Grant Projects

City of Durham American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Funding
Durham received $2,173,600 as part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG), funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The goals of this program are increasing economic activity (job creation) and reducing energy use. More information about the program can be found at www.eecbg.energy.gov. Durham’s Sustainability Office manages this grant and works with City departments to implement the funded projects. The Department of Community Development is providing administrative support to the Sustainability Office for this program. All funding must be spent by August 2012.

City Facility Projects
The City is using approximately half of the funding to pay for capital projects identified within City-owned structures and some vehicle purchases. The benefits of these upgrades will be to reduce energy use in City operations, thus saving taxpayer dollars and helping us reach our greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. These projects include installing LED lighting, installing solar hot water systems, hiring an Energy Program Specialist, purchasing hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles, and implementing a system to better track the City’s energy use.

Community Projects
The City is using the other half of the funds for a neighborhood-based, energy-efficiency program. This Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program (NERP) and Home Energy Savings program (HESP) focus on installing a few highly effective upgrades in existing residences in Durham, with a target of reducing energy use by 20 percent in participating homes.

For information about any EECBG project, contact Aaron Milano, energy program specialist by email or at (919) 560-4570, ext. 22231.

EECBG Project Summary:

Project	Stimulus Work	Cost
Solar hot water	Install solar hot water systems on 3 fire stations	$28,056
Church St. Parking Deck	Install LED Lights	$175,590
SDWRF Lights LED	Replace 140 SDWRF outside pole lights with LEDs	$106,200
Transit vans	Incremental cost of 7 hybrid vans for DATA ACCESS	$375,000
Energy Management software	Purchase software and hardware to be able to monitor real-time energy use in City facilities	$39,961
Performance Contracting	3rd Party Owner's Rep to help with Performance Contracting	$35,840
Fire Stations upgrades	Energy audits and retrofits	$95,799
Residential Efficiency Upgrade Program	Residential efficiency upgrades in 350 homes	$992,173
Electric Vehicles	Purchase electrical vehicles and charging stations	$100,010
Energy Programs	Hire an Energy Program Specialist to assist in reducing energy use and greenhouse gases in the government and community	$170,454

Total		$2,173,600

Environmental Protection Agency's
Climate Showcase Communities Grant
Durham received $500,000 as part of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Showcase Communities (CSC) grant program. The overall goal of the Climate Showcase Communities program is to create replicable models of cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions that will catalyze broader local and tribal government actions to stabilize the climate and improve environmental, economic, health, and social conditions.

Durham is using its funds to expand the Neighborhood Energy Retrofit Program and Home Energy Savings Program by weatherizing an estimated 344 additional homes.

The grant requires that Durham contribute a $250,000 cost share. That cost share is being generated by homeowner contributions to participate in the program, volunteer time contributions, additional weatherization work that some people elect to purchase, and contributions of staff time by various City departments to aid with inspections.

For information about Durham's grant, visit the EPA's program page.