Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler and Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle today signed an inter-local agreement to launch the next phase of the reEnergize Program, a community initiative to promote energy efficiency. In April 2010, this collaborative effort between Nebraska’s two largest cities was one of 25 pilot projects to be awarded a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy through its Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant competitive program.
Most of the funds are being used for energy efficiency upgrades in existing buildings in targeted areas of the communities. Working with community partners, reEnergize uses a public-private strategy to focus on overcoming three major barriers to growth in the Lincoln-Omaha market: access to consumer information, access to a skilled workforce and access to financing opportunities.
“We want to remind homeowners, businesses and residents in our two cities that now is the time to sign up to take advantage of what the reEnergize program offers for saving energy, putting money in people’s pockets, creating local jobs and reducing our long-term energy needs,” Beutler said. “A particularly exciting part of this program is how Lincoln and Omaha are working together to help build the local market for energy efficiency upgrades.”
The program was launched in Omaha in January, and this agreement opens the same opportunity for Lincoln homeowners and businesses. (City employees are not eligible.) The program is first available to those in “Start Zones,” which were selected for their range of income levels, mix of ownership and rentals, concentration of older buildings and level of community engagement. In Omaha, about 500 residents have signed up so far.
“The reEnergize program encourages energy savings with expert technical assistance, streamlined contracting services and financial incentives available to homeowners,” Suttle said. “The reEnergize Program will provide a great opportunity for Omaha and Lincoln to become leaders in energy efficiency for the State of Nebraska and the entire Midwest.”
