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Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Elevate Energy,
Enhabit

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.

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

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
EnergySmart,
Bend Energy Challenge,
Mass Save,
Focus on Energy,
Enhabit

This document summarizes top marketing and outreach takeaways shared by Better Buildings Residential Network members during spring 2015 Peer Exchange Calls.

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA),
Energy Right Solutions for Buisness,
Energy Right Solutions for Industry,
Efficiency Nova Scotia,
National Grid Energy Efficiency Program,
Energy Trust of Oregon,
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs,
Enhabit,
District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility,
BC Hydro,
Ontario Power Authority Industrial Accelerator Program,
Elevate Energy

Among the many benefits ascribed to energy efficiency is the fact that it can help create jobs. Although this is often used to motivate investments in efficiency programs, verifying job creation benefits is more complicated than it might seem at first. This paper identifies some of the issues that contribute to a lack of consistency in attempts to verify efficiency-related job creation. It then proposes an analytically rigorous and tractable framework for program evaluators to use in future assessments.

Author(s)
Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Pennsylvania Treasury,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA),
Enhabit
The report makes the case for establishment of common data collection practices for energy efficiency lending. The report reviews existing practices for the collection of four categories of data from energy efficiency financing programs: (1) customer data; (2) financial product and performance data; (3) facility-level data; and (4) energy efficiency project data. The report then identifies high-priority needs, characterizes potential uses for finance program data, and identifies use cases that describe how stakeholders use data for key objectives and actions.
Author(s)
State and Local Energy Efficiency Action Network
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
This report provides an overview of considerations for designing and implementing successful energy efficiency financing programs for existing buildings in the residential and commercial sectors. Information on key issues related to energy efficiency financing programs, guidance to existing resources that provide more in-depth financing program design and implementation information, and strategies for delivering broad customer access to attractive financing products that enhance customer capacity and willingness to invest in energy efficiency to address "first cost" barriers are included.
Author(s)
RePower Bainbridge,
Conservation Services Group,
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton
This guide is designed to serve as a "how-to" reference for island communities (or small, similarly sized, more isolated communities) that want to develop and implement a residential energy-efficiency and conservation program. The purpose of this guide is to help communities chart a course for successful program development based on the lessons learned during implementation and operation of RePower Bainbridge, an energy-efficiency program on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Columbia Gas of Ohio,
National Grid,
CenterPoint Energy,
Nicor Gas,
United Illuminating Company,
Eversource Energy,
Yankee Gas,
Connecticut Natural Gas,
Southern Connecticut Gas,
Xcel Energy,
Connecticut Natural Gas

This report presents the results of ACEEE's third national review or utility-funded energy efficiency programs, completed in 2013. The report identifies and profiles 63 leading programs that span the wide array of program types offered to utility customers, and highlights key trends and observations that emerged from reviewing these programs.

Author(s)
Richard Faesy and Chris Kramer, Energy Futures Group (Prepared for the Energy Foundation)
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
Michigan Saves,
BetterBuildings for Michigan,
Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP),
NeighborWorks H.E.A.T. Squad,
Energy Works,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Efficiency Maine,
Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (GCEA)

This report explores the approaches and research needs identified in the Building Retrofit Industry and Market (BRIM) Initiative through in-depth discussion with residential energy upgrade experts including a discussion of Marketing & Outreach and the program/contractor interface.

Author(s)
The Energy Foundation
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Maryland Clean Energy Center Home Owner Loan Program,
Texas LoanSTAR,
Colorado ENERGY STAR Homes,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Energy Efficient Mortgage Program,
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) PowerSaver,
Community Preservation Corporation Green Financing Initiative,
New Resource Bank,
Sempra Utilities,
United Illuminating

Reviews and summarize energy efficiency financing models and strategies. Models are analyzed according to funding sources, program structures, limits to scale, repayment vehicles, and project risks. Strategies consider applicable building sectors, models, levels of establishment, growth potential, advantages, and disadvantages.

Author(s)
National Governors Association
Publication Date
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.

Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton
In this video interview segment, Yvonne Kraus of Conservation Services Group in Bainbridge Island, Washington, discusses why the RePower program created multiple branding and messaging themes.
Author(s)
U.S. Department of Energy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
RePower Kitsap,
RePower Bainbridge,
RePower Bremerton

In this video interview segment, Yvonne Kraus of Conservation Services Group describes how program and utility partnerships can co-benefit each other.

Author(s)
Climate Solutions
Publication Date
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.

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

In this video interview segment, Will Ranes of RePower Kitsap discusses the importance of understanding your market, including being able to speak the language of utilities and other key players.

Author(s)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Bridgeport Housing Authority Energy Efficiency,
City of Pendleton,
OR,
Enhabit,
ClimateSmart Initiative,
Colorado ENERGY STAR Homes,
Connecticut Solar Lease,
Keystone Home Energy Loan Program (HELP),
Long Island Green Homes,
Montana Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program,
Palm Desert Energy Independence Program,
Sonoma County Energy Independence Program,
Sustainable Connections: Energy Challenge,
Texas LoanSTAR

This U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resource is intended to help state and local governments design finance programs for their jurisdiction. It describes financing program options, key components of these programs, and factors to consider as they make decisions about getting started or updating their programs.

Author(s)
Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Arizona Public Service (APS),
Enhabit,
Georgia How$mart,
Hawaiian Electric Company,
Kansas How$mart,
How$martKY,
Mass Save,
Public Service of New Hampshire,
Rural Energy Savings Program,
Sempra Energy Utilities,
United Illuminating

This report describes different approaches to energy efficiency finance taken by utilities.

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

This case study discusses the strategies Clean Energy Works Oregon's (now Enhabit's) used to actively engage contractors to make the program successful (e.g., balancing contractors' work priorities, enforcing quality standards).

Author(s)
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD),
Enhabit

This report presents results, recommendations, and case studies of energy efficiency financing programs.

Author(s)
Home Performance Resource Center
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Austin Energy,
Long Island Green Homes,
New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR,
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Enhabit

This paper, which is based on detailed case studies of nine existing state and local programs, presents recommendations for energy upgrade programs to facilitate industry growth and support contractor business models.

Author(s)
Community Benefits Law Center
Publication Date
Organizations or Programs
Enhabit,
New Jersey Weatherization Assistance Program,
Delaware Weatherization Assistance Program,
Washington State Energy Program,
Community Power Works,
Santa Clara County AB811 Pilot Program

Summary of the standards that support job quality, equitable access and quality assurance in several residential energy efficiency programs from different parts of the country.