Illinois Energy Efficiency for All

About

Illinois Energy Efficiency for All (IL EEFA) focusses on increasing access to energy efficiency and solar in the affordable multifamily housing sector. Collaboration is the key to achieving our goals, as with a successful partnership between Community Investment Corporation (CIC) and Elevate Energy to promote a Multifamily Energy Efficiency Program. The comprehensive retrofit program targets existing subsidized, affordable, mid- to low-income properties in the Chicago area. CIC loans and grants have provided more than $27 million for retrofit projects which from program launch in 2008 to March 31, 2017 (the most recent data available) has yielded more than 61,000 apartment unit assessments of which more than 27,000 were retrofitted. One major benefit of all these home improvements is a 20-30 percent energy savings.

The collaboration between the IL energy and housing sectors has also helped secure design improvements of affordable multifamily housing energy efficiency programs, including utility tracking and reporting. IL EEFA partners also educated the public about the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), which includes required minimum investment requirements for low-income energy efficiency programs at major utilities ComEd and Ameren Illinois. These utilities have further agreed to nearly double those requirements pursuant to discussions advanced by IL EEFA at the IL Energy Efficiency Stakeholder Advisory Group as well as advocacy in energy efficiency cases taken up by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

To build on these successes IL EEFA has pivoted to holding utilities accountable for implementing these newly expanded programs. This also includes monitoring new pilot projects such as a health energy efficiency pilot, which targets asthma suffers with energy efficiency and healthy home improvements.

Finally, IL EEFA is reaching out to and educating residents about solar and energy efficiency. Specifically, People for Community Recovery, an environment justice organization based in the Altgeld Gardens Homes, is working with fellow IL EEFA partners to engage with residents of public housing as stakeholders and working with them to create energy efficiency and solar job training programs