California needs to improve the energy performance of existing buildings in order to meet efficiency and greenhouse gas emission goals, as well as save property owners money on their utility bills. But owners of low-income, multifamily buildings face significant obstacles, including difficult access to capital, complex financing arrangements, and competing renovation needs. Furthermore, residents in these buildings experience a “split incentive” problem that limits owners’ financial interest in upgrades that primarily reduce residents’ utility bills.
To address these challenges, UC Berkeley and UCLA Schools of Law are issuing today a new policy brief based on two stakeholder convenings that identify policy solutions to address key barriers, increase access to energy efficiency incentives, and unlock environmental, financial, and quality-of-life benefits for owners and residents alike. Among the solutions:
- The Legislature or Public Utilities Commission could create a single, statewide “one-stop shop” efficiency program administrator for users to obtain information about available programs, determine applicability, submit all filings, manage participation, and receive technical assistance.
- The Legislature could create a long-term fund to support the one-stop shop Administrator and subsidize advanced efficiency measures, allowing owner/developers to plan efficiency projects in line with their long-term obligations.
- State energy regulators could create a comprehensive database to help prioritize retrofit projects and support Energy Commission energy data benchmarking and analysis efforts under AB 802.
You can access the policy brief here. A full-length report detailing the comprehensive findings will be released later this year.
