Updates: Office of Energy and Sustainable Development
News about energy efficiency rebates, Berkeley FIRST, Berkeley Climate Action Plan and other City Sustainability programs. Subscribe to this page for update notifications.
Great Response for Money for Energy Efficiency (updated 8/5/2010)Just four weeks into the program, over 600 Berkeley residents have already applied to receive some of the $516,000 in rebates available for energy efficiency upgrades from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds . At the same time, awards are still being made for new applications for the $190,000 that has been set-aside for commercial buildings.
Residential Homeowners: All the funding for single-family and duplex properties is currently reserved with a substantial waitlist. It is expected that some people on the waitlist will receive rebate funds. We are very pleased that so many were interested in this program, and we will keep in touch with you as the award process moves forward. The program will end when the available federal funds are paid out.
Multifamily and Commercial Buildings: All audit funds have been reserved for the multi-family program, which currently has a short waitlist. There is still funding available for non residential rebates. The programs for these types of buildings provide rebates for audits up to $2,500 each. Owners will then be eligible to apply for mini-grants up to $30,000 in December to carry out identified improvements.
Lottery: The lottery was conducted and all registered applicants were notified whether they received a reservation or were put on the waitlist. All applicants, regardless of whether they are on the waitlist or not, must return a copy to the City of Berkeley of their signed application within 2 weeks of registering online.
Application Extension: Due to reported technical issues the initial applicants have until Tuesday August 10, 2010 to return a signed hard copy of the application. All applicants who signed up after July 27, 2010 must return a copy of their signed application within 2 weeks of registering online.
For more information see www.cityofberkeley.info/me2 or call 510-981-7438
Rainwater Harvesting Guidelines Released (updated 8/5/2010)The City of Berkeley's new rainwater policy designed to facilitate interior and exterior use of rainwater is now available. Learn how you can collect rain from your own rooftop for use watering your garden or even flushing your toilet!
Berkeley averages roughly 20 inches of rain a year. That rainwater currently flows off your roof, into a storm drain and out to the San Francisco Bay. Harvesting rainwater helps conserve water and can save you money on your water bill by reducing your need for potable water.
To learn more please see the webpage on Rainwater Harvesting
Money for Energy Efficiency (ME2): Rebate Reservations Now Available (updated 7/6/2010)Starting today, Berkeley residents and building owners can apply online for cash rebates through the Money for Energy Efficiency (ME2) Program. ME2 is a federally funded program that provides rebates, incentives and direct installation of energy upgrades such as attic, wall and floor insulation and draft and duct sealing for Berkeley homes and businesses. The program covers Berkeley residential units at all income levels as well as commercial, industrial, and multifamily buildings.
ME2 for Berkeley is designed to:
substantially lower the cost of energy efficiency improvements;
help Berkeley residents and businesses save money on their energy costs;
improve building comfort, safety, and durability; and
reduce our community’s carbon footprint.
Money for Energy Efficiency is funded through a million dollar federal stimulus grant awarded to the City of Berkeley by the U.S. Department of Energy.
The City of Berkeley is providing rebates of up to $5,000 for single-family/duplex units (for a total of $8,500 including PG&E rebate) and mini-grants of up to $30,000 for multifamily buildings and commercial properties. These cash incentives are available for deep energy retrofits that result in at least a 20 percent energy improvement. Comprehensive energy audits are required before and after the energy upgrade. Funding is available for more than 400 residential and multifamily units for energy-saving projects.
The ME2 program is an important component of the City’s Climate Action Plan and is designed to help the community achieve a 33 percent reduction in GHG emissions by 2020. Through the program, the City of Berkeley expects that residents and business owners will save more than $100 million dollars in net energy savings by 2020 and create 19 local green jobs this year alone.
"The Money for Energy Efficiency program demonstrates how protecting the environment can create jobs and help businesses and property owners save money," said Neal DeSnoo, Energy Officer for the City of Berkeley.
Find out which ME2 program is right for you (based on property type, income level and geographic location). Learn more and apply at: www.cityofberkeley.info/me2/ (Note: In order for your reservation to be considered, you must print, sign and return the Application for Money for Energy Efficiency (ME2) within 14 days of filing your application.)
For more information, please see www.cityofberkeley.info/me2 or call 510-981-7438. Download a ME2 Program Flyer here.
Berkeley’s Green Scorecard Website (updated 2/16/2010)
The City of Berkeley launched an interactive web-based tool today that presents scorecards on local sustainability trends such as community energy use, waste disposal, and tree planting in Berkeley. The website enables residents to, with a few clicks of a mouse, access relevant, up-to-date information about Berkeley’s progress toward its climate action goals. In addition, the site provides a forum for questions and feedback regarding implementation of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
The website is called the “Berkeley See-It.” See-It is a performance management and communications software developed by Visible Strategies with support from the San Francisco Foundation and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
To view the Berkeley See-It website, please visit the City of Berkeley website at:
www.cityofberkeley.info/climate
STIMULUS FUNDING FLIPS THE SOLAR SWITCH ONCity of Berkeley receives over 100k from the U.S. Department of Energy to encourage solar locally (updated 11/5/09)
The City of Berkeley is one of sixteen cities nationwide to be granted the Solar America Cities Special Project Award for the purpose of spurring the adoption of solar installations. Through this award, the City of Berkeley is recognized for its innovative response to addressing the specific barriers to solar adoption and for its leadership in increasing the use of renewable energy. The economic stimulus funding from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) allows the City of Berkeley to support and enhance two existing programs--SmartSolar and the online Berkeley Solar Map-- to provide education and technical assistance directly to residents interested in implementing solar at their homes and businesses.
- Smart Solar: is a program of the nonprofit Community Energy Services Corporation.
- Berkeley SolarMap: is a City of Berkeley online map that analyzes the solar potential of building in Berkeley.
Each of these programs builds upon Berkeley’s commitment to educating and engaging local residents in how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by focusing on efficiency measures and solar energy. To learn more, visit the Berkeley Climate Action Plan website.
City residents and businesses interested in learning more about resources and services offered through SmartSolar should contact Community Energy Services Corporation at 510-981-7750 or smartsolar@ebenergy.org.
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