Focus on Energy provides resources and incentives to help multifamily property owners reduce energy costs, while improving building comfort and tenant satisfaction. Energy-efficient building improvements are a smart move for property owners as they often lead to:

• Greater tenant satisfaction and lower turnover rates.
• Fewer maintenance issues and associated costs.
• Lower operating and energy costs.

Focus on Energy offers incentives for in-unit and common area upgrades for multifamily properties with four or more units under one roof.

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If your units’ equipment is more than 10–15 years old or needs frequent repairs, it could be time to replace it with new, more energy-efficient technology. Smart energy upgrades, such as a new furnaces, boilers, smart thermostats, or air source heat pumps, could save you and your tenants money by significantly reducing the energy you use while maintaining or even improving the comfort in your building.

Updating your interior and exterior lighting can be a great first step when it comes to making your building efficient. Lighting makes up 17% of all electricity consumed in U.S. commercial buildings, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to make your lighting more energy efficient. Whether upgrading fixtures or integrating connected controls, Focus on Energy can help you cut down on wasted light and heat alike, saving you real money on your electric bill.

Properly insulating and air sealing your building are two of the most important steps you can take to lower your energy costs. The year-round comfort provided by these upgrades means your tenants are more likely to stick around. To determine whether you should add insulation, you first need to find out how much you already have.

Water heating accounts for about 18% of your building’s energy use. Reducing your hot water use, using energy-saving strategies, and choosing an energy-efficient water heater for your building can help you reduce your monthly water heating bills.

Increase the value of your building and attract tenants who want clean energy. To capture sunlight, solar panels are strategically placed on roofs or ground mounted to maximize exposure to the sun. Systems are silent, very reliable, and require little ongoing maintenance.

Building projects over 5,000 sq. ft. in the early stages of planning and design can maximize energy savings and incentives by participating in EDA. Through EDA, you will receive a free, customized, whole-building analysis of energy-saving design options.

Multifamily new construction and renovation projects further along in the design journey can participate in a simplified process called EDR. Like EDA, EDR includes a whole-building analysis of multiple design options, with owner incentives based on the building’s overall energy savings.

Benefits of an Efficient Building

Improve your multifamily building with a few quick adjustments and reduce your operating costs. Many projects can be completed by your maintenance staff with little to no upfront cost. Earn incentives for each action you take. For more information, review the Operations & Maintenance Overview. For more detailed information, review the Operations & Maintenance Guide.