The Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) offers valuable financing and rebates to businesses and property owners across Southern California upgrade their energy-efficient measures at a lower rate. This helps conserve money and energy! Their latest programs offer financial and technical assistance to multifamily dwellings so they can lower energy consumption, improve living quality, and reduce utility bills. In this blog, we will explore the benefits of SoCalREN Energy Rebates, with specific attention to the Multifamily Program, the Comprehensive Common Area approach, and whole-building upgrades. These initiatives help building owners access significant energy savings while improving tenant comfort and property value.

SoCalREN Multifamily Program Information

The SoCalREN Multifamily Program is designed to support multifamily building owners in Southern California with energy-efficient upgrades. The program offers two primary ways to help property owners:

1. Technical Assistance: SoCalREN provides access to an energy and green building consultant. Experts provide guidance on ways the units can reduce energy usage. In addition to their guidance, consultants help property owners connect with applicable incentive programs that further reduce the cost of energy upgrades.
2. Incentives: To help offset the cost of energy conservation measures, SoCalREN offers financial incentives. These incentives offset the costs to varying projects, from HVAC to lighting and water heaters. This program is designed to assist in retrofitting whole buildings with energy-efficient projects.

Comprehensive Common Area Upgrades

For multifamily buildings, common areas are a significant source of energy consumption. SoCalREN’s Comprehensive Common Area program helps property owners target energy efficiency improvements in these shared spaces, offering an efficient and straightforward process.

The program follows four simple steps:

1. No-Cost Consulting: SoCalREN provides an energy consultant who will work with you remotely to complete an intake process and identify the best energy-saving measures for common areas like hallways, laundry rooms, and shared recreation spaces.
2. Energy Assessment: A detailed energy assessment is conducted to pinpoint opportunities for upgrading the energy efficiency of your building’s common areas.
3. Installation of Improvements: After the previous steps are complete, qualified contractors will complete the energy saving project. Some smaller projects, like lighting changes, can be done by the property owner.
4. Incentives: MUD owners will save receive financial assistance based on the projects decided upon. The more energy saved, the higher the incentives.

Eligible improvements include common area lighting, central water heating systems, pool controls, and ENERGY STAR® clothes washers. This program helps property owners lower their energy usage and promote sustainable measures without too much disruption to a tenants day-to-day life.

Whole Building Upgrades

SoCalREN offers programs for owners to upgrade their entire facility. This whole-building approach is especially beneficial because it encourages a comprehensive look at energy efficiency, rather than focusing on isolated improvements.

Here’s how property owners can take advantage of the whole-building upgrade program:

1. Access No-Cost Consulting: Like the Comprehensive Common Area program, SoCalREN offers no-cost consulting for whole-building projects. An energy expert helps property owners identify the most impactful energy efficiency measures and connects them to relevant financing programs.
2. Energy Assessment: The program includes a detailed energy assessment that evaluates the entire property’s energy use, providing a roadmap for upgrades that will generate the most savings.
3. Make Improvements: Energy-saving measures are then installed by licensed contractors, ensuring the upgrades are both effective and compliant with local regulations.
4. Receive Incentives: Property owners earn financial incentives based on the energy savings achieved. For properties in Disadvantaged Communities (DACs), these incentives are particularly generous, with rebates of up to $0.57 per kWh and $6.00 per therm of energy saved. Non-DAC properties receive $0.33 per kWh and $3.50 per therm.

Multifamily Upgrades with Incentive Rebates360

The SoCalREN Multifamily Rebates program provides amazing opportunities for multifamily property owners to upgrade their facilities. By participating in the Comprehensive Common Area and Whole Building programs, owners can lower their utility bills, increase the value of their property, and create a better home life for their tenants.

Incentive Rebate360 offers incentive management services to assist in the program application process from start to finish. If you are interested in SoCalREN multifamily financial incentives, contact one of our rebate experts. Contact us today by calling 480-653-8180, emailing [email protected], or schedule a call that fits your needs by clicking the button below!