Here is an example of lighting and HVAC upgrades for your buildings. The total project cost would be $500,000 and annual savings are $200,000 in your operating budget, or a 40% return on investment. The goal of the ARRA is to create new jobs so you would create 10 $50,000 per year lighting and trades jobs. You also save 2 million  kilowatt hours of electricity and 1400 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

You need to develop an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy that may include the following programs:

• Residential and commercial building energy audits for government buildings homes, apartments, schools, grocers and other large energy users.
• Financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements such as energy savings performance contracting, on-bill financing, and revolving loan funds.
• Grants to nonprofit organizations like schools and churches to performing energy efficiency retrofits.
• Energy efficiency and conservation programs for buildings and facilities.
• Develop and implement transportation programs to conserve energy through better transit, biodiesel and other biofuels. 
• Building codes improvement and inspections to promote building energy efficiency.
• Energy distribution technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency, including distributed resources, combined heat and power, and district heating and cooling systems.
• Material conservation programs including source reduction, recycling, and recycled content procurement programs that lead to increases in energy efficiency.
• Programs to reduce and capture methane and greenhouse gases generated by landfills, large farms, or similar waste-related sources.
• Energy efficient traffic signals and street lighting.
• Renewable energy technologies like solar, wind and biomass on government buildings.
• Any Other Appropriate Activity that meets the purposes of the program and is approved by DOE.

Prioritizing Your EECBG Request

You need to prioritize energy efficiency, conservation, and renewable energy programs and projects to increase economic vitality, energy security, and environmental quality based on what saves you money and what saves energy. Assess how EECBG program funds can have maximum impact to create and/or retain jobs and stimulate the economy in the short term while laying the foundation for a long-term and sustainable clean energy economy. Prioritize programs and projects that:

• Leverage other public and private resources like Focus on Energy.
• Enhance workforce development.
• Persist beyond the funding period.
• Promote energy market transformation such as revolving loans, low-cost loans, energy savings performance contracting, advanced building codes, building and home retrofit incentives and policies, and transportation programs and policies.

Measuring Success

You will need to report to DOE regularly on five metrics:

1. Jobs created and/or retained.
2. Energy savings on a per dollar invested basis beginning with most cost-effective.
3. Renewable energy capacity installed such as biodiesel, biomass, wind, and solar.
4. Greenhouse gas emissions reduced, including CO2, methane, N20 and other GHGs.
5. Funds leveraged from local, state and other federal sources.

The application due date for cities, counties, and Indian tribes eligible for direct formula grants from the DOE is June 25^th. Other communities will have more time.

The deadlines are fast approaching so contact us today to get started with your Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy.  For more information or for additional questions, contact President Brett Hulsey at brett@BetterEnviro.com or call 608.238.6070.

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