By Sam Lipman | ICAST Director of Solar Programs Mr. Lipman is responsible for the development of shared solar projects, thus furthering ICAST’s work to help underserved communities benefit from clean energy solutions. While solar PV generation in the U.S. has grown dramatically, this growth has not translated into significant access for low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. Compared to the broader …
ICAST Transitional Housing Project Wins Green Project of the Year
As the housing affordability crisis worsens yearly and more Americans face homelessness, climate change-induced extreme temperatures continue to stress America’s aging and inefficient housing stock, which leads to spiraling inflation on utility bills that further economically distress America’s most vulnerable families. The confluence of these two issues exacerbates housing precarity and the average American’s ability to recover from financial disaster. …
ICAST Announcements
ICAST Partners with Pennsylvania for Multifamily Weatherization Program ICAST recently signed a contract with Pennsylvania to implement the state’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) for multifamily communities across the state. WAP is a federal program, administered individually by states and their chosen partners, dedicated to lowering energy costs for low-income households while ensuring their health and safety. ICAST will collaborate with …
ICAST Experts Weigh In: Redesigning the Federal Weatherization Assistance Program
By Ryan Kristoff | Vice President, Grant Programs Mr. Kristoff grows the organization by securing the funding and partnerships necessary to build new programs, expand to new geographies, and add services to its one-stop shop. In April, through Tennessee’s new Multifamily Weatherization Assistance Program, ICAST completed its first multifamily weatherization project, covering 80 units at the Summercrest Apartments in North Knoxville. The …
Money on the Move: Accessing Incentives for Your Green Projects
By Ravi Malhotra Originally published in Utah Rental Housing Journal More funds from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are working their way toward communities. For example, Utah’s Office of Energy Development is currently preparing its applications for the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s funded Home Energy Rebate programs. The Environmental Protection Agency is considering applications under …
May 2024 Policy Blog
Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Analyst ========== Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Competition Selectees Chosen The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its selections under the $27-billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). Eight awards totaling $20 billion, were made under the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) and Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA): The goal is to create a national clean financing …
Setting a Course for the Fast-Evolving Incentives Landscape
Influencing vs. Merely Accessing Available Funding Programs By Ravi Malhotra Originally published in NH&RA’s Tax Credit Advisor, May 2024 Government agencies are still racing to get their Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funds out the door, and they remain open to input from various stakeholders to help guide this process. In advocating for increased investment …
ICAST Experts Weigh In: Housing Policy Priorities for 2024
By Kristen Cheriegate: Senior Policy Analyst | Ms. Cheriegate navigates ICAST through the policy world to obtain real-world solutions, funding resources, and networks with potential partners to provide more services to low- and moderate-income households. ICAST’s mission never falters, and we continue to scale the delivery of green solutions to positively impact vulnerable households in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDACs). In …
How Programs Can Navigate Aggressive Change to Achieve Deep Energy Savings in Multifamily
Rapid market, regulatory, and policy evolutions are creating opportunities for utilities to coordinate with key stakeholders to identify and harness untapped methods of achieving their program goals. The U.S. is beginning to see a slow transition away from natural gas-based efficiency measures as electrification has emerged as a leading decarbonization strategy and a growing pathway for utility energy efficiency programs. …
Clean Energy for All: Optimizing Beneficial Electrification for Customers
Originally published in AESP’s Energy Intel Magazine – Q4 2023 Issue “Beneficial electrification” involves transitioning customers away from energy-inefficient and harmful appliances such as gas- and propane-based HVAC, water heaters, cook stoves, and clothes dryers (and even resistance electric systems), to better, high-efficiency, solutions such as heat pump HVAC and Water heaters and induction cook stoves. While this can reduce …