Louisiana

About

Energy Efficiency for All Louisiana (EEFA-LA) focuses on building access and awareness of energy efficiency as a low-cost solution to New Orleans and Louisiana’s extreme and growing energy burdens. By highlighting the inequities of a new gas power plant for the local utility, we have built ground-up community support for the growth of efficiency in New Orleans and have successfully created a runway for multifamily housing developers to invest millions in efficiency.

Recent Successes

EEFA-LA continues to build momentum within the City of New Orleans, and Statewide. In 2017, EEFA-LA partners, alongside a strong network of allies and community members, led a significant grassroots effort to block the approval of a new gas-fired power plant. This groundswell of engagement led to a city-wide commitment to develop a Renewable Portfolio Standard. By leveraging energy efficiency and renewable energy investments EEFA-LA is continuing to advocate for 100% Renewable Energy by 2040.

With a focus on equity, EEFA-Louisiana successfully worked with the City of New Orleans on initiatives to expand long-term affordable housing options across the city through the Smart Housing Mix policy passed in March 2019, and changed New Orleans policy to provide multifamily owners with the whole-building energy consumption data necessary to enable benchmarking. The coalition also secured stable utility rates and low customer charges in a New Orleans rate case and another three years of efficiency program growth.

Members of the EFFA-LA coalition worked with the Finance Authority of New Orleans (FANO) on green infrastructure financing. In April 2019, FANO unveiled its Green Mortgage product, which would provide homeowners with financing in three major categories: energy efficiency, wind protection, and stormwater management. The green mortgage product will initially be offered to single family homes and FANO plans to expand its offerings to multifamily, commercial, and municipal buildings

EEFA-LA is building on its success in New Orleans to develop a statewide strategy. At the state level, EEFA-LA and allies have already succeeded in increasing the percentage of Federal LIHEAP dollars to be spent on Weatherization in Louisiana from 12% to 15%.

The coalition is now focusing on ensuring that statewide building codes are in-line with national standards, finally establishing mature efficiency programs through the Louisiana Public Service Commission, and advocating for a just and equitable Resilient-Renewable Portfolio Standard for the City of New Orleans.

In 2020, the coalition added a new member to the team: Housing Louisiana, which is kicking off 2021 with state-wide listening tour to hear from residents about their most challenging housing concerns. Also in 2020 and 2021, Members of the Coalition were tapped to serve on working groups for the Louisiana Governor’s Climate Initiatives Task Force. EEFA-LA’s efforts are focused on making sure efficient housing is an integral part of just climate action in the state.