Assessment of Cincinnati Incentive Programs: Building Reuse and Electrification

Abstract

Record ID: 256

Award(s): Excellence in Research Communication

Program Affiliation: Capstone

Presentation Type: Podium

Abstract: In previous years, government sponsored programs offered incentives via paybacks to utility providers for undertaking energy efficiency projects in Ohio. However a  gap has formed in the wake of Ohio House Bill 6 (HB6). Passed in July 2019, HB6 blunts Ohio's Renewable Portfolio Standards and eliminates state sponsored funding for utility energy efficiency programs. This has created a landscape of conflicting interests between those who benefit and those who pay. With no consolidated source of funding, stakeholders including local government and corporate entities have begun to investigate alternative modes of financing sustainable development within the built environment of Cincinnati. Federal Grant opportunities and tax incentives from recent legislation such as the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act add urgency in the search for local policy solutions. This study hopes to shed light on two surmounting areas of interest within the City of Cincinnati; Green Banks and expedited permitting. The evaluation of these two focus areas will entail a feasibility assessment of potential incentives, locating key barriers in implementation, and data collection from participating government offices. The goal of this study is to support the City of Cincinnati's Buildings and Energy departments in the creation of incentive programs for building retrofit and electrification. Successful program implementation may stimulate local economic growth and aid the City of Cincinnati's mission of decarbonization through the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan.