The Importance of Green Finance for the District 

Eli Hopson and Brandi Colander 

 

Green banks are a new concept for many in our community and across the nation. However, states and municipalities around the country have been creating these institutions for over a decade, beginning with the state of Connecticut’s green bank in 2011. Under the leadership of Mayor Bowser and the City Council, the District joined this movement in 2018 with the passage of the Green Finance Authority Establishment Act, and with the subsequent onset of full operations of DC Green Bank in 2020. As we embark on our second full year of operations, we think it is important that we continue to take the time to ensure that everyone in our community knows what green banks are, what impacts they can have for residents and communities, what DC Green Bank has done to date, and what we see for the future. 

What Exactly is a Green Bank? 

This is one of the most common questions our team receives. Green banks are financial institutions that make loans and investments similar to private banks, but they do so based on different goals and expected impacts. Although green banks do not take deposits or have consumer lines of credit, they create prosperity far beyond the boundaries of any one investment. Green banks are mission-driven financial institutions that invest public dollars to deploy clean energy systems, increase energy efficiency, save money for businesses and residents, create jobs, and accelerate progress toward meeting climate, energy, economic, resilience, and public health goals. 

In line with this understanding about green banks, our mission at DC Green Bank is to provide access to capital, growing the clean economy to develop a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable DC. As a green bank, the way we pursue this mission is to view every loan through the lens of our core values – Sustainability, Inclusive Prosperity, and Clean Economy.  

Sustainability: This means that we align the impacts of our loans with a world in which we all live within in a healthy environment. 

Inclusive Prosperity: We strive to ensure that our investments reach every part of the District, and specifically target financial impact and job creation in portions of the city that have been underserved in the past. 

Clean Economy: We know that a green city means a prosperous city, and that’s why our investments are designed to lead to local job creation and to contribute to a foundation where DC becomes home to the jobs of the future. 

In line with our values, we are working hard to not only deploy our resources to transform the city into a cleaner, greener, and more equitable home for our residents, but we are also working to show the way for private financial institutions so that over time all banking in the District is green banking. 

What Specific Impacts Can Green Banks Have for Residents and Communities? 

Green banks are unique because they are inherently local institutions and, therefore, are ideally suited to put both residents’ and communities’ sustainability and inclusive prosperity needs at the forefront.  Here are just a few of the benefits of going green: 

  • Green means that residents, communities, and businesses save money. 
  • Green means that we are able to invest in good, well-paying jobs right here in our community.  
  • Green means that we have access to clean, renewable energy that improves the health and wellbeing of our residents and alleviates large fluctuations in energy prices. 
  • Green means that the air quality for our families improves every day. 
  • Green means that we can move rapidly towards improving water quality for our residents and in our waterways. 
  • Green means that we have an opportunity to reverse decades of underinvestment in communities that have all too often been left behind. 
  • Green means that we can prepare for the impacts of climate change by addressing urban heat impacts, flooding, and carbon emissions. 

Green is not just a buzzword; it means that, together, we can build a cleaner, safer, and more prosperous future for all DC.  

What has DC Green Bank Accomplished to Date? 

Now that we have discussed what green banks are and what concrete impacts they can deliver, we want to give you an overview of what DC Green Bank has accomplished so far right here at home. Although we are a young institution, we have hit the ground running. Since our launch last year, we have established robust policies and procedures and brought on board a strong team with critical expertise, growing from just 1 to now 12 full-time employees. We have launched exciting financial products to meet the rising investment needs for solar energy systems, green and efficient buildings, stormwater infrastructure, and transportation electrification. To date, we have made approximately $3 million dollars available for community investments, which is slated to unlock over $15 million of additional investments from partners. Hundreds of low-to-moderate income District families have seen their energy bills cut in half through the expansion of solar energy deployment. We are also on track to finance projects that are expected to divert and capture over 250,000 gallons of stormwater runoff per storm event. Lastly, through our investments, our projects expect to generate a total of over 100 clean economy jobs.  

If you’d like to read a little more about some of our investments to date, you can do so here: 

These are the types of impacts we have delivered already in our short time operating in the District, and the best is yet to come. 

What Does the Future Look Like for DC Green Bank? 

Since our city is a completely urban environment, it means that a significant portion of our greenhouse gas emissions come from our buildings – over 70%. That is why the District is in the process of instituting the first-in-the-nation Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), and why we are poised to take the lead in financing a transformation of the city’s built environment. The BEPS process will require that all buildings over a certain size appreciably increase their energy efficiency in the coming years by upgrading their buildings and systems – HVAC, lighting, water, insulation, building controls, and more.  DC Green Bank will be building owners’ first stop as they look to identify capital to invest now to upgrade their buildings and save money over the long term. 

In addition to investing in large buildings, we are in the final stages of cementing exciting new partnerships. In particular, we are looking forward to providing pathways for all residents, community organizations, and small businesses in the District to do their part to contribute to a cleaner future while also saving money. This means that whether you are looking to transition from gas to electric appliances, or upgrading the building structure or windows, or installing solar panels you will be able to come to us for the financing. We all have a role to play, and DC Green Bank should be your home for all things green finance. 

We are excited about the future and to share with you everything our team has to offer in Year Two of operation and beyond. 

We invite you on this journey with us. To learn more, visit us at dcgreenbank.com and @DCGreenBank on TwitterInstagram, and LinkedIn

 

 

         Eli Hopson is the Chief Executive Officer of DC Green Bank.

 

            Brandi Colander is the Chair of the Board of Directors of DC Green Bank. 

  • October 6, 2021
  • 12:00 - 2:00 pm
  • Southwest DC Public Library | 900 Wesley Pl SW, Washington, DC 20024
  • Register Here

    Did you know reducing annual electricity use by 15% nationwide would save more than six lives every day, prevent nearly 30,000 asthma episodes each year, and save Americans up to $20 billion (ACEEE & Physicians for Social Responsibility)?!

    Join us and the Department of Energy and Environment, Office of the People’s Counsel, Office of the Tenant Advocate, Department of Aging & Community Living, Office of the Tenant Advocate, Public Service Commission, and Pepco on Wednesday, October 6th to celebrate National Energy Efficiency Day!

    The event will be held from 12pm – 2pm at the Southwest DC Public Library (900 Wesley Pl SW) and attendees can enjoy live music by the MPDs very own Side-By-Side Band!

    2021_Energy-efficency-day-flyer

    By Tristan Navera, Washington Business Journal

    The project will still need bank financing to go vertical, but the pieces are coming together.

    Read the Full Article Here

    By Nena Perry-Brown, Urban Turf

    While this mixed-use Deanwood development didn’t meet its crowdfunding minimum, it just won additional funding from an unlikely source.

    The DC Green Bank announced a $250,000 pre-development loan this morning for developer Medici Road to realize its by-right project at 4276 Sheriff Road NE (map). The development will include 13 condos for households earning up to 80% of area median income; co-working space; a headquarters for Medici Road; and 6,800 square feet of retail, including a 2,500 square-foot grocer.

    As designed by architect Michael Weincek, the 17,000 square-foot building would include a rooftop solar array and a means to recycle stormwater. It is projected that the solar power would save each resident $2,400 on electricity over 10 years, and the stormwater system would have a 9,000 gallon capacity for each weather event and would reduce soil erosion and pollution by 2-5%.

    Medici Road has also received funding from Capital Impact Partners’s loan fund; the developer expects to acquire building permits early next year.

    Read the Full Article Here

    DC Green Bank and Medici Road today announced the closing of a $250,000 pre-development loan to finance the design and planning stages for an energy efficient and sustainable building in Ward 7 in Northeast Washington, D.C. Located on a currently vacant lot, Medici Road estimates that the building will be 17,000 square feet and include 13 affordable condominium units, space for their corporate headquarters, as well as a grocery store, increasing access to nutrition in Ward 7 where there are currently only two grocery stores. The building’s current design also includes rooftop solar panels and a stormwater recycling system. These elements are projected to retain 9,000 gallons of stormwater per storm event and save $2,400 in electricity costs per resident over the next 10 years as well as reduce onsite soil erosion and local pollution by 2 – 5%. The current design is also anticipated to create 65 jobs in the local community – 55 jobs during the construction phase and an additional 10 permanent jobs to run the grocery store and office space. Medici Road has committed to hiring local Deanwood residents for these positions.

    “We could not have asked for a more perfect illustration of our values in a single project, and we are excited to work with Medici Road to move it forward,” said DC Green Bank CEO Eli Hopson. “Communities know best what they need, and by funding projects that support affordable housing, access to nutrition, local job creation, and a clean and resilient community we can demonstrate the future we all want to build.”

    Thomas Houston, Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Medici Road, said of the partnership, “We are excited to be working with DC Green Bank to pursue our shared values. This project can demonstrate that we don’t have to wait for anyone to lift up our communities. We are the ones that can deliver inclusive investment that addresses the drivers and impacts of racism and poverty and creates a sustainable model for others to follow.”

    Download and Read the Full Press Release Here

     

    DCGB-Press-Release-Medici-Road-09.20.2021
  • September 28, 2021
  • 1:00 - 6:00 pm Eastern
  • Hybrid Event
  • Registration Closed
    The event will be a hybrid event, with live participation as well as virtual participation.

    The DC Public Service Commission (PSC) is hosting the District of Columbia’s Clean Energy Summit to discuss how utility regulators and industry experts can advance progress toward national and local clean energy goals.

    There will be multiple panels and keynotes featuring federal, state, local, and industry leaders who will come together to answer questions and open a discussion as to how we chart a path to a clean energy future.

    DC Green Bank Director of Operations Donald Walker will participate in a panel from 3:00 – 4:00 pm entitled, “To 2032 and Beyond! How will D.C. Reach Its Ambitious Clean Energy Goals.”

    Introduction By:

    Hon. Emile Thompson, Commissioner, DCPSC

     

    Moderator:

    Tommy Wells, Director, D.C. Department of Energy & Environment

     

    Panelists:

    Donald Walker, Director of Operations, D.C. Green Bank

    Mike Healy, CEO, New Columbia Solar

    Gilbert Campbell, Co-founder & CEO, Volt Energy

    Ted Trabue, Managing Director, DC Sustainable Energy Utility

    Kishia Powell, COO, D.C. Water

     

    Panel Discussion Overview:

    D.C. has aggressive clean energy and emission goals that focus on the installation of renewable and distributed energy resources in the District itself. There are several lucrative incentives driving clean energy adoption in the city including the RPS and Solar for All programs. Despite these incentives, there are hurdles today to clean energy expansion and the hurdles tomorrow might be even more daunting. This panel will feature leaders and practitioners in the District who work on these issues every day. They will discuss the last mile issues with clean energy in the District and moving towards our aggressive goals.

     

    Watch the Full Summit Here

     

    Excerpt of Panel Discussion Remarks from Donald Walker

    DC Public Service Commission Clean Energy Summit
  • September 27, 2021
  • 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
  • Zoom
  • Registration Closed
    All participants must register to attend.

    DC Green Finance Authority (“DC Green Bank”) will conduct a Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors, pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, (DC Official Code §2-574(1)).

    Pre-registration is required.

    The meeting notice for the September 27 regular meeting of the DC Green Bank Board of Directors has been updated since the most recent publication of the DC Register. For the latest meeting notice, please click the button below.

    Read Latest Board Meeting Notice

    Regular Meeting of the DC Green Bank Board of Directors

    September 27 2021
  • September 8, 2021
  • National Harbor, MD
  • Registration Closed

    On September 8 and 9, the Roosevelt Strategic Council hosted a summit for senior level staff, designed to provide an interchange of knowledge and serve as a catalyst for collaboration across federal, state and private sector institutional, and commercial facility and campus energy stakeholders. The Summit focused on both emerging business models and technical capabilities to support increased energy efficiencies, sustainability, reliability, and resiliency for the public and private sector built environment.

    DC Green Bank General Counsel Sandy Paik participated in a panel discussion during the summit, entitled “Building Agility Into Your Energy Plan.” The panel discussed lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic for energy efficiency and resiliency and how to ensure that strategic and operational plans account for changing energy demands and usage patterns.

     

     

    Read More About the Summit Here

    By Keith Loria, Commercial Observer

    DC Green Bank has closed on a $650,000 loan facility to finance the construction of a five-project portfolio of environmentally friendly infrastructure to better manage and clean stormwater runoff in Wards 5, 7, and 8 in Washington, D.C.

    The loan will enable Green Compass, a sustainable development company, to design, build, and operate five stormwater management and green infrastructure projects over the next year and a half.

    The 10,000 square feet of infrastructure will mainly involve de-paving surfaces and replacing with spaces that manage stormwater, reduce runoff and pollution, and improve local air and water quality. The projects are projected to divert up to 250,000 gallons of stormwater runoff that would otherwise enter the sewer system every storm.

    “DC Green Bank is excited to partner with Green Compass for our first investment in green infrastructure and stormwater management,” Eli Hopson, DC Green Bank’s CEO, said in a release. “These projects will deliver tangible benefits for the health and wellbeing of the citizens of D.C., as well as for our environment.”

    Read the Full Article Here

     

    DC Green Bank and Green Compass today announced the closing of an innovative revolving loan facility to finance the construction of a portfolio of new green infrastructure projects to better manage and clean stormwater runoff in Wards 5, 7, and 8 in Washington, D.C. The $650,000 loan facility will allow for Green Compass to design, build, and operate an estimated five new stormwater management and green infrastructure projects over the next 18 months. Combined, Green Compass will be constructing approximately 10,000 square feet of new green infrastructure, mainly through de-paving surfaces and replacing it with green spaces that manage stormwater, reduce runoff and pollution, and improve local air and water quality. The new projects aim to divert up to 250,000 gallons of stormwater runoff that would otherwise enter the sewer system every storm. When rainwater enters the sewer system, it becomes a costly waste product that flows directly into the Anacostia River, Rock Creek, and the Potomac River without treatment. In addition to providing cleaner water, cleaner air, and increasing resilience to flooding for communities in the District, these projects will also support the clean economy by delivering dozens of green jobs, including in construction, landscaping, groundskeeping, urban forestry, and engineering.

     

    Download and Read the Full Press Release Here

     

    DCGB-Press-Release-Green-Compass-9.8.21
  • July 15, 2021
  • July 15 - August 23
  • Virtual
  • Submit Design
    All submitted designs will become property of DC Green Finance Authority/DC Green Bank and will be used for promotional purposes and other business purposes.

    DC Green Bank Swag Design Competition

    DC Green Bank is excited to announce a new design contest! We want to roll out a new line of swag and promotional materials, including a new DCGB t-shirt and hooded sweatshirt, and we’re calling on all DC artists to submit designs. The contest is open to all residents of DC and we welcome a wide variety of styles and ideas.

    Guidelines

    You are welcomed (and encouraged) to take the design and your artwork in creative directions. The only rule is that all designs must include the DC Green Bank logo in an unaltered fashion. You can find multiple versions of our logo here (onetwo, and three) for use in your design. Aside from that, be creative and design something that speaks to you! For inspiration for the design, feel free to review our website at www.dcgreenbank.com to learn more about what we do and how we are working to transform the city. You can submit as many designs as you want; however, remember that the primary purpose of the design is to be placed on the front or back of a new DC Green Bank t-shirt or hooded sweatshirt (although the winning design(s) may also be used on other promotional materials).

    We know your time is valuable, and we are not expecting a perfectly flawless final product. If you are selected as our winner, we are open to compensating you for additional time to complete your design before we begin production of the new swag and promotional materials.

    So What’s In It For You?

    Everyone who submits a design will receive free DC Green Bank swag featuring the winning design(s). Additionally, all designs submitted will be featured on our social media pages, with the artist tagged, to help support their work.

    The winning design(s) will be used on our swag and promotional materials, and the artists submitting the top three designs will receive a cash award!

    1st place: $500
    2nd place: $250
    3rd place: $100

    How to Enter

    When you have completed your design, submit it through this form. Please save and upload your file as a .jpeg, .png, or other image file format. Please note the maximum file size is 50MB. You must submit a new form for each new design.

    In order to be eligible to win, you must be following DC Green Bank on Instagram and Twitter. So, be sure to do that by the time you enter your submission! We are @DCGreenBank on both Instagram and Twitter.

    If you have any questions, please email us at info@dcgreenbank.com.

    How the Winners Will Be Selected

    Once DC Green Bank reviews the submissions, we will open up voting on our social media accounts to let our followers vote on the winning designs. Make sure you reach out to friends and supporters to have them follow us on social media so they can vote for your design!

    Design submissions will be accepted from July 15, 2021 through August 23, 2021.

    Disclaimer

    By entering this contest, you agree and acknowledge that DC Green Bank/DC Green Finance Authority owns all designs submitted through this contest and designs can be used for promotional materials and other business purposes.

     

  • August 4, 2021
  • 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
  • Zoom
  • Registration Closed
    All participants must register prior to the meeting.

    DC Green Finance Authority (“DC Green Bank”) will conduct a Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors, pursuant to the Open Meetings Act, (DC Official Code §2-574(1)).

    Pre-registration is required.

    Regular Meeting of the DC Green Bank Board of Directors

    August 4 2021