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Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) finance is a new and growing municipal approach to support energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades in commercial buildings in the United States. As of February 2013, there were 16 commercial PACE programs accepting applications to finance building efficiency projects. Most of these have been active for less than a […]

So, you are thinking about retrofitting an existing building or building a new one with green, high performance, and energy-efficient features. What is the best way for you to position your building from a valuation standpoint? Because these buildings are different, owners have had to change not only how they design, build, and market, but […]

Energy efficiency retrofits in our homes and buildings can achieve large monetary and energy savings across the buildings sector, but face numerous barriers. High upfront costs continue to be one of the significant barriers to tapping into this savings potential. Addressing the financial barrier to investments in energy efficiency has been a complex hurdle, which […]

Buildings account for approximately 70% of electricity use and 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and offer significant opportunities for energy savings and GHG emissions reductions through the installation of energy efficiency retrofits and small renewable energy systems. Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) legislation — first introduced in Berkeley, CA in 2008 […]

The number and diversity of energy finance programs have increased dramatically in recent years. Likewise, there is a growing interest among different types of financial institutions in participating in local initiatives. However, finding a financial partner that best fits a particular program can be a challenge. This paper attempts to catalog the different categories of […]

Collection of State Housing Finance Agency from across the nation for the week of October 27.

HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau recently released the results of the 2013 American Housing Survey (AHS), marking the 40th year the survey has taken a detailed look at the U.S. housing stock including detailed information on housing costs and quality.

HUD has released an initial progress report on the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD). This report examines how RAD has transformed the public housing landscape and the new opportunities RAD has created for PHAs to improve the physical and financial condition of public housing as well as how RAD has helped PHAs preserve units over the long term and the program’s impact on residents.

EarthCraft™ green building programs, which were first developed in 1999 through a partnership between the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Southface Energy Institute, are designed to specifically address the challenging energy, water and climate conditions of the Southeast. EarthCraft certification helps ensure that buildings and communities in the region meet strict criteria for saving […]

The purpose of this document is to establish best practices and guidance for conducting the energy analysis required for multifamily (MF) building energy improvement projects funded by the various programs of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The intended audience includes energy auditors, building owners and operators, contractors, designers, architects, engineers, and […]

Energy audits are a powerful tool for uncovering operational and equipment improvements that will save energy, reduce energy costs, and lead to higher performance. Energy audits can be done as a stand-alone effort but may be conducted as part of a larger analysis across a group of facilities, or across an owner’s entire portfolio. This […]

The benefits of energy and water conservation in the affordable multifamily industry have been documented thoroughly over the past several years.  From the reduction in utility costs to the federal government; to the preservation of affordable housing by decreasing operating costs and thus keeping rents affordable and properties viable; and to the improvements to resident health […]