The U.S. Department of Energy recently awarded Philadelphia a $1.31 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program grant.
The EECBG Program funds projects that improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and lower fossil fuel emissions.
The city will use the grant to support four projects:
The city’s Office of Sustainability (OOS) will develop the Clean Energy Workforce Development Strategy as well as a plan to increase the local clean energy work force to meet the scope and scale of its decarbonization goals. In Philadelphia, buildings contribute approximately 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.
The OOS will also partner with the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) for a pilot program applying cool roof coatings on a neighborhood-scale in a selected heat vulnerable community.
In addition, OOS will develop recommendations for establishing a long-term Cool Roofs Program and examine gaps in the existing Cool Roofs Policy.
The OOS and ECA along with citywide Neighborhood Energy Centers will increase educational programming in historically marginalized and vulnerable communities that experience high levels of energy burden.
The School District of Philadelphia will receive support procuring energy, to help it achieve the city’s goal of using 100 percent renewable electricity, and help managing its energy portfolio and utility data for more than 200 buildings.