The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is hosting a Buildings UP information session exclusively for HUD stakeholders on March 30 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET. This webinar will provide an overview of the Buildings Upgrade prize and its application submission process. Buildings UP will provide more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to support the transformation of existing U.S. buildings into more energy-efficient and clean energy-ready homes, commercial spaces, and communities.
Additionally, registration for the 2023 Better Buildings Summit is now open. Multifamily stakeholders interested in energy efficiency and carbon resiliency can reserve a spot at the premiere annual gathering for multifamily housing energy and water savings champions. The Better Buildings Summit will take place April 11-13, 2023, at the Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. The Summit is an unparalleled opportunity to share best practices and emerging approaches and network with other leaders in energy efficiency and decarbonization in the Multifamily sector, including representatives from many of the 34 public housing authorities who are Better Buildings multifamily partners.
HUD has announced an overhaul of its disaster recovery efforts with the establishment of a new office focused solely on disaster management and recovery. HUD has created the new Office of Disaster Management (ODM) in the Office of the Deputy Secretary, and the Office of Disaster Recovery (ODR) within the Office of Community Planning and Development.
These new offices will be staffed with dozens of new HUD staff members to help expedite recovery processes. In the short term, they will focus on administering the allocation of more than $3.3 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds.
The $3.3 billion in newly allocated CDBR-DR funds will help communities in Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Puerto Rico recover from disasters and build resilience. The funds are specified to be used for disaster relief, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, economic revitalization, and mitigation.
The establishment of the new office follows HUD’s request for public feedback on how to simplify, modernize, and more equitably distribute critical disaster recovery funds: CDBG-DR and Mitigation (CDBG-MIT).
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) is offering more than $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to teams across America with winning ideas to accelerate widespread, equitable energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades. Dr. Henry McKoy, Director of the Office of State and Community Energy Programs at the Department of Energy, will provide details about Buildings UP at CLPHA's Spring Meeting.
In Phase 1 of Buildings UP, teams will submit innovative concepts to increase building energy upgrades, choosing to enter one of two pathways: “Equity-Centered Innovation” or “Open Innovation.” Winning “Equity-Centered Innovation” teams, focused on delivering upgrades to low- and moderate-income homes; small, disadvantaged businesses; and other equity-eligible buildings, will receive $400,000 in cash. Winning “Open Innovation” teams will receive $200,000 in cash. Winners from both pathways will also receive expert technical assistance and coaching to help bring their ideas to life.
Community-based organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, building owners, utilities, nonprofit organizations, energy efficiency program implementers, and other organizations are encouraged to team up and apply. Buildings UP is open to teams of organizations that may include non-federal-government entities such as municipalities, states, counties, tribal governments, territories, public housing authorities, and/or regional planning organizations. Phase 1 opened for submissions on February 18, 2023 and will close July 18, 2023.
There is also an Application Support Prize available. Up to 50 winning teams will be awarded $5,000 and up to 10 hours of technical support through the Application Support Prize. Applicants are intended to be those who might not otherwise have the staff capacity, time, or expertise to submit a full Phase 1 submission. The primary competitors for the Application Support Prize are first-time applicants for funding from the Department of Energy Building Technologies Office and community-based organizations (CBOs) representing or serving areas with equity-eligible buildings. Application Support Prize submissions will be reviewed and awarded monthly from February through May 2023, until funds are expended.