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The California Statewide Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebate Program (MEERP) represents a collaboration between California’s four major investor-owner utilities (IOU’s): Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Gas Company, and Southern California Edison. Together, they promote energy efficiency and provide equipment rebates to owners and tenants of multifamily properties, including residential apartment buildings, condominium complexes, and mobile home parks throughout the state. As one of the few programs in the nation that specifically addresses this market segment, this unique and innovative program has achieved significant energy savings since it began in 2002. The program and its successes provide a model approach for other utilities to emulate.
The current program represents an extremely innovative model for addressing the unique energy efficiency needs of multifamily properties. It encourages the installation of qualifying energy-efficient products in individual tenant units and in common areas of residential multifamily complexes with two or more units. This focus has led to great program success and significant energy savings for thousands of multifamily properties. The program also overcomes the split-incentive barrier by encouraging property owners to invest in the installment of EE measures inside the tenant dwellings. This is evidenced by the tens of thousands of apartments that have been treated since program inception.
Now entering its sixth year, the program offers multifamily property owners throughout California rebates of up to $1,500. Rebate offerings for measures associated with apartment dwelling units include: interior and exterior hardwired fixtures,T8 linear fluorescents, ceiling fans, CFL’s, clothes washers, dishwashers, water heaters, natural gas central furnaces, attic and wall insulation. Rebate offerings related to common areas include: LED exit signs, occupancy sensors, photocells, high-performance dual-paned windows, central water heaters, boilers, and boiler controls.
The program drives long-term change in California through the installation of Energy Star® interior and exterior hardwired fixtures. This widespread change is reducing tenants’ energy usage in apartment dwelling units and also reducing property owners’ energy usage in common areas. This is an outstanding example of the market transformation that is occurring in the multifamily sector as a result of these product installations. Additionally, installation of water heater/boiler controllers is reducing therm usage on hot water delivery systems throughout California.
The MEERP has been extremely successful in reaching the players in this challenging arena. The 2004-2005 Program Year (PY) energy savings results are as follows: kW Goal: 12,641; achieved 17,572 – kWh Goal: 88,290,888; achieved 89,870,312 and Therm Goal: 4,305,281; achieved 4,852,760. Clearly, goals were substantially exceeded during the 2004-05 PY, while $29,978,050 in paid incentives remained within budget. The 2004-05 installations were comprised of approximately 3787 multifamily properties with 241,700 apartments. During the first year of the 2006-2008 PY, electric and gas energy savings were reported at 5294 kw, 50,296,891 kWh, and 1,072,478 therms. The program continues to gain momentum and visibly impact this underserved sector. 2006 installations were comprised of approximately 3,285 multifamily properties with 168,537 apartments, and a total of $20,702,609 in paid incentives.
The Statewide Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebate Program successfully contributes to reducing energy use per capita in California while helping to achieve the objectives of the State’s Energy Action Plan and the priorities of the CPUC. It accomplishes this by affecting an increased level of participation in energy efficiency practices.
The California IOUs have been very proactive in administering the program, and thus have developed substantial relationships within the multifamily market sector. Due to the very successful record of the program, the California IOUs have been recognized throughout the nation by other utilities and industry organizations for their leadership in multifamily energy efficiency programs. The MFREEP Team has been invited to present findings and information at several conferences (Pacific Coast Builders Conference, Multifamily Trends, California Affordable Housing, Department of Housing and Urban Development, California Association of Nonprofits, Multifamily Buildings Conference, Hot Water Heaters and Boilers Seminar, etc.) The statewide program was also showcased at the International Multifamily Buildings 2006 Conference, hosted by the Association for Energy Affordability and held in New York City in June 2006. As a final acknowledgement to the success of the program, the statewide program team recently won the Association of Energy Services Professionals 2006 Merit Award for Outstanding Achievement in Program Design and Implementation.
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