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This document provides a menu of initial questions for a program administrator or implementer to build on and use in developing a real-time evaluation survey to collect qualitative data from contractors.
This document provides a menu of initial questions for a program administrator or implementer to build on and use in developing a real-time evaluation survey to collect qualitative data from program participants.
This presentation provides an overview of the results and lessons learned from 41 community partners that participated in the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program. It also provides an overview of the Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Center.
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.
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.
Presentation providing an overview of financing programs, a strategy for continuous improvement, tools for program management, a risk management strategy, and common risks associated with financing programs.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how to market energy efficiency as a socially responsible investment.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how to create and maintain relationships with contractors and auditors.
This peer exchange call summary focused on planning and conducting evaluations.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on the challenges, strategies and advantages of operating as a prime contractor.
Example of an implementation plan developed by EnergySmart Colorado at the beginning of the implementation of its Better Buildings Neighborhood Program.
Boulder, Colorado's EnergySmart program produced a detailed implementation plan with activities, deliverables, and timelines by phase and task.
This fact sheet provides promising approaches for Better Buildings programs seeking to accelerate workforce development to support building energy upgrades. These approaches are organized by estimated level of effort and include rough estimates of cost ranges for implementation.
This is a Tip for Success
This is a Tip for Success
Example proposal evaluation scoring sheet to rank qualifications of financial institution bidders for energy efficiency upgrade loan programs.
This is a Tip for Success
This is a Tip for Success
This is a Tip for Success
This is a Tip for Success
This presentation provides an overview of PSE&G's Multifamily Housing Program, highlighting drivers, incentive structure, results, and lessons learned.
More than 1 million public housing units that are supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provide rental housing for eligible low-income families across the country. These units range from scattered single-family houses to high-rise apartments. In this project, the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America research team Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative (ARIES) worked with four public housing authorities (PHAs) to develop packages of energy-efficiency retrofit measures that the PHAs can costeffectively implement with their own staffs during the normal course of housing operations when units are refurbished between occupancies.
Policy brief explaining what constitutes a qualified project under the QECB program.
This publication lists best practices for how to create a quality assurance plan and the components that these plans should include.
Webcast about quality assurance for residential upgrade programs.
This peer exchange call summary focused on the challenges and effective combinations of quality assurance strategies.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on quality assurance and control, standardization of upgrades and workforce expectations.
This presentation answers the questions of why and how to quantify the air quality impacts of energy efficiency policies and programs.
This report provides an introduction for air quality regulators to data sources and methods for quantifying the air quality impacts of energy efficiency policies and programs.
In this project, the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) worked with Elevate Energy on three tasks: to conduct pre- and post-retrofit analysis on the income and expense data of 13 Chicago-area multifamily buildings, to compare Chicago income and expense data to two national samples, and to explore the ramifications that energy-efficiency retrofits have on nine Chicago-area neighborhoods.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on how to assess, reassess, and initiate organization partnerships.
This webcast provided a broad picture of possibilities for providing energy efficiency financing, and presented guidance on working with financial institutions.
This guide helps state and local authorities and energy efficiency program administrators choose successful programs in response to energy efficiency program funding opportunities through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It provides information and lessons learned about ten different types of programs--such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR--across the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.
The purpose of this study is to furnish comprehensive information on ratepayer-funded low-income energy programs. This study includes information on and analysis of the energy needs of low-income households, the legal and regulatory framework supporting ratepayer-funded programs, program design options, and the findings from evaluations of program effectiveness.
The multifamily sector can be hard to reach when it comes to energy efficiency programs. Besides being diverse and complex, the sector presents a unique set of challenges to efficiency investments. The result is that multifamily customers are often underserved by energy efficiency programs. Drawing on data requests and interviews with program administrators, this report summarizes the challenges to program participation and identifies best practices that programs can use to reach and retain large numbers of multifamily participants.
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.
Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit) provides a simple four-step process for homeowners seeking energy upgrades. It includes: (1) apply, (2) assess, (3) finance, and (4) transform. Along with financing, rebates are available for home energy assessments and energy upgrades (rebates vary based on energy savings). As of June 2012, the program completed 1,800 home energy remodels, received over 90% customer satisfaction, and saved $500,000 in energy costs.
This is a Tip for Success
This is a Tip for Success
This report addresses a key bottleneck for private capital: lenders declining to underwrite energy efficiency loans for multifamily housing because they lack confidence in energy savings. It presents findings from an analysis of 230+ buildings, assesses total savings achieved and savings as a percentage of projections, and provides a starting point for an underwriting methodology.
The benefits of energy efficiency extend beyond energy savings. Homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities gain comfort, health, and safety benefits from energy efficiency programs. Additional benefits for businesses include savings on maintenance, materials, and the costs of regulatory compliance. On the supply side, electric utilities enjoy reduced system costs. Focusing on the residential, business, and utility sectors, this report examines each of these multiple benefits, their role in program marketing, and current best practices for including them in cost-effectiveness testing.
The purpose of this position paper is to introduce a new framework efficiency screening designed to address know problems with cost-effectiveness tests.
This peer exchange call summary focused on the challenges and solutions to creating jobs, recruitment, training and retention of a workforce.
Low-income tenants bear a particularly large burden for energy costs. Because their costs nearly equal those of higher income renters, energy accounts for larger shares of their incomes and overall housing costs. In 2011, more than one-fourth of all renter households had incomes below $15,000. These lowest-income renters devoted $91 per month to tenant paid utilities, while renters with incomes above $75,000 paid $135.
Mission, goals and objectives of the Regional Climate Protection Authority.
This presentation includes a brief Introduction to Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) and the Regional Evaluation, Measurement and Verification Forum (EM&V Forum), Regional Energy Efficiency Database (REED) development and content, and how to access the REED reports and underlying data.
This peer exchange call summary focused on the advantages, challenges, creation and management of regional networks.
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.
This packet contains all the contractor reporting and verification forms required by Energy Impact Illinois.
Homeowner data collection survey created by RePower.
This infographic summarizes the results of RePower Bainbridge's Final Boarding Call event, providing an effective, engaging way to share program results with partners and other stakeholders.
The RePower programs in Washington State convened local community leaders, organizations, contractors, and program partners for a planning summit to consider the benefits and challenges of different business models for the post-grant period. Participants considered four models: non-profit organization, utility, county or city government, and private sector.
This document details the procedures for identifying, documenting, and responding to performance problems associated with contractors in the RePower Program of Kitsap County, Washington. It includes example forms and a draft letter to contractors.
This presentation describes Washington's RePower program and lessons learned on community engagement as a driver of demand.
This is an application form for contractors (trade allies) interested in participating in the RePower Program of Kitsap County, Washington. The form describes the benefits and requirements for participating contractors, and allows contractors to identify the specific services they offer.
RePower in Bainbridge Island and Bremerton, Washington developed this manual as a set of rules and requirements for acceptable materials and installation procedures for energy efficiency measures installed in existing homes.
This request for proposal from the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance is for branding and communications support.
This presentation provides an overview of the lending RFP issued by the city of Greensboro's Better Buildings Program, including a description of the roles and responsibilities for the city and its financial partners.
This is a sample request for proposals (RFP) from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for public information and marketing support.
This is an example of an RFP for workforce development and other program elements. The RFP covers recruitment, outreach and marketing oriented to homeowners and workers, and service delivery of energy assessments and upgrades.
This sample RFP from Chicago can be used as an example when developing a communications strategy.
This presentation provides guidance to contractors on business fundamentals, marketing and lead generation, successful consultative selling and closing, and measuring and improving performance.
This report explores energy efficiency programs that target deep energy savings through substantial improvements to existing residential buildings.
This publication offers a roadmap to help policymakers and practitioners design and implement a comprehensive residential retrofit strategy. It presents eight principles for success based on two decades of international experience, designed to achieve the level of energy savings that will be needed to address the challenge of climate change.
This website provides information on U.S. housing characteristics, including energy consumption data.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on approaches to improve and sustain quality customer service for residential energy efficiency work.
Presentation on the key programmatic elements of financing initiatives.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on effective messaging.
This guide/toolkit provides step-by-step recommendations on how policymakers can go about devising successful energy disclosure policies. It discusses the who, what, where, when, why, and, most importantly, how, for creating disclosure policies for the residential sector.
Form for appraisers intended to help analyze values of energy efficient home features.
High energy users in single-family homes present the greatest opportunities for energy and cost savings, yet relatively little is known about what is happening in these homes or how energy efficiency and utility programs can engage these consumers. In this on-demand webcast, hear the results of a groundbreaking field study of 100 high-consumption homes in Minnesota. The webcast will discuss possible causes and the technical and behavioral opportunities to reduce usage. Also, it will introduce the households studied to provide a holistic introduction to this utility customer group.
This Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Center presentation covers how you can use the Solution Center to help design, implement, and evaluate your residential energy efficiency program. In this presentation you will learn how programs have successfully used financing to complete more upgrades and strategies for you to consider for your own program.
This report sumarizes the legal framework, need for, and viability of establishing a Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) program in Connecticut.
The Residential Retrofit Program Design Guide focuses on the key elements and design characteristics of building and maintaining a successful residential energy upgrade program. The material is presented as a guide for program design and planning from start to finish, laid out in chronological order of program development.
Webcast on the DOE Residential Retrofit Program Design Guide, which focuses on the key elements and design characteristics of building and maintaining a successful residential upgrade program.
Given the many priorities state and local governments and residents face following a disaster, integrating energy efficiency and resiliency into residential rebuilding can be a challenge. Fortunately, research into state experience with energy-efficient and resilient rebuilding in the residential sector has revealed several key strategies that other state and local communities can employ to mitigate the impacts of a natural disaster and plan for coordinated and effective disaster recovery. This report focuses on the experiences of State and Territory Energy Offices as leaders and key players in the rebuilding process.
This document provides an overview of the National Efficiency Screening Project's recommendations for using the Resource Value Framework (RVF) to improve cost-effectiveness testing. The RVF is a collection of principles and recommendations to provide guidance for states to develop and implement tests that are consistent with sound principles and best practices.
This report describes how customer usage data can help promote the adoption of retro-commissioning polices for public and private commercial buildings.
This final report for the Retrofit LA Program includes activities, metrics, accomplishments.
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs provide affordable and accessible financing for home energy efficiency upgrades that improve value, comfort and durability, and create jobs. PACE is a scalable financing mechanism with over 50,000 projects and $1 billion invested in California, and multifamily housing projects in New York and other states. This session discussed successful PACE programs, designs, and FHA's guidance.
This peer exchange call summary focused on how programs are devising plans for creating a contractor revenue stream and potential fee structures.
This summary from a Better Buildings Residential Network peer exchange call focused on implementing and generating revenue from employer-based programs.
This report provides an overview of evaluation, measurement, and verification approaches used to estimate the load impacts and effectiveness of energy efficiency programs.
This report presents a review of selected home energy auditing tools. The energy audit tools reviewed in this study include REM/Rate, BEACON Home Energy Advisor, EnergyInsights, Home Energy Tune-uP, EnergyGauge, TREAT, the National Energy Audit Tool (NEAT), Home Energy Saver Professional (HESPro), and RealHomeAnalyzer.
This webcast featured four presentations providing examples and best practices for revolving loan funds.
This report provides information for states intending to set up a new revolving loan fund for state energy programs.
This webcast provides an introduction to revolving loans funds, highlighting basics and best practices.
As part of the Rhode Island Energy Challenge, National Grid called on its Rhode Island residential electric and gas customers to take a pledge to “Find Your Four” as part of a statewide community initiative to encourage homeowners to find four ways to save energy at home. A participant survey revealed that Rhode Island residential customers liked hearing energy conservation/efficiency information via the Challenge; the Challenge had them thinking and acting differently; and the Challenge had customers participating more actively in energy efficiency programs. This report provides more information on the campaign’s major impact in helping National Grid accomplish important goals, including those related to portfolio savings and customer-centric program outreach and engagement.
This report lays out a national vision for overcoming many of the barriers to comprehensive home energy improvements. The authors review a range of energy efficiency policies and programs, then analyze three funding and policy scenarios to gauge their long-term impacts on the market for home energy upgrades.
This webcast discusses policy and planning considerations for incorporating behavior programs into efficiency portfolios.
This whitepaper showcases how local governments and organizations promote energy efficiency through policies and program partnerships. Presents eight case studies from communities across the country, including two Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners (Clean Energy Works Oregon (now Enhabit) and Energy Impact Illinois).
Better Buildings Energy Data Accelerator (BBEDA) partners Salt Lake City, the investor-owned electric utility Rocky Mountain Power (RMP), and the investor-owned natural gas utility Questar worked with community stakeholders throughout 2014 and 2015 to design and implement a data access solution. As a result, RMP created a data access portal for its customers in 2016, and Questar is working toward a data access solution that will be operational by 2017.
Sample business plan framework for a program seeking to build private sector capacity then phase out and stop operating.
Sample business plan framework for a program that establishes itself as a government entity, then operates using a fee-based structure.
Sample business plan framework for a program seeking to operate as a marketing contractor to a utility.
Sample business plan framework for a program seeking to operate as a not-for-profit entity.
Sample energy reduction plan that details specific steps to be taken by the ownership and management at 1234 Any Street to achieve estimated energy savings based on an energy assessment.
A sample for defining and elaborating on the specifics of a clean energy loan program.
A sample request for proposals from Bainbridge Island, Washington, related to establishing a revolving loan fund and loan loss reserve.
A sample competitive procurement procedure to award loan loss reserve funds to a financial institution partner.