2021 Quick Start Grant Recipients
US Green Building Council – LA
Overview
The U.S. Green Building Council, Los Angeles chapter (USGBC-LA) will install heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) and air source heat pumps (ASHPs) in 10 affordable housing units in eastern San Fernando Valley, CA and add heat pumps to an education and outreach program.
Market Barrier
Much of the multifamily housing within disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles contain inefficient equipment that can contribute to unhealthy conditions and high utility costs that overburden their residents. This is coupled with a lack of sufficient funding and financing options to electrify these buildings.
Proposed Solution
USGBC-LA will install 10 HPWH and 5 heat pump HVAC options in naturally-occurring affordable housing (NOAH). This offering will be integrated into the existing structure of its Green Affordable Housing Program (GAHP), which currently provides tenant education, building efficiency project support for NOAH owners and property managers, community EV charging, and green workforce training.
Theory of Change
USGBC-LA believes that when NOAH owners and property managers witness the operational performance, total projected cost savings, and other co-benefits of heat pumps, they will become comfortable with the technology and move forward with larger, more holistic electrification retrofit projects that include heat pumps across their portfolios of properties. In addition, the learnings and data created through program execution will be assembled into a post-program toolkit for greening and electrifying low-income and affordable housing in the region.
Project Status:
Complete
Housing Type:
Multifamily affordable housing (naturally-occurring)
Technology:
HPWH and ASHP
Location:
Eastern San Fernando Valley, CA