California is a leader in energy efficiency, and many financial incentives are available to help you make your building project more energy-efficient. These incentives can help you offset the cost of making your project more energy-efficient, and they can also help you save money on your energy bills in the long run.
Reduce Energy Bills
One of the biggest benefits of energy-efficient building design is that it can help you reduce your energy bills. Energy-efficient improvements can include:
- Choosing a location that is well-suited for energy efficiency, such as a site with plenty of sunlight and shade
- Designing your building to be energy-efficient, with features such as insulation, energy-efficient windows and doors, and efficient appliances
- Using energy-efficient materials, such as solar panels and LED lighting
These improvements can help you significantly reduce energy consumption in your buildings, which can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your energy bills each year.
Increase Property Value
In addition to reducing your energy bills, making your building or rebuild project more energy-efficient can also increase its property value. A study from ENERGY STAR found that just a 10% reduction in commercial building energy consumption can lead to 1.5X NOI.
Tax Credits and Financial Incentives
There are a number of financial incentives available to help you make your building project more energy-efficient. These include:
- Federal tax credits: The federal government offers a tax credit of 30% of the cost of qualifying energy-efficient improvements, up to a maximum of $2,000.
- State tax credits: The state of California offers a tax credit of up to $5,000 for qualifying energy-efficient improvements.
- Loans: There are several loans available for energy-efficient home improvements, often with lower interest rates.
- California Energy Utility Rebates: Many utility companies offer rebates for energy-efficient home improvements. These rebates can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
- CEDA’s Energy Design Assistance
The California Energy Design Assistance (CEDA) program helps business owners and developers make their buildings more energy-efficient. Through a free consultation, CEDA assists in assessing your building’s energy use and identifying potential energy-efficiency improvements. Additionally, CEDA provides customized energy modeling to show which decarbonization strategies are the most cost-effective and impactful.
Case Studies and Success Stories
A case study done by New Buildings Institute about The Berkeley Public Library shows how the library was designed as a highly energy-efficient building. The library’s design uses passive strategies to reduce energy consumption, such as natural ventilation and daylighting. As a result, the library’s energy consumption is expected to be 40% lower than a typical library of its size. All of the energy-efficient measures seen in this building are strategies that the CEDA program can look into and help you implement into your building design.
Making your building or rebuild project more energy-efficient is a smart investment that can save you money on your energy bills, increase your property value, and help the environment. There are a number of financial incentives available to help you make your project more energy-efficient, and CEDA can help you assess your options and find the best fit for you.
If you are considering making your building or rebuild project more energy-efficient, CEDA can help you assess your options and find the financial incentives that are right for you. Contact CEDA today to learn more.
