Each month DOEE and DCRA host educational events designed to accelerate the implementation of the Clean Energy DC Act and the new building construction codes. The virtual events will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 1pm.
In March, the DC Green Bank team joined for a conversation about Funding Clean Energy DC: Innovative Financing Solutions for Building Retrofits.
The District has taken decisive action to curb greenhouse gas emissions related to building energy use—which accounts for nearly 75% of all citywide GHG emissions—by passing innovative policies like the Building Energy Performance Standards and adopting stringent energy codes. Yet a lot of hard work is still ahead of us. Retrofitting existing buildings to meet the city’s climate vision can generate significant cost savings for building owners and tenants, but it can also represent a considerable investment of time and money. It will be particularly important to ensure all sectors, particularly affordable housing and class B and C buildings, have tools and resources to upgrade their facilities. Accessing new funding, leveraging existing sources, and convincing decision makers (internal and external) to invest in energy efficiency projects all play a critical role. Industry experts discussed new and innovative financing options and highlight examples of successful projects. Speakers included:
Presentation by Theresa Backhus, Associate Director, Building Innovation Hub
Presentation by Cullen Kasunic, Head of Finance, BlocPower
Presentation by Marta Schantz, Senior Vice President, ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance
Presentation by Donald Walker, Director of Operations & Shyrah Kum, Equal Access Advocate, DC Green Bank