September 2023 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Analyst ******************* Inflation Reduction Act Arrives at One-Year Anniversary The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directed over $369B toward incentives for nearly every corner of the clean energy industry. A year later – nearly $200B in tax credits stand at the center of IRA’s goals to clean up the two biggest sources of U.S. greenhouse gas …

August 2023 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Analyst ******************* Update on Biden Administration’s Investing in America Tour President Biden and team recently toured the U.S. to directly communicate with communities impacted by his Investing in America Agenda. During the tour, the President discussed how federal investments including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) are driving a manufacturing and …

July 2023 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Analyst ******************* IRS and Treasury Release Additional Guidance on Low-Income Community Credit Program The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Treasury recently closed the comment period on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning the low-income communities’ bonus energy investment credit program. Established under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), this Program is designed to …

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Green Tech Insights – Why ICAST is Electrified by Heat Pump HVAC

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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 …

June 2023 Policy Blog

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Kristen Cheriegate  |  ICAST Policy Analyst ******************* Environmental Protection Agency Releases Framework for Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released new details on implementing the $27B Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). Funds for the GGRF were provided by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA); this Program will leverage public investment with private capital to finance clean energy projects …

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Leveraging Available Incentives for EV Charging Infrastructure on Multifamily Properties

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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 …

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HUD Launches New Program to Pay for Multifamily Green Rehab

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The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced the availability of  landmark funding through the new Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) to support retrofits for HUD-assisted multifamily affordable housing (MFAH) properties.    The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided HUD with approximately $837M in grant funding and $4B in loan authority for the GRRP. This program simultaneously invests in utility efficiency, renewable …

Renewable or clean energy generation prices and costs, financial concept : Green eco-friendly symbols atop coin stacks e.g. energy efficient light bulb, a battery, a solar cell panel, a wind turbine.

Clean Energy Financing Insights – Why Green Retrofits Offer Better Bang for the Buck

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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 …

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Case Study: Energy Retrofits in New Mexico

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Case Study: Energy Retrofits in New Mexico By Mark Fogarty / NH&RA Issue: April 2023 Solar Panels Come with Home Improvements  Residents at three public housing authority properties for Santa Fe County in New Mexico are happy to see solar panels installed on the roofs of their projects, as the arrays also come with 16 additional upgrades for the tenants. The …

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Accessing Federal and Utility Incentives for Green Projects

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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 …