Ann Arbor DDA provides energy audits, improvement grants

Wednesday, November 17, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Downtown Ann Arbor businesses considering energy-efficient improvements have until the end of the month to apply for a Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority program that pays them back.

The program gives grants for energy savings, giving free audits and then rebating half of the money back, up to $20,000, for improvements that the businesses make as a result of that, explains David Konkle, the DDA's energy program director -- who also goes by Lord of Energy or Energy Czar, depending on the audience. It's a DDA program that addresses how businesses can be healthier and run with less money, he explains.

"This is part of doing business," he says. "It's expensive to own a small store. There are plenty of businesses that have gotten money to reduce their energy costs."

The list of participating businesses, and their buildings, is pretty varied - Ann Arbor Brewing Company, First United Methodist Church, the First National building, The Real Seafood Company, and many of the small shops along Main. First, a technical energy analysis is done, which results in a 20-30 page report about every aspect of the business’ energy use. "They just have a whole new vision of how their business operates energy-wise," Konkle says.

Then, they're shown opportunities for saving money, ranging from new light bulbs to front window replacements, many of which are old, single-pane glass. Oftentimes that makes for a more comfortable environment for the customer, too, he says.

Most have taken on lighting projects, but the Methodist Church, for example, made improvements to an old steam boiler, which often prove too difficult to get rid of completely. In one case, MAVDevelopment, in its building at Main and William, invested in solar and geothermal energy.

Konkle says he hopes that when businesses receive an energy report, they start to think about the projects they could do. So far, the DDA has provided for 75 audits of 1 million square feet of building space, and so far $264,000 has been spent by businesses, with the DDA rebating $126,000. The investments work out to $49,370 in annual energy savings -- which, including the DDA rebates, works out to a payback in less than three years.

Ben Curtis, a downtown property manager, says he's taken advantage of the program for insulation, lighting, windows, and front doors. "It makes it easier to convince property owners that we should go ahead and do this project, especially since it's 50 percent off, basically," he says.

Konkle says Ann Arbor's program is the best conservation program for commercial businesses in the country. "I don't think you can go anywhere in the United States and get a better deal than what's available now in Ann Arbor," he says.

Businesses can find the application form at the DDA's website.

Source: David Konkle, DDA energy program director and Ben Curtis, downtown property manager
Writer: Kristin Lukowski