Heat pumps for space conditioning and water heating are an increasingly important part of ICAST’s efforts to deliver economic, environmental, and social benefits in the multifamily housing market. Heat pump HVAC systems provide heating and cooling, transferring heat from one area to another rather than generating heat. They can be several times more efficient than conventional space heating and cooling …
Leveraging Available Incentives for EV Charging Infrastructure on Multifamily Properties
by Ravi Malhotra NH&RA Tax Credit Advisor, June 2023 As demand for electric vehicles (EVs) intensifies, multifamily (MF) owners and operators are increasingly forced to explore their EV charging options. EV sales have soared, increasing by 67% from 2021 to 2022, and the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) has adopted an International Code Council provision requiring apartment communities to provide EV charging …
Clean Energy Financing Insights – Why Green Retrofits Offer Better Bang for the Buck
It is understandably challenging for cost-constrained multifamily affordable housing (MFAH) property owners and managers to spend their carefully budgeted dollars on unfamiliar green tech (e.g., heat pump-based HVAC) vs. familiar technologies with lower upfront costs. While “going green” can be expensive, traditional or “business as usual” retrofits have limited benefits. They may solve an immediate problem (e.g., addressing/replacing failed HVAC …
Accessing Federal and Utility Incentives for Green Projects
By Ravi Malhotra / NH&RA Issue: April 2023 The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provided the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) $3.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). This is on top of the ongoing ~$1.6 billion allocation (the standard WAP allocation independent of the BIL money for WAP) over the next five years. The BIL funds allow for some …
Green Retrofits Signal the Future in Cities’ Push Towards Decarbonization
Green Retrofits Signal the Future in Cities’ Push Towards Decarbonization By Abram Mamet / NH&RA April 2023 Green Retrofitting in Practice Well-considered and meaningfully executed retrofits have become increasingly important as communities across the country seek out effective climate resilience strategies. States like Massachusetts, New York, Illinois and Pennsylvania are at the forefront of that movement, having each enacted legislation or …
April 2023 Policy Blog
Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Analyst ******************* Biden-Harris Administration Announces $550 Million to Advance Environmental Justice The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $550M from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to expedite investments through EPA’s new Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking (EJ TCGM) program. This program will fund up to 11 entities to serve as grantmakers that …
March 2023 Policy Blog
Kristen Cheriegate | ICAST Policy Analyst ******************* U.S. Department of Energy Launches Community Power Accelerator Prize The Community Power Accelerator Prize is a $10 million prize competition designed to expand the ecosystem of community solar project developers by providing funding, resources, tools, and training to new and established developers. Eligible entities include U.S. community solar developers, including new developers, co-developers …
Funding for Green Upgrades and Preservation
By Ravi Malhotra, Founder and President, ICAST NH&RA, March 2023 Engaging Multifamily Owners The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with approximately $35 billion that is relevant to multifamily affordable housing. These funds are for emissions reduction projects, and multifamily housing can access them to facilitate green upgrades for affordable housing preservation. Through two separate programs, …
How Colorado’s Multifamily Affordable Housing can Benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
How Colorado’s Multifamily Affordable Housing can Benefit from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law By Ravi Malhotra, Founder and President, ICAST Colorado Real Estate Journal – Multifamily Properties Quarterly, February 2023 The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) dramatically expand opportunities for multifamily affordable housing (MFAH) to leverage cash rebates, tax credits, and other …
Pursuing Green Projects: How Multifamily Affordable Housing Can Benefit from the IRA and BIL
Pursuing Green Projects: How Multifamily Affordable Housing Can Benefit from the IRA and BIL by Ravi Malhotra National Housing & Rehabilitation Association, February 2023 The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) dramatically expand opportunities for multifamily affordable housing to pursue green projects via cash rebates, tax credits and other incentives. The IRA is by far the largest investment in …