners across the nation meet their goals for increasing uptake of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in low and moderate income communities. As a part of the Accelerator, DOE created a set of low and moderate income (LMI) energy data profiles to assist partners with understanding their LMI community characteristics. This LMI energy policy and program planning tool provides interactive state, county and city level worksheets with graphs and data including number of households at different income levels and numbers of homeowners versus renters. It provides a breakdown based on fuel type, building type, and construction year. It also provides average monthly energy expenditures and energy burden (percentage of income spent on energy).

Resource - Tools & Calculators

Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator (CELICA) Program Funding Catalog

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

The Better Building Clean Energy for Low Income Communities Accelerator (CELICA) offers a list of federal funding and financing resources and technical assistance programs for low-to-moderate income community projects. It is a worksheet for program managers to map out relevant resources for their planning or program needs.

Resource - Templates & Forms

Preliminary/Sample Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Term Sheet and Underwriting Criteria

Author(s)
Energy Efficiency Finance Corporation
Publication Date
2014

Provides a sample or preliminary term sheet for single family residential energy efficiency loans that can provide a basis for discussions and negotiations with prospective lending partners.

Resource - Templates & Forms

Making a Difference: Strategies for Successful Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2017
This report delves into programs that have overcome barriers such as lack of capital, lack of credit, and aging housing stock, to achieve high participation in low-income residential energy efficiency program. It also explores the key features that make these offerings successful.
Resource - Publications

Program Features: California's Low-Income Energy Efficiency (LIEE) Program

Author(s)
Economic Opportunity Studies (EOS)
Publication Date
2014
In 2009, California utilities were authorized to spend $240 million for their low-income energy efficiency [LIEE] programs, an increase of 53% over 2008. Further increases are expected in each of the following two years. The utilities set about making state-required changes intended to deepen their LIEE programs‟ impact and widen their reach.
Resource - Publications

Program Features: Pennsylvania’s Low-Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP)

Author(s)
Economic Opportunity Studies (EOS)
Publication Date
2014
Pennsylvania’s Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP) is a statewide, utility-sponsored, free residential energy usage reduction program designed to help low-income households lower their energy bills and reduce energy consumption through Weatherization and energy education services.
Resource - Publications

The Benefits of Energy Efficiency for California's Low Income Households

Author(s)
Natural Resources Defense Council
Publication Date
2012
Improving energy efficiency significantly lowers energy bills, creates jobs, and reduces pollution – benefits which all utility customers enjoy. The benefits of efficiency may be greatest in California’s low income communities, however, where poorly weatherized homes, high unemployment rates, and proximity to fossil-fuel fired power plants are too often the norm.
Resource - Publications

State Low-Income Energy Assistance Snapshots

Author(s)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Publication Date
2017
The snapshots present a capsule view of each state's key LIHEAP characteristics, as well as details of its non-federal low-income energy programs (state- and utility-funded, and charitable).
Resource - Publications

The Impact of On-Bill Programs on Loan Performance: Evidence from the Green Jobs, Green New York Program

Author(s)
Jeff Deason, Goldman School of Public Policy , UC Berkeley
Publication Date
2015
Organizations or Programs
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
This paper investigates the credit enhancement value of NYSERDA's on-bill energy efficiency financing program relative to its similar conventional unsecured loan program. In the raw data, while both loan pools perform well relative to credit card lending, the on-bill loans default more often than the unsecured loans. This paper shows that this result persists: on-bill loans default more often, and this finding is not sensitive to model specification. This paper also shows that NYSERDA's alternate underwriting mechanism based on mortgage and utility bill repayment history performs well, and that projected dollar savings from the installed projects do not significantly influence loan performance.
Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Financing for Low and Moderate Income Households: Current State of the Market, Issues, and Opportunities

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2017
This report aims to improve low and moderate income (LMI) stakeholdersÕ understanding of financing options for LMI communities. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of different options, consumer protections to consider, and lessons learned. LMI stakeholders addressed by this report include state and local policymakers, state utility regulators, program administrators, financial institutions, and consumer advocates.
Resource - Publications

Making Maryland Homes More Affordable through Energy Efficiency

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2017
Since 2012, MarylandÕs Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has administered the stateÕs limited-income energy efficiency programs. The programs have been effective in delivering substantial energy savings for each participating household, but overall participation has been low. This report documents the development, successes, and challenges of DHCDÕs programs. Findings from this report rely on information collected from Maryland stakeholders, public program filings, discussions with leading energy efficiency professionals, and ACEEEÕs past best practices research. The report concludes by identifying several opportunities to improve future program performance.
Resource - Publications

Journalist Guide to Energy Efficiency Investments in Low-Income Multifamily Housing

Author(s)
California Delivers
Publication Date
2017
As California moves forward with implementation of new energy efficiency targets in the residential sector, California Delivers offers this background resource for journalists. It includes: an overview of CaliforniaÕs energy efficiency targets and state/federal efficiency programs; a review of barriers to efficiency investments in low-income multifamily housing and strategies to overcome them; relevant facts, figures, and definitions; and a list of experts available for interview.
Resource - Publications

Multifamily Energy Efficiency: What We Know and What's Next

Author(s)
Energy Programs Consortium (EPC)
Publication Date
2013
This Energy Programs Consortium report identifies barriers that have been found to increase investment in low income multi-family housing as well as current efforts to address those barriers and increase building owner investment. This report also identifies strategies for deploying public and provide sector resources that can be used to increase the effectiveness of current efforts to address energy efficiency barriers in the low income multi-family housing sector.
Resource - Publications

Segmenting Chicago Multifamily Housing to Improve Energy Efficiency Programs

Author(s)
Elevate Energy
Publication Date
2017
Organizations or Programs
Elevate Energy
Elevate Energy constructed a database of 143,000 Chicago multifamily buildings and segmented them based on age, size, and other traits in order to better understand the Chicago multifamily sector. The segmentation findings point to opportunities to improve ChicagoÕs energy efficiency programs. The size of the unsubsidized lower-cost multifamily market in Chicago, added benefits of improved health outcomes for low-income residents, and greater investment in disadvantaged neighborhoods strengthen the case for prioritizing multifamily market for energy efficiency. The report is organized into three parts. The first part describes the datasets used to build a database of ChicagoÕs multifamily buildings. The second reviews key findings from the analysis. The third section provides recommended improvements to efficiency programs based on the segmentation.
Resource - Publications

Well-Suited Energy Efficiency Tailoring Programs for Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Publication Date
2017
The Midwest is home to a significant stock of multifamily buildings that represent a huge energy savings opportunity. Multifamily housing makes up 11 to 22% of the housing stock in Midwest states. The majority of multifamily housing is renter-occupied, and a large proportion of those renters are low income customers for whom the cost of high utility bills is the most burdensome. This report examines the mixture of multifamily energy efficiency programs in four states Ð Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and Iowa Ð since 2010. The analysis looks at investment, energy savings and program models offered in each state. These states are not the only states working on multifamily energy efficiency in the Midwest, but they provide a good contrast in terms of energy efficiency policies and performance, as well as having sufficient available data for the analysis.
Resource - Publications

Affordable Multifamily Housing Efficiency Project Factsheet

Author(s)
Natural Resources Defense Council
Publication Date
2014
This fact sheet outlines the opportunities and challenges to be considered in expanding energy efficiency in the affordable multifamily housing sector. Making affordable rental housing more energy efficient is a cost-effective way to reduce energy consumption, maintain housing affordability, create healthier and more comfortable living environments for moderate- and low income families, and reduce pollution.
Resource - Publications

The Power of Energy Efficiency: Expanding Access to Energy Efficiency Improvements for Low and Moderate Income North Carolina Households

Author(s)
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance,
North Carolina Justice Center
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)
Improving energy efficiency can make energy more affordable, transform unhealthy buildings into comfortable homes, and create thousands of jobs. While there are opportunities across the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, some of the greatest need and most profound gains can be made in low- and moderate-income housing. This report outlines why focusing on energy efficiency programs to serve North Carolinians of modest means can return benefits to everyone across the state, and discusses many of the steps that can be taken to increase the adoption of energy efficiency in North Carolina.
Resource - Publications

Lifting the High Energy Burden in AmericaÕs Largest Cities: How Energy Efficiency Can Improve Low Income and Underserved Communities

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy,
Energy Efficiency For All (EEFA)
Publication Date
2016
The report analyzes data from the U.S. Census BureauÕs 2011 and 2013 American Housing Survey to determine energy burden values for 48 of the largest U.S. Cities. On average, low-income households pay 7.2 percent of household income on utilitiesÑmore than twice as much as the median household and three times as much as higher income households. If low-income housing stock were brought up to the efficiency level of the average U.S. home, this would eliminate 35 percent of the average low-income energy burden of low-income households. The second half of the report focuses on strategies for alleviating high energy burdens including policies and programs to increase the impact of energy efficiency initiatives in these communities.
Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Financing for Low and Moderate-Income Households: Current State of the Market, Issues, and Opportunities

Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
2017
This SEE Action report offers state and local policymakers, state utility regulators, program administrators, financial institutions, consumer advocates and other low- and moderate-income (LMI) household stakeholders an understanding of the relationship between LMI communities and energy efficiency; lessons learned from existing energy efficiency financing programs serving LMI households; and the financing products these programs use and their relative advantages and disadvantages.
Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency Loans for Low and Moderate Income Households: The Warehouse for Energy Efficiency Loans (WHEEL) as a Case Study

Author(s)
Energy Programs Consortium
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP)
This report examines participation of low and moderate income borrowers (LMI) in the first WHEEL portfolio. This is the first report in a multiyear project by EPC on Residential Energy Finance and the LMI Market that will take a close look at the market for residential energy efficiency and renewable energy loans to in order to increase the number and rate of the retrofits they facilitate.
Resource - Publications

Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs: A Baseline Assessment of Programs Serving the 51 Largest Cities

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2017
This paper is a baseline assessment of electric and natural gas energy efficiency programs that target low-income households in the largest metropolitan areas in the country. ACEEE surveyed over 70 electric and natural gas utilities on their 2015 low-income program spending, energy savings, customer participation, and best practices.
Resource - Publications

Lending for Energy Efficiency Upgrades in Low- to Moderate-Income Communities: Bank of America's Energy Efficiency Finance Program

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016
This paper analyzes Bank of America's $55 million initiative to provide low-cost funding and grant support to advance energy efficiency investment in low- to moderate-income communities. The funding supported community development financial institutions (CDFIs) in developing and enhancing efficiency programs for residential, commercial, and multifamily buildings. We report on loan performance, energy savings, and the degree to which the savings offset the cost of the energy efficiency investment.
Resource - Publications

Lifting the High Energy Burden in America's Largest Cities: How Energy Efficiency Can Improve Low-Income and Underserved Communities

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016
Energy burden is the percentage of household income spent on home energy bills. In this report, ACEEE, along with the Energy Efficiency for All coalition, measures the energy burden of households in 48 of the largest American cities. The report finds that low-income, African-American, Latino, low-income multifamily, and renter households all spend a greater proportion of their income on utilities than the average family. The report also identifies energy efficiency as an underutilized strategy that can help reduce high energy burdens by as much as 30%. Given this potential, the report goes on to describe policies and programs to ramp up energy efficiency investments in low-income and underserved communities.
Resource - Publications

Building Better Energy Efficiency Programs for Low-Income Households

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Efficiency Vermont
This report details opportunities for scaling up program activity and increasing savings from programs reaching the people who need it most. It discussed best practices from existing programs for overcoming many of the key challenges that program administrators face, including how to address housing deficiencies that prevent energy efficiency upgrades, how to address cost effectiveness challenges, and how to serve hard-to-reach households.
Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency and the Clean Power Plan: Steps to Success

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016
Organizations or Programs
Elevate Energy
This paper examines the current state of energy efficiency financing, highlighting segments of strength such as cars, green buildings, and energy service companies, and offering areas that are underserved, including residential low-income and moderate-income households and multifamily housing
Resource - Publications

Energy Efficiency through Tenant Engagement: A Pilot Behavioral Program for Multifamily Buildings

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
2016
In 2014, ACEEE launched a pilot program to test a variety of behavioral strategies to promote energy efficiency among tenants in low- to moderate-income multifamily housing in Takoma Park, Maryland. The program included behavioral messaging, events, educational information, and the distribution of energy saving devices. ACEEE measured energy use in the months before and after the pilot. The white paper includes these results, insights for the development of future behavioral change programs, and recommended engagement strategies for targeted communities.
Resource - Publications

2006 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Assessing the Needs of CaliforniaÕs Low-Income Population

Author(s)
KEMA Inc.
Publication Date
2006
This paper presents the results of a comprehensive study of the energy-related needs of CaliforniaÕs low-income population. This study was commissioned to direct future policy regarding the various low-income energy programs offered in the state. These programs include the California Alternate Rate for Energy (CARE) Program, which provides a rate discount to qualified low-income customers, and the Low-Income Energy Efficiency (LIEE) Program, which installs weatherization and energy efficiency measures in qualified dwellings at no charge.
Resource - Publications

2014 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Myths of Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs: Implications for Outreach

Author(s)
Opower
Publication Date
2014
Low-income energy efficiency programs provide financially vulnerable utility customers with important energy savings. To date, low-income programs have faced challenges in driving participation -- fueling myths that suggest low-income populations are difficult to reach. This paper explores these myths in turn.
Resource - Publications

Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs: A Baseline Assessment of Programs Serving the 51 Largest Cities

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

This paper is a baseline assessment of electric and natural gas energy efficiency programs that target low-income households in the largest metropolitan areas in the country. ACEEE surveyed over 70 electric and natural gas utilities on their 2015 low-income program spending, energy savings, customer participation, and best practices.

Resource - Publications

Massachusetts Special and Cross-Cutting Research Area: Low-Income Single-Family Health- and Safety-Related Non-Energy Impacts (NEIs) Study

Author(s)
Three3, Inc.,
NMR Group, Inc.
Publication Date
2016

This study assesses and monetizes a sub-set of non-energy benefits experienced by recipients of energy efficiency services residing in income-eligible households in MA, including: reduced asthma; reduced cold-related thermal stress; reduced heat-related thermal stress; reduced missed days at work; reduced use of short-term, high interest loans; increased home productivity due to improvements in sleep; reduced carbon monoxide poisoning; and reduced home fires.

Resource - Publications

Non-Energy Benefits of Energy Efficiency and Weatherization Programs in Multifamily Housing: The Clean Power Plan and Policy Implications

Author(s)
Green & Healthy Homes Initiative
Publication Date
2016

This literature review explores how residential energy efficiency and health interventions can confer positive economic, health, and environmental non-energy benefits at the individual and community level, thereby leading to significant savings while improving the quality of life and resiliency of low income households. The paper closes with policy recommendations to unlock the savings of non-energy benefits from smart energy efficient investments.

Resource - Publications

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