Comprehensive Commercial Retrofit Programs: A Review of Activity and Opportunities

Commercial retrofits have long been a staple of energy efficiency program portfolios. Typical retrofit programs offer set incentives for specific prescriptive measures; many also provide incentives for custom measures that do not fit easily into the prescriptive categories. While these programs have generated substantial energy savings, even greater savings can be realized by addressing the full range of retrofit opportunities in an individual building as well as interactive effects among system components or building systems. To capture these additional savings, some efficiency program operators have launched comprehensive retrofit programs designed to address whole buildings—maximizing energy savings and the associated benefits. These programs recognize the value of a systems approach that goes beyond simple equipment upgrades to identify opportunities in system design, equipment interactions, and building operations and maintenance.

This April 2005 report reviews experience to date with comprehensive retrofit programs including equipment incentive, standard offer, and building performance programs operating at the national, regional, and state level. Information from program literature, evaluation reports, and interviews with program managers is used to summarize the programs, review impacts, explore what’s working and what challenges have been encountered, and offer recommendations to improve the use and effectiveness of these programs.