Energy Efficiency
AHES has deep expertise providing energy efficiency (EE) services to the multifamily (MF) apartments market, primarily the affordable segment (both subsidized and naturally occurring). Our team has designed, implemented, and evaluated over $500M in utility demand-side management (DSM), Federal Home Rebate (HOMES and HEEHR), distributed energy resource (DER), weatherization (WAP), electrification, and other EE programs. We regularly achieve over 25% energy savings per project.
As a nationally certified MBE, we also act as subcontractors for prime contractors to help them meet their diversity quotas.
The multifamily market, especially its subsidized/affordable subset, has inherent technical, regulatory, and financial challenges that make it "hard to serve." AHES uses a proven one-stop-shop consulting model to overcome these hurdles and make the process simple for program administrators and customers alike. Our centralized program team leads planning and coordination and oversees execution, with a dedicated Program Manager to drive the day-to-day activities of the program. Quality assurance and control, financial management, and data collection are embedded across all phases:
Program phases
Outreach
Targeted emails, phone calls, and one-on-one meetings to engage property owners and managers with the program.
Intake
Customer service and technical assistance to help multifamily property owners/managers get onboarded with the program and choose optimal work scopes for their projects.
Assessment
Assessing the property’s baseline technologies and energy savings potential, and using that information to inform our technical assistance offerings.
Financial Assistance
Helping multifamily owners/managers identify all applicable funding sources—including grants, tax credits, and government rebates—to offset their project costs and supplement the utility rebates.
Implementation
Working with local contractors to help them deliver the work scope in a high-quality, efficient, and timely fashion.
Reporting
Regular reporting to program administrators through various formats including phone calls, written reports, and meetings.
Demand-Side Management Programs
AHES works throughout the U.S. both:
- Directly with utilities to administer and implement their multifamily focused demand-side management (DSM) programs
- With other implementers as a consultant for their residential or commercial Utility DSM programs, focused on the multifamily and low-and-moderate income (LMI) customer segment.
AHES's expertise and experience lies in delivering DSM services to the MF customer, primarily the LMI segment. Through these programs, AHES helps its clients secure utility rebates and other incentives to reduce the cost of their projects, while benefiting its utility and Implementer partners by
- providing a full range of services which can be customized to meet and exceed regulatory requirements; and
- supporting the energy grid through measures that reduce load and increase demand flexibility and control (e.g., EE and renewable energy measures delivered in concert with energy management systems).
AHES traditionally offers or provides guidance on:
- The option of a pay-for-performance compensation structure for Utility clients;
- A time-tested method to develop a pipeline of MF customers for the EE/DSM program;
- Exemplary project management which includes a single point of contact to ensure clarity and consistency in communications for all project participants;
- A flexible process designed to ensure continuous improvements over the course of the program;
- Comprehensive measurement and verification processes to ensure program quality and success;
- A focus on whole-property, deep energy retrofits that addresses entire MF properties and covers both residential and commercial meters;
- A breadth of expertise including energy, financing, housing, and community development; and
- A unique ability to identify, leverage, and cooperate with other programs with incentives, grants, and resources.
AHES staff have managed demand-side management programs for utility clients, including Dominion Energy, Public Service Company of New Mexico, PacifiCorp., Arizona Public Service, Exelon, Evergy, Pepco, Spire Gas, New Mexico Gas Company, and El Paso Electric. It has worked with DSM implementers including ICF, Resource Innovation, Franklin Energy, etc.
DOE’s Home Energy Rebate Programs
AHES provides turnkey consulting and implementation support for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)-funded Home Energy Rebate programs. It offers comprehensive design support during the program development stage as well as guidance on continuous improvement throughout program duration. AHES is unmatched in its ability to engage multifamily owners and managers and enroll them in programs—it uses a one-stop-shop approach that absorbs the administrative and technical burden for owners and managers and makes the process simple and hassle-free. It also offers a custom software solution for onboarding multifamily properties and tracking and reporting on their projects, as well as numerous technical resources for the multifamily market and contractors alike. Currently, it is managing the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Multifamily Retrofit Initiative for Sustainability and Equity (M-RISE) program, which leverages both HEEHR (50122) and HOMES (50121) funding.
M-RISE is a whole-building rebate program for new developments and existing multifamily properties. It will help income-qualified multifamily properties access energy efficiency and high-efficiency electric solutions to improve building performance, modernize appliances, reduce energy use, and enhance resident comfort. The program engages property owners, contractors, developers, and workforce partners interested in participating in the program. Visit our dedicated website to learn more!
Enhancing AI Data Center Sustainability
In partnership with Triple Bottom Line Foundation (TBL Fund) and others, AHES proposes to deliver clean energy solutions (CES) to the low-income (LI) families living in affordable housing in the communities surrounding AI data center that will:
Offset the energy demand needed by the data center
Reduce energy bills for the low-income (LI) families
Reduce your capital costs for energy and water
Enhance safety, comfort and air quality, both inside the homes and in the community
For example, every MW of savings achieved through CES, which is the cheapest path to meeting energy needs, reduces utility bills for hundreds of LI families. These energy and cost savings are a major reversal from the increase in costs that communities see from data centers. Additionally, the lower utility costs enhance housing affordability—another major issue facing communities. All this while providing better health, safety, and comfort to LI families through better air quality from upgraded HVAC and hot water systems, reduced drafts and hot/cold zones in their homes from the weatherization, better lighting, etc.
All of this will:
- reduce NIMBYism through the creation of, effectively, an incentive for community members, especially the LI population that is typically most impacted,
- mitigate political resistance,
- create jobs through investment in CES,
- reduce project risk that can help attract investors in data center developments,
- reinforce and stretch existing sustainability goals.