(C09) DC's BEPS Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator

In 2018, the District of Columbia brought in the Clean Energy DC (CEDC) Act which aims to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2032. Amongst other initiatives, it introduced the nation’s first Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) which applies to all existing buildings in the District over 50,000 s.f., including affordable housing.
DC's Department of Energy and Environment is using its post-pandemic-granted American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, in partnership with the DC Sustainable Energy Utility and the DC Green Bank, to support the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator, ensuring affordable housing meets the same energy standards as market rate properties in a city where rent controls limit affordable housing landlord’s cashflow and their ability to upgrade buildings. DC is using this as an opportunity to not just recover to a pre-pandemic state, but to accelerate towards a healthier and more equitable city.
The Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator provides financial and technical support to affordable multifamily buildings to support BEPS compliance, including free energy audits, regulatory compliance assistance, and implementation and funding/financing plans. The retrofit work looks at a wide variety of buildings’ components including insulation, heating and cooling systems, fuel types used, and ventilation. The upgrades aim to lower the cost of maintenance for landlords, provide cheaper utilities for residents, and overall better indoor environmental quality, leading to better health outcomes.
The session will provide an overview of how the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator works, a specific case study of a property participating in the program, and an overview of the funding and financing, including the development of a new AHRA loan co-developed by the DC Green Bank and DOEE offered solely to program participants to support building upgrades. Speakers will also provide lessons learned through stakeholder engagement and the development of this first of its kind program.