Living Cities believes that the emerging green economy can and must generate opportunities for low-income people and communities, from lower energy costs to healthier communities. We are working with city governments, nonprofits and businesses to scale up building energy retrofit systems and expand expertise and capacity in the field and, in the long run, to accelerate the growth of the green economy in order to expand economic opportunities for low-income people.

To advance our priorities, we are pursuing the following strategies:

• Grants to help cities and nonprofits implement innovative programs
• Low-interest loans to prove out scalable financing models
• Policy development to enable cities, states and the federal government to achieve more catalytic impact with their resources

Current Investments and Initiatives

Building Energy Efficiency Retrofit Systems

Building energy efficiency is one of the most promising and cost-effective climate change solutions available to cities, reducing fossil fuel consumption and generating energy cost savings while stimulating economic activity. In addition, energy efficiency has the potential to preserve affordable housing by cutting the $6.8 billion the federal government spends on utility bills for these properties. Recognizing that retrofits can drive economic recovery as well as economic opportunity, Living Cities has been working with local partners to create energy efficiency retrofit systems at scale by designating a central organizing entity, establishing sustainable funding mechanisms, strengthening workforce development, and implementing policies to drive demand. To read more about our current investments in building retrofit systems, click here.

Loans for Retrofit Financing

The Living Cities Catalyst Fund provides below-market rate loans and guarantees to finance innovative efforts to retrofit homes, businesses and community facilities and achieve greater energy efficiency while also creating jobs and cutting energy costs for low-income families. To read more about these loans, please visit the Catalyst Fund Investments section.

Catalytic Convening on Energy Efficiency

In collaboration with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the MacArthur Foundation, Living Cities convened over 100 leaders from federal agencies, cities, philanthropy, and the private sector (lenders, utilities, building owners, and investors) to discuss how to advance the energy efficiency industry. Specifically, the goal of the meeting was to lay the groundwork for overcoming barriers to advancing energy efficiency retrofit work in multifamily and commercial building markets, with a particular focus on overcoming data and financing barriers to spur investment. This convening helped forge ongoing partnerships that are helping advance the work of Living Cities and its partners.

Past Investments and Initiatives

Green Workforce

In January 2009, Living Cities issued a request for proposals for workforce initiatives employing a demand-driven, sector-based strategy to prepare workers and jobseekers for employment in clean energy industries, specifically energy efficiency, retrofitting, renewable energy and/or green building. The aim of the funding was to help low-skilled jobseekers or incumbent workers enter into career paths and good jobs and customize workforce solutions for employers in clean energy industries within the regional labor market.

Green Boot Camp

In June of 2009, Living Cities convened 16 teams of city and state officials for two days of intensive peer learning at Harvard. The boot camp, organized in response to an unprecedented investment in energy efficiency through the Recovery Act, was designed to lay the foundation for cities to scale their work and spark a focus on economic development and social goals at the earliest stages of development. For more information, please visit greenbootcamp.livingcities.org.