Cooperative Energy Futures is excited to announce that we are launching a new program. Beginning in early 2025, the Sustainable Homes program will provide: 

  • Home Energy Assessments

  • Home Energy Upgrade Proposals, which will help homeowners and renters understand what improvements would be most cost-effective and energy-effective, and how to leverage all the possible federal, state, local, and utility incentives that they are eligible for

  • Capital to cover upfront costs - homeowners and residents will pay for the upgrades over time based on the energy bill savings they achieve through the upgrades

  • Pre-vetted contractors and contractor management

  • Evaluation to ensure that predicted energy savings are achieved 

  • In partnership with the Twin Cities Energy Efficiency Cohort, navigation services to support households in targeted communities with managing the full process from energy assessment to the completion of relevant upgrades. 

We are still determining where exactly we will begin the piloting of our program, and what the key eligibility criteria will be. However, we anticipate targeting specific neighborhoods in Minneapolis and Saint Paul starting in early 2025.

If you’re interested in learning more, please complete this survey. We will reach out to you with more information about the program in the months to come.

Key Partnerships

Program Development

This program is being developed in partnership with a number of key organizations: 

  • City of Minneapolis

  • Community Power

  • The Twin Cities Energy Efficiency Cohort

  • EEtility

  • Inclusive Prosperity Capital

  • Slipstream

  • University of Minnesota Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (CSTEP)

Community Engagement

  • Unidos-MN

Funding

Program Development Funding

Funds to support the development of this program came from the Buildings Up Prize. Cooperative Energy Futures and Community Power jointly applied and received a Phase 1 award from the Buildings Up Prize. We are currently in Phase 2 of the Prize process. 

The Buildings Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP) provides 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. Buildings UP is an American-Made Challenge funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Building Technologies Office and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. More information about Buildings UP can be found at  www.herox.com/BuildingsUP

Program Implementation Funding

  • City of Minneapolis

We need your help! 

CEF is researching the impact on energy bill impact folks have experienced when getting heat pumps (Air Source Heat Pumps, Heat Pump Water Heaters, and Ground Source (aka Geothermal) heat pumps. If you’ve had any of those technologies installed between March and November 2023, we’d love to connect with you!

Please complete this Survey. Based on your responses, we may be interested in a longer conversation with you. If so, you could receive up to $70 for your time and assistance.