Olivia Kalm

• Mount Holyoke College, Class of 2017

• Environmental Studies concentrating in Natural History

• Experience the business side of environmental work

Single Family Residential Intern, Erik Gilbert

Addressing The Low-Rise Market

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Research Goals

1. Define the low-rise market

2. Identify barriers

3. Identify gaps in the research

4. Identify market actors and their current

processes

5. Opportunities for market intervention

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1. Defining Low-Rise Buildings

Multiunit Buildings that act as 1-4 Family Homes rather than larger commercial-style residences (i.e. Brownstones, Condominiums, Co-ops).

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2. Barriers Identified

Lack of market intervention

Split Incentives

Significant upfront costs for contractors and customers

• Competing Programs

• Building owners may not have access to financing

tools needed to complete a larger scale project.

• Contractor proposed equipment may not qualify.

• Renovations completed on an “as-needed” basis

• Challenge identifying ownership of property

• Challenge predicting savings for the customer

• Low-rise eligible complexes tend to target for the

cheapest replacement equipment possible,

regardless of savings.

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3. The Gap in the Research

• Challenge identifying actual housing stock

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4a. The Low-Rise Market Actors

• Lack of awareness of the benefits of energy upgrades

• Split Incentives

• High upfront costs

Property Owners and tenants:

• Challenge distinguishing from Multifamily Program and lack of knowledge of low-rise opportunities.

• High upfront costsContractors:

• Responsible for prioritizing needs of the people in the region, energy upgrades may not be a priority. Municipalities:

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4b. The Low-Rise Market Actors: Addressing The Barriers

•Ability for tenants and owners to track energy consumption could address the issue of split incentives.

•Education

Property Owners and tenants:

•Mentorship program to educate contractors on opportunities and logistics of the low-rise market. Contractors should be provided with the appropriate tools to enter the market.

Contractors:

•Partner with municipalities for information about housing stock.

•Recognize the municipality as a leader in energy efficiency market.

Municipalities:

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5. Opportunities for Market Intervention

Financing

• Goal for NYSERDA could be to create a financing option that reduces upfront costs.

Outreach and Education

• Customer-friendly webpage that encourages engagement with interactive components.

• Community Workshops

• Survey both customers and contractors about energy efficiency upgrades

Demonstration Projects

• Information about case studies that demonstrate the benefits of making energy efficiency upgrades and the possible savings for low-rise property owners and tenants.

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Suggested Next Steps for NYSERDA:

• Partner with municipalities and utilities to obtain information about low-rise housing stock and their energy consumption data.

Closing the Research Gap:

• Adopt a program like PACE financing that allows payment attached to property taxes to reduce upfront costs for customers.

Financing

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My Next Steps:

•Energy Saving Toolkits

• Inexpensive way for NYSERDA to provide basic information about energy efficiency and the simple changes that can be made to reduce consumption and save customers money.

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Thank you!