Since 2011, District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) has delivered financial incentives, technical assistance and information to help city residents and businesses use less energy and save money.

DCSEU’s collaborative efforts have helped residents save millions of dollars on their energy costs through its innovative Low-Income Multifamily Comprehensive program, an effort where DCSEU works with developers starting with the design concept and ending with resident move-in on new construction and major rehabilitation projects. The program is missioned to ensure that energy-efficiency measures are considered, valued and properly installed during the pivotal points of development. All properties must be income qualified, with at least 66% of the units occupied by residents earning at or below 60% of the area median income.

In fiscal year 2013,  the DCSEU committed $5.7 million to improve energy-efficiency in affordable housing properties and provide technical assistance and financial incentives to support energy projects at more than 36 properties in the District. The DCSEU’s financial assistance motivates developers to invest in energy-efficiency measures that deliver saving to their residents and reduce their own operating costs.

This past December, the DCSEU’s Low-Income Multifamily Comprehensive program was highlighted as a best practice case study in the American Council for the Energy-Efficient Economy’s Multifamily Roadmap to Energy Savings report. The White House and the U.S. Department of Energy featured this report as a roadmap on viable methods to improve building energy efficiency in line with the President’s Climate Action Plan. In the report the DSCSEU Low-Income Comprehensive program was noted as being among one of the country’s most cost-effective energy efficiency programs, an impressive feat after only three years of DCSEU operations!

Being a HAND member has helped the DCSEU fulfill its goal of reducing energy use in affordable housing in the District. Whether it’s helping to connect the DCSEU with dozens of stakeholders in the affordable housing market in D.C. or providing training opportunities for DCSEU account managers to learn more about the affordable housing and community development sector, the benefits of being a HAND member have been truly advantageous for the DCSEU.

HAND is pleased to spotlight the DCSEU, which certainly contributes to our organization’s COLLABORATION, INNOVATION and TRANSFORMATION for the metropolitan area!