ICAST Receives Funds to Support Workforce Development and Energy Independence
ICAST recently received $25,000 from Wells Fargo to support our Colorado workforce development program, the Denver Clean Energy Construction Career Accelerator (DCECCA). We are partnered with Energy Efficiency Business Coalition (EEBC) and Julius Education to help disadvantaged individuals access entry-level green jobs and to provide high-efficiency heat pump upskilling for current HVAC contractors. For the entry-level track, priority populations (e.g., low-income and disabled) will be offered free green construction training developed through the nationally recognized Energy$mart Academy, prepared for Building Performance Institute (BPI) certifications, and ultimately sourced into EEBC’s network of businesses for well-paying, entry-level green jobs. In parallel, the team will work with EEBC’s existing network of contractors to provide paid on-the-job upskilling on cold-climate air-source heat pumps (ccASHP). For this track, we prioritize Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises and those impacted by COVID-19. Wells Fargo funding will be utilized to reach at least 2,000 disadvantaged individuals for the entry-level track and subsidize the cost of BPI certifications for at least 50 of these individuals.
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Siemens’ new home EV charger adapter ends the need for electrical panel upgrades
Siemens and Philadelphia-based ConnectDER have partnered to roll out a groundbreaking simple home EV charger connector. Previously, homeowners who wanted to install EV chargers might have had to spend thousands of dollars to modify their home’s electrical panel. This new proprietary plug-in adapter will eliminate that cost and allow installation and connection in minutes.
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ICAST Policy Blog
White House Announcements
HUD Releases New Guidelines for Community Solar Participants
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has issued new guidance to HUD Multifamily Housing field staff, owners, and management agents on the treatment of on-bill virtual net energy metering credits commonly resulting from a resident’s participation in a community solar program. Holding key similarities to D.C. Solar for All, the guidance allows for more widespread participation in community solar across the affordable sector. Consequently, it enables more low- and moderate-income households to share in the economic benefit of solar energy generation while participating in the economy-wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
New Policy Brief Regarding the Inflation Reduction Act
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a policy brief summarizing programs within the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that could provide significant resources for energy efficiency retrofits for existing single-family and multifamily homes. The brief also offers three tables explaining rebate potentials, tax deductions, and eligibility.
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Rocky Mountain Power Presents Award to Planet-Friendly Multifamily Affordable Housing Development
Each year at the Utah Housing Coalition (UHC) Utah Housing Matters Conference, the Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) Wattsmart Multifamily Program presents an energy efficiency award to a multifamily development. The recipient for 2022 was Box 500, built by Eco Box Fabricators. Box 500 is Utah’s first multi-story apartment complex made from steel shipping containers. The 83-unit property is low-carbon and energy-efficient and geared toward low-income families. It utilizes high-efficiency technologies such as LED lighting and heat pumps. Sustainable developments such as Box 500 can create social, environmental, and economic benefits not only for the low-income tenants but for surrounding communities and society as a whole.
ICAST administers the RMP Wattsmart Multifamily Program in Utah, which covers the entire multifamily market. This program offers a one-stop-shop service model that includes free design assistance and energy modeling services, design-build services, upfront rebates, a single point of contact for the customer, and other services that can drive clean energy solutions in multifamily housing. In addition to advancing UHC’s goals to ensure all Utahns have a safe and affordable place to call home, the Box 500 project aligns with ICAST’s mission to create triple bottom line benefits for underserved communities.
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