Provide a financial or other incentive to private parties who add energy/sustainability improvements, meet the SB 2030 energy standard, or renovate using a green building or energy framework.
See a list of green building frameworks, which include codes, standards (including the SB 2030 energy standard), rating systems with certification and guidelines with verification.
The City of St. Louis Park added a Special Assessment for Energy Improvement Program that allows local property owners the ability to have energy improvement project costs assessed against their property and defer payment over up to 10 years. Energy improvement projects can include heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment; building envelope; and renewable energy between $10,000 and $60,000; above that amount, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing and bank loans are often available and below that amount.
Incentives include lower interest loans, lowered building or equipment permit fees; note what improvements/equipment qualify and if a revolving loan fund was used. Private parties include builders, homeowners, businesses, institutions. Report renewable energy financing programs such as PACE under BPA 26.3.
Incentives include a utility-bill payment option, grants, rebates or tax breaks (e.g., property tax abatement) or expedited permit review.
Note incentives used, such as a density bonus or green building design assistance, for certified green buildings or ones incorporating district energy. Report buildings meeting the SB 2030 energy standard.
Who's doing it
Edina - 3 star
Date action report first entered:
Date of last report update:
Year action initially completed: 2021
Implementation details:
As part of the Sustainable Buildings Policy adopted by the Edina City Council on November 16th, 2021 (Effective April 1st, 2022), applicable per the 'Edina Overlay' specific energy efficiency standards are required. For 1-4 unit residential projects, energy efficiency standards must follow the US Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Homes standard. For all other residential and commercial projects standards must follow the B3 Sustainable Building 2030 Energy Standard.
The Richfield Rediscovered Lot Sale Program offers a $5,000 credit on the purchase a vacant lot from the Richfield HRA provided a new home is built that has at least 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a 2-car garage; complements the existing neighborhood; and qualifies for “Green” certification. As of July 2013, the program had awarded 4 rebates: 3 homes certified by the Minnesota Green Path Program and one is LEED certified.
Previous Programs:
The City's Foreclosure Purchase Incentive Program (FPIP) aimed to stabilize and improve residential neighborhoods suffering from the negative effects of the foreclosure crisis. FPIP offered financial assistance to buyers interested in purchasing a foreclosed home through the allocation of federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds. There were two financing options with the City's program: Purchase Assistance - $10,000, and Rehabilitation Assistance - $15,000. If the buyer lived in the home for 5 years, the loan was completely forgiven. Although the City did not require certification to a green building standard, the upgrading of foreclosed homes to the required health and safety standards was significantly "greener" than allowing the home to further deteriorate to the point of needing demolition. This program is no longer offered.
The City received $1,054,000 in federal funds to acquire, rehabilitate and re-sell foreclosed homes. Homes were rehabbed in accordance with Minnesota Housing’s Green Communities standards. 7 homes were rehabbed and resold through the program to low and moderate-income households. The City’s Transformation Home Loan Program provided incentive financing for large-scale remodeling projects valued at $50,000 or more. Loans were up to 15% of the total project cost with a maximum loan of $25,000. There were no income limits, no payments, no interest, and the loan is forgiven after 30 years.
Shoreview Home Energy Improvement Loan available for new roof and energy upgrades to the home that include energy efficient heating and cooling systems, additional or replacement insulation, energy efficient replacement windows, doors, energy efficient water heaters.
*A density bonus of up to five percent may begiven to developments that use passive energy systems on at least 80 percent of the dwelling units. And a density bonus of up to ten percent may be given to all energy systems for space heating, air conditioning, and/or domestic hot water heating on at least 30 percent of the dwellings/developments that use active energy systems.
ComfortSystems (CS), the city owned utility provider, offers fixed rate loans of up to $30,000 to homeowners who need help financing energy projects that will pay back in 20 years or less. $200 rebates are also available for boiler and furnace upgrades.
Businesses and rental property owners can apply for grants to help offset energy efficiency upgrades, and rental properties with low income residents qualify for additional grants through the Rental Energy Upgrade Pilot Program.
The city offers a selection of rebate programs as part of CIP. Available residential CIP programs available include: rebates on select types of Energy Star Appliances, central air tune-ups, LED lights. Commercial CIP programs include rebates for select Energy Star appliances, central-air tune ups, lighting upgrades, motor upgrades, and energy audits.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
At this point in 2013, kWh saved through CIP programs has been measured at 57,000 kWh. This includes both commercial and residential programs.
The City of Maple Grove has set aside approximately $60,000 in grant money for new construction homes that acheive a HERS rating of 40 or below. Maximum grant is $20,000 for a home with a HERS of 0 and goes down proportionally from there.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
1 home has participated in the challenge and we continually are working to bring more builders into the process.
The city of Maplewood has adopted the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) for city buildings. To increase the amount of public buildings that conform to this code, the city is offering an incentive program as part of the Energy Action Plan created for the Partners in Energy partnership. This plan, known as Energize Maplewood, contains a section where the City will utilize grant money from the MPCA and the Great Plains Institute to pay for recommissioning studies for public buildings. These studies will need to be available for a 75% rebate from Xcel energy before they can be started. Once the study has been done, the rebate will be used to pay for energy efficiency improvements that will bring the building closer to compliance with the IgCC. This incentive program will be available for approximately 4 projects. In return for the funding we will require 36 months of energy data to determine the effectiveness of these projects.
Bright Energy Solutions
Bright Energy Solutions is an incentive program through rebates that help reduce electric costs and increase efficiently. Once energy efficient equipment/energy smart products are installed, residents and property owners enjoy energy savings through cash incentives offered by Moorhead Public Service.
The city has partnered with the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) since 2013 to offer various commercial, non-profit, and rental improvement programs. Programs include Energy Savings Fund for Non-Profits, Commercial Energy Efficiency Loan Program, Energy Intelligence for Industry, One-Step Efficiency Shop Lighting Retrofits, and Existing Building Commissioning.
The City, which owns its electric utility, works with the South Minnesota Municipal Power Agency to provide rebates for energy savings. This happens both for residential customers as well as for commercial/industrial customers.
Generation Green is a voluntary initiative program for the creation of Energy
Efficient, Carbon Reducing buildings. Any new or majorly renovated building will enjoy expedited plan review and a 15% reduction in building permit fees immediately with the application approval from the Inspection department. Any LEED Certified buildings will receive 20%-25% off building permit fees, depending on the certification.
The City offers grants to 1-4 unit private properties that make home upgrades such as interior/exterior remodeling, solar installation, efficient heating and cooling systems, air source heat pumps, and EV charging infrastructure.
RPU designed their Partnering in Energy Solutions program to connect commercial customers with expert resources, Energy Solutions Partners (ESPs), to help ensure businesses are operating efficiently and/or building efficiently. RPUs ESPs will:
" Analyze current energy usage and future needs.
" Propose cost-cutting changes in energy usage, as well as energy efficient upgrades and equipment.
" Provide payback analyses of suggested improvements.
" Assist with the purchase and/or implementation of suggested improvements.
" List and apply for all available RPU Conserve & Save® rebates.
RPU promotes green building practices through its Conserve & Save® program, provides rebates, and also offers Green Financing to commercial customers. Green Financing is available for costs to obtain a customers building certification in EnergyStar®, LEED® or Green Globes.
For more information on RPUs Conserve & Save® programs visit www.rpu.org.
RPU offers two types of financing for commercial customers: Energy Efficiency Financing and Green Financing. Energy Efficiency Financing is available for improvement projects that show a reduction in energy usage. Green Financing is available for costs to obtain a customers building certification in EnergyStar®, LEED® or Green Globes. All financing is based on available funds. Monthly payments for the financed amount are based on the total project amount: balances under $5,000 are limited to 12 months and balances over $5,001 are not to exceed 24 months. Maximum amount financed per project is $25,000. No interest fee is required on the payment. Payments are collected as part of the customers monthly utility bill. An administration fee in the form of a check payable to RPU will be collected when the paperwork is submitted.
The city of Shorewood began offering a water efficiency rebate program in 2020. The program offered utility bill rebates to residents for the purchase of WaterSense toilets, irrigation controllers and irrigation sprinkler system bodies and EnergyStar clothes washers.
The city has implemented a building permit fee rebate program when Energy Star rated improvements are installed (including water related appliances).
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
Upon verification by the city's building inspector, 50% of the building permit fee is returned to the homeowner if qualified improvements are installed.
The City of Pierz has done away with the rebates due to high expenses that created a burden to our customers. Instead we give a credit on the customers utility bill for those who register for paperless billing.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
This reduces the cost of the bill, and also the cost that the City has for printing and mailing bills, essentially reducing the expenses that the residents incur.
The city is also participating in the Small Cities Development Program to assist local businesses and residents to make energy upgrades (roofing, siding, windows, insulation, new furnaces, etc.). We partnered with the cities of Little Falls and Pierz so a total of 21 homes and 9 businesses in the area can make their homes/businesses more energy efficient. Some of the money is a 0% loan, some 1% and another portion is up to the business/home owner. Money repaid goes into a revolving loan fund in the city to help others make energy improvements.
Outcome measures/metrics/money saved:
The 1% loan on the commercial buildings comes back to the cities as a revolving loan for the purpose of future energy upgrades for other businesses in the cities. It complements the existing revolving loan funds the cities offer to its businesses.
The City’s Woodbury Goes Green Loan encourages sustainable and energy-efficient green building practices in the City of Woodbury. Low interest loans up to $5,000 are available to qualified families who earn no more than 115 percent of the median income, capped at $90,000 per household. Eligible improvements include new high-efficiency furnaces or water heaters, improved insulation, new windows with better insulation and efficiency than existing windows and other improvements as pre-approved by the City of Woodbury Housing and Redevelopment Authority. This program may be combined with the Woodbury Home Improvement Fund if applicant households meet the criteria of both programs.
