Rebuild America is a network of community

partnerships – made up of local governments

and businesses – that save money by saving

energy. These voluntary partnerships, working

with the U.S. Department of Energy, choose the

best ways to improve the energy efficiency of

commercial, government and apartment

buildings. Rebuild America supports them

with business and technical tools and 

customized assistance.

By the year 2003, 250 Rebuild America 

partnerships will be involved in over 

2 billion square feet of building renovations,

which will save $650 million every year in

energy costs, generate $3 billion in private

community investment, create 26,000 new

private sector jobs, and reduce air pollution by

1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Rebuild America 

Office of Building Technology,

State and Community Programs

U.S.Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue,SW

Washington,DC 20585-0121

Address Correction Requested

Rebuild America Welcomes 7 New Partnerships

City of Fulton, IL

City of Garden City, Garden City, ID

City of Reno Fire Department, Reno, NV

Gem County Community Partnership, Emmett, ID

Nevada Air National Guard, Reno, NV

Washington D.C. Housing Authority, District of Columbia

Western Nevada Community College, NV

Share Your Success

To submit news or story ideas, contact: 

• Elise G. Rand, (202) 466-7391, or e-mail 

erand@pcgpr.com

• Alex Zartman, (301) 588-9387, or e-mail 

alexz@drintl.com

Learn More

Rebuild America is part of DOE’s Buildings for the 21st

Century. If you would like information about Rebuild

America or the other energy efficiency and renewable

energy programs and resources, call 1-800-DOE-EREC or

visit www.eren.doe.gov.

To be placed on the mailing list for Rebuild America

Partner Update, e-mail rebuildamerica@drintl.com.

Rebuild America Business Partners

Summit. December 2, 1999 at Pacific

Gas & Electric’s Pacific Energy Center,

San Francisco, CA 94103. Phone: 

415-973-7268. Contact Business 

Partners Team Leader Doug Avery at

310-798-6927.

1999 Annual Congress of Cities,

National League of Cities. November

29-December 4, 1999 in Los Angeles.

Call 202-626-3105 for more information.

Chicago Regional Team Meeting.

December 15-16, 1999 in Chicago.

Contact Geri Perrotte at 312-886-8597 

or email: geri/perrotte@hq.doe.gov 

Announcement and Celebration of

Rebuild America’s 250th Partnership,

TBA. Contact Mark Bailey (DOE HQ) at

202-586-9424 or Rebecca Penovich

(D&R) at 301-588-9387.

Denver Regional Peer Exchange.

January, 26-27, 2000 in Denver, CO.

Contact Denver Regional Team Leader

Dave Waltzman at 303-275-4821.

Upcoming Events
U.S. Department of Energy

View from DC

By Mark Bailey

With the year 2000 just a few short weeks

away, it’s a good time to take stock of where

Rebuild America has been and where we’re

going. The program has made great strides

since its inception five years ago and is

positioned to make a greater impact during the

next five years. Here are a few of the

highlights: 

■ The schools component of Rebuild

America is steadily evolving and Rebuild

America is currently working with an

estimated 200 school districts to help

make schools more energy efficient. 

■ The program has made significant

progress at the local and state levels:

Approximately 40 percent of partnerships

are led by municipalities and 17 percent

are headed by state governments.

■ More than 30 Rebuild America

partnerships are active in efforts to

revitalize public and assisted housing.

■ Nearly 40 Rebuild America partnerships

are working to improve energy efficiency

on university and college campuses across

the country. (See higher education Market

Sector column in this issue.)

■ Rebuild America is reaching out to partner

with the Environmental Protection Agency,

Health and Human Services, the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, the National Historic Trust

and others to work with programs and

initiatives such as ENERGY STAR®, Million

Solar Roofs, Clean Cities, Head Start, and

Main Street. 

■ Those who access Rebuild America

services also open the door to other DOE

services designed to enhance community

participation in energy-saving initiatives.

■ Many partnerships have expanded their

community improvement efforts into other

areas including renewable energy, efficient

Working with the New York Power

Authority (NYPA), the Kingston School

District (NY) partnership has put

together a $6.9 million energy saving

program to upgrade lighting, heating and

other systems throughout its schools.

Because the project will be designed,

constructed and financed through the

NYPA's Energy Services Program -- up

and running for the past year --

taxpayers will bear no upfront costs.

"They say you can't get something for

nothing, but with the cost of energy

savings these days, and the new, energyefficient equipment available, it all works

out,” says Philip J. Sinagra, Kingston

School District assistant to the

superintendent for business. Sinagra says NYPA stands behind the

program as part of its mandate to lower government and institutional

energy use throughout New York State.

The retrofits will transform the school district into a state-of-the-art

model of energy efficiency, according to NYPA Senior Vice President

Robert L. Tscherne. 

The school district obtained funding for this project from several

sources including a $1 million grant from the Petroleum Overcharge

Restitution Fund that State Senator William Larkin’s office and the

NYPA helped secure. The district procured another $50,000 grant

through the New York State Energy Research and Development

Authority. The New York State Education Department aid will pay for

approximately 57 percent of the project costs. The remainder will be

paid with energy savings generated by the new equipment over a 10-

year period. District Energy Manager Bob Cunningham estimates that

the school district will save approximately $325,000 in energy costs.

As part of NYPA's plan -- which will take about 18 months to

complete -- lighting throughout the entire district will be upgraded to a

higher quality light that lasts longer and is far cheaper to operate than

the 96-watt fluorescent fixtures currently in use. State-of-the-art "pulse"

boilers will replace four heating plants and the remaining heating

equipment will be refurbished. Computerized energy management

systems will be installed at all schools and windows will be replaced at

three schools.

Kingston will be fulfilling Rebuild America's mission to help

Kingston Schools Poised

For Improvements

2 Continued on page 11 Continued on page 11

Building engineer works on 

an energy-efficient boiler at

Chambers Elementary School 

in Ulster, NY.

Photo: Bob Haines
U.S. Department of Energy

View from DC

By Mark Bailey

With the year 2000 just a few short weeks

away, it’s a good time to take stock of where

Rebuild America has been and where we’re

going. The program has made great strides

since its inception five years ago and is

positioned to make a greater impact during the

next five years. Here are a few of the

highlights: 

■ The schools component of Rebuild

America is steadily evolving and Rebuild

America is currently working with an

estimated 200 school districts to help

make schools more energy efficient. 

■ The program has made significant

progress at the local and state levels:

Approximately 40 percent of partnerships

are led by municipalities and 17 percent

are headed by state governments.

■ More than 30 Rebuild America

partnerships are active in efforts to

revitalize public and assisted housing.

■ Nearly 40 Rebuild America partnerships

are working to improve energy efficiency

on university and college campuses across

the country. (See higher education Market

Sector column in this issue.)

■ Rebuild America is reaching out to partner

with the Environmental Protection Agency,

Health and Human Services, the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, the National Historic Trust

and others to work with programs and

initiatives such as ENERGY STAR®, Million

Solar Roofs, Clean Cities, Head Start, and

Main Street. 

■ Those who access Rebuild America

services also open the door to other DOE

services designed to enhance community

participation in energy-saving initiatives.

■ Many partnerships have expanded their

community improvement efforts into other

areas including renewable energy, efficient

Working with the New York Power

Authority (NYPA), the Kingston School

District (NY) partnership has put

together a $6.9 million energy saving

program to upgrade lighting, heating and

other systems throughout its schools.

Because the project will be designed,

constructed and financed through the

NYPA's Energy Services Program -- up

and running for the past year --

taxpayers will bear no upfront costs.

"They say you can't get something for

nothing, but with the cost of energy

savings these days, and the new, energyefficient equipment available, it all works

out,” says Philip J. Sinagra, Kingston

School District assistant to the

superintendent for business. Sinagra says NYPA stands behind the

program as part of its mandate to lower government and institutional

energy use throughout New York State.

The retrofits will transform the school district into a state-of-the-art

model of energy efficiency, according to NYPA Senior Vice President

Robert L. Tscherne. 

The school district obtained funding for this project from several

sources including a $1 million grant from the Petroleum Overcharge

Restitution Fund that State Senator William Larkin’s office and the

NYPA helped secure. The district procured another $50,000 grant

through the New York State Energy Research and Development

Authority. The New York State Education Department aid will pay for

approximately 57 percent of the project costs. The remainder will be

paid with energy savings generated by the new equipment over a 10-

year period. District Energy Manager Bob Cunningham estimates that

the school district will save approximately $325,000 in energy costs.

As part of NYPA's plan -- which will take about 18 months to

complete -- lighting throughout the entire district will be upgraded to a

higher quality light that lasts longer and is far cheaper to operate than

the 96-watt fluorescent fixtures currently in use. State-of-the-art "pulse"

boilers will replace four heating plants and the remaining heating

equipment will be refurbished. Computerized energy management

systems will be installed at all schools and windows will be replaced at

three schools.

Kingston will be fulfilling Rebuild America's mission to help

Kingston Schools Poised

For Improvements

2 Continued on page 11 Continued on page 11

Building engineer works on 

an energy-efficient boiler at

Chambers Elementary School 

in Ulster, NY.

Photo: Bob Haines
U.S. Department of Energy 

by Mike MacDonald 

Higher education institutions are an

important part of communities and of the

population of buildings in the

commercial sector. Close to 40 Rebuild

America partnerships include some type

of focus on college and university

buildings, and some partnerships are led

by universities. (See previous articles in

Partner Update: University of Las Vegas,

NV (Jul-Aug ’98); Rebuild Duke University

Facilities (Nov-Dec ’98; Aug-Sept ’99);

and University of Maryland, Baltimore

and University of Utah (Mar-Apr ’99). 

The total energy bill for higher

education is approximately $6.5 billion

per year for 4 billion square feet of floor

area, and because of institutional

disincentives limiting energy efficiency

improvements, savings potential is also

high, over $1 billion and possibly as high

as $2 billion per year. The major

disincentive for publicly owned

institutions centers on budget and

accounting practices that “take back” any

savings realized by putting them in a

general fund, or that reduce the budget

for the next year. This practice does not

allow projects to "pay back” and anyone

who takes steps to save money, will lose

that money in the next budget cycle. 

Two key criteria affect the ability of

colleges and universities to pursue facility

improvements: small vs. large and public

vs. private. The size of an institution

affects its decision-making ability and the

scope of its internal resources. Those

that are small will have fewer internal

resources but may be able to act more

quickly, while larger institutions will have

more internal resources but

may require more time to

decide to do something new.

Public institutions typically have many

existing budget, accounting, capital

improvement, and other processes that

inhibit energy-efficiency options. Private

institutions, on the other hand, usually

have more flexibility to change processes

quickly if needed to foster efficiency

improvements.

Statistics and Conditions

A few statistics provide some insight

into the potential impact that wide-scale

energy-efficiency improvements could

have on energy consumption in the

higher education sector.

■ The nation has approximately 4,000

higher education institutions.

■ This sector serves a student

population of between 15 and 20

million and employs over 2 million

people, including some 900,000

faculty members. 

■ Higher education facilities account

for an estimated 4 billion square feet

located in 300,000 buildings.

■ Eighty percent of this space was built

before 1980 and the median age of

facilities is 28 years. 

■ The value of the facilities portfolio is

$500 billion.

Because of funding practices that favor

new construction over maintaining

existing facilities, many campus buildings

are deteriorating. This situation is typical

for most institutions, whether public or

private, large or small. Concern about

rectifying this situation has attracted

significant attention from many quarters,

including the Association of Higher

Education Facilities Officers (APPA),

which is a Strategic Partner of Rebuild

America (www.appa.org). APPA, in

concert with the National Association of

College and University Business Officers

(NACUBO) and Sallie Mae, have

published a study on the condition of

higher education facilities. (A Foundation

to Uphold, APPA, 1996).

Strategic Alliance with APPA

The strategic alliance with APPA is

aimed at improving the quality of

facilities while at the same time

increasing energy efficiency. NACUBO,

EPA, and Electric Power Research

Institute are also participating. Energy

efficiency is typically not as big a

motivator in this sector as is the need for

facilities improvements. A change in the

present system that would allow energy

savings to pay for critical facility

improvements would be a big step in the

right direction. 

Rebuild America and APPA are

working together to promote positive

changes. The current, major focus of this

alliance is on state-by-state briefings

Can Campus Buildings Make the Grade?

Market Sector

4

Continued on page 9 

The Duke

University

Chapel is

part of a

campus-wide

program to

energy

retrofit 3.2

million

square feet.
U.S. Department of Energy 

by Mike MacDonald 

Higher education institutions are an

important part of communities and of the

population of buildings in the

commercial sector. Close to 40 Rebuild

America partnerships include some type

of focus on college and university

buildings, and some partnerships are led

by universities. (See previous articles in

Partner Update: University of Las Vegas,

NV (Jul-Aug ’98); Rebuild Duke University

Facilities (Nov-Dec ’98; Aug-Sept ’99);

and University of Maryland, Baltimore

and University of Utah (Mar-Apr ’99). 

The total energy bill for higher

education is approximately $6.5 billion

per year for 4 billion square feet of floor

area, and because of institutional

disincentives limiting energy efficiency

improvements, savings potential is also

high, over $1 billion and possibly as high

as $2 billion per year. The major

disincentive for publicly owned

institutions centers on budget and

accounting practices that “take back” any

savings realized by putting them in a

general fund, or that reduce the budget

for the next year. This practice does not

allow projects to "pay back” and anyone

who takes steps to save money, will lose

that money in the next budget cycle. 

Two key criteria affect the ability of

colleges and universities to pursue facility

improvements: small vs. large and public

vs. private. The size of an institution

affects its decision-making ability and the

scope of its internal resources. Those

that are small will have fewer internal

resources but may be able to act more

quickly, while larger institutions will have

more internal resources but

may require more time to

decide to do something new.

Public institutions typically have many

existing budget, accounting, capital

improvement, and other processes that

inhibit energy-efficiency options. Private

institutions, on the other hand, usually

have more flexibility to change processes

quickly if needed to foster efficiency

improvements.

Statistics and Conditions

A few statistics provide some insight

into the potential impact that wide-scale

energy-efficiency improvements could

have on energy consumption in the

higher education sector.

■ The nation has approximately 4,000

higher education institutions.

■ This sector serves a student

population of between 15 and 20

million and employs over 2 million

people, including some 900,000

faculty members. 

■ Higher education facilities account

for an estimated 4 billion square feet

located in 300,000 buildings.

■ Eighty percent of this space was built

before 1980 and the median age of

facilities is 28 years. 

■ The value of the facilities portfolio is

$500 billion.

Because of funding practices that favor

new construction over maintaining

existing facilities, many campus buildings

are deteriorating. This situation is typical

for most institutions, whether public or

private, large or small. Concern about

rectifying this situation has attracted

significant attention from many quarters,

including the Association of Higher

Education Facilities Officers (APPA),

which is a Strategic Partner of Rebuild

America (www.appa.org). APPA, in

concert with the National Association of

College and University Business Officers

(NACUBO) and Sallie Mae, have

published a study on the condition of

higher education facilities. (A Foundation

to Uphold, APPA, 1996).

Strategic Alliance with APPA

The strategic alliance with APPA is

aimed at improving the quality of

facilities while at the same time

increasing energy efficiency. NACUBO,

EPA, and Electric Power Research

Institute are also participating. Energy

efficiency is typically not as big a

motivator in this sector as is the need for

facilities improvements. A change in the

present system that would allow energy

savings to pay for critical facility

improvements would be a big step in the

right direction. 

Rebuild America and APPA are

working together to promote positive

changes. The current, major focus of this

alliance is on state-by-state briefings

Can Campus Buildings Make the Grade?

Market Sector

4

Continued on page 9 

The Duke

University

Chapel is

part of a

campus-wide

program to

energy

retrofit 3.2

million

square feet.
U.S. Department of Energy 

Rebuild America in NY Finds Partner in 

ENERGY STAR® 

The New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

is tapping Rebuild America and ENERGY

STAR® in an effort to improve energy

efficiency throughout the state under a

new initiative, Rebuild New York’s

Communities. This coordinated effort

will champion the ENERGY STAR® label as

a simple way for consumers to identify

energy-efficient products and services.

The initial effort is focusing on the cities

of Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse,

Binghamton, Poughkeepsie and

surrounding areas. Each of the

participating regions, which collectively

represent 36 percent of the state’s

population, are joining Rebuild America

and developing action plans.

Rebuild New York’s Communities will

serve as an umbrella for NYSERDA

initiatives designed to raise local

awareness of energy issues and to

stimulate demand for energy efficiency at

the community level. Rebuild Niagara

Frontier, which encompasses the eight

western-most counties of the State,

including Erie County and the City of

Buffalo, is the first of New York’s

Communities to embrace the Rebuild

America program. The effort has

generated widespread support from city

and county officials such as Buffalo

Mayor Anthony M. Masiello who views

the Rebuild America partnership as an

opportunity to “meet a most critical need

-- reducing high energy costs in order to

stabilize our neighborhoods, create jobs,

stimulate economic growth and protect

the environment in the City of Buffalo.”

The ENERGY STAR® Public

Awareness Campaign and

market transformation

program are leading a highprofile launch of the

Rebuild New York’s

Communities effort in each

region. Gov. George E.

Pataki has recorded radio

and television public

service announcements to

promote the program. The

ENERGY STAR® campaign is

up and running in Buffalo

and Albany, and is

scheduled to begin in

Syracuse and Binghamton

this fall. 

This $12 million statewide effort

promotes consumer recognition,

understanding and demand for the

ENERGY STAR® label, and assures the

availability of these products to

consumers. Numerous retailers have

signed up to be ENERGY STAR® partners

and will participate in special events and

promotions surrounding the project. In

addition, NYSERDA will use its

considerable expertise in the residential

sector to link the ENERGY STAR® Homes

label with their upcoming Residential

New Construction Program in an effort to

broaden the scope of Rebuild America

efforts in New York.

The Rebuild America and ENERGY

STAR® programs are helping NYSERDA

by working with local communities,

businesses, and institutions statewide to

implement sustainable technologies and

programs based on energy efficiency and

renewable energy. 

NYSERDA reports that the initial

response to Rebuild New York’s

Communities has been highly favorable

and that individuals and groups outside

the targeted regions have expressed

interest in participating. This bodes well

for Rebuild America efforts to make an

impact in New York State. 

For more information, contact

Margaret Neville of NYSERDA at

man@mailgate.nyserda.org or phone 

518-862-1090 (ext. 3368).

The first phase of the City of

Bridgeport’s retrofit plan targets seven

buildings comprising 400,000 square

feet. A successful lighting project in

the 52,000 square-foot Health &

Welfare Building has been completed.

The City has also achieved significant

savings with the installation of LED

traffic signals. 

Bridgeport Efficiency

Continued from page 3

6

Niagara 

Frontier Southern Tier

Capital/

Saratoga

Catskill/

Mid-Hudson

Central

Leather-

stocking

Rebuild

New York’s

Communities
U.S. Department of Energy 

Rebuild America in NY Finds Partner in 

ENERGY STAR® 

The New York State Energy Research

and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

is tapping Rebuild America and ENERGY

STAR® in an effort to improve energy

efficiency throughout the state under a

new initiative, Rebuild New York’s

Communities. This coordinated effort

will champion the ENERGY STAR® label as

a simple way for consumers to identify

energy-efficient products and services.

The initial effort is focusing on the cities

of Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse,

Binghamton, Poughkeepsie and

surrounding areas. Each of the

participating regions, which collectively

represent 36 percent of the state’s

population, are joining Rebuild America

and developing action plans.

Rebuild New York’s Communities will

serve as an umbrella for NYSERDA

initiatives designed to raise local

awareness of energy issues and to

stimulate demand for energy efficiency at

the community level. Rebuild Niagara

Frontier, which encompasses the eight

western-most counties of the State,

including Erie County and the City of

Buffalo, is the first of New York’s

Communities to embrace the Rebuild

America program. The effort has

generated widespread support from city

and county officials such as Buffalo

Mayor Anthony M. Masiello who views

the Rebuild America partnership as an

opportunity to “meet a most critical need

-- reducing high energy costs in order to

stabilize our neighborhoods, create jobs,

stimulate economic growth and protect

the environment in the City of Buffalo.”

The ENERGY STAR® Public

Awareness Campaign and

market transformation

program are leading a highprofile launch of the

Rebuild New York’s

Communities effort in each

region. Gov. George E.

Pataki has recorded radio

and television public

service announcements to

promote the program. The

ENERGY STAR® campaign is

up and running in Buffalo

and Albany, and is

scheduled to begin in

Syracuse and Binghamton

this fall. 

This $12 million statewide effort

promotes consumer recognition,

understanding and demand for the

ENERGY STAR® label, and assures the

availability of these products to

consumers. Numerous retailers have

signed up to be ENERGY STAR® partners

and will participate in special events and

promotions surrounding the project. In

addition, NYSERDA will use its

considerable expertise in the residential

sector to link the ENERGY STAR® Homes

label with their upcoming Residential

New Construction Program in an effort to

broaden the scope of Rebuild America

efforts in New York.

The Rebuild America and ENERGY

STAR® programs are helping NYSERDA

by working with local communities,

businesses, and institutions statewide to

implement sustainable technologies and

programs based on energy efficiency and

renewable energy. 

NYSERDA reports that the initial

response to Rebuild New York’s

Communities has been highly favorable

and that individuals and groups outside

the targeted regions have expressed

interest in participating. This bodes well

for Rebuild America efforts to make an

impact in New York State. 

For more information, contact

Margaret Neville of NYSERDA at

man@mailgate.nyserda.org or phone 

518-862-1090 (ext. 3368).

The first phase of the City of

Bridgeport’s retrofit plan targets seven

buildings comprising 400,000 square

feet. A successful lighting project in

the 52,000 square-foot Health &

Welfare Building has been completed.

The City has also achieved significant

savings with the installation of LED

traffic signals. 

Bridgeport Efficiency

Continued from page 3

6

Niagara 

Frontier Southern Tier

Capital/

Saratoga

Catskill/

Mid-Hudson

Central

Leather-

stocking

Rebuild

New York’s

Communities
U.S. Department of Energy 

Snapshot

Greg Davoren

opens doors

and windows

for partnerships

throughout the

Northeast.

Vital statistics:

Lives in Boston, MA. Attended Clark

University in Worcester, MA for his

undergraduate and graduate degrees in

Environmental Management and Policy.

Current role with Rebuild America:

Rebuild America Team Leader for the

Boston Regional Office which serves New

England and New York State.

Most rewarding aspect of your work:

Meeting the people who are working and

living in buildings that have been

positively affected by Rebuild America. A

great example of this is the Morville

House, a seniors housing development in

Boston where a comprehensive retrofit

helped improve the quality of life for

residents. Improvements included

replacing old, deteriorating windows with

new ones. One resident was ecstatic

with the renovations because she was

finally able to open up the windows and

enjoy fresh air. 

How you became involved with

Rebuild America:

I started working on Rebuild America six

months after the program was formed.

There were only four partnerships in the

region at that time -- we now have 44

and are growing quickly.

Critical issues communities face:

Communities recognize they have serious

building infrastructure needs due to the

age of many inner city buildings. Rebuild

America identifies solutions to improve

the quality of these buildings and

communities. This, in turn, helps create

community vision which is vital to the

revitalization of inner cities.

Your greatest challenge:

Being everywhere at once. To work

within limits and still have enough “one

on one time” with all the Rebuild

America partnerships.

The last play you enjoyed:

At the Scullers Jazz Club in Boston I saw

Eartha Kitt’s “One Woman Show.” She’s

an incredible woman who overcame

many obstacles in her life and is still

going strong.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t

working at DOE:

My hobby is art history. I would

probably be an art historian, working as a

curator at a museum, focusing on Dutch

and Flemish art. 

Where you’d live, if you could pick

any place in the world: 

Florence, Italy. It’s incredible -- a

beautiful country and wonderful people.

Rebuild America Briefs

8

Philadelphia honored for energy prowess...The Philadelphia

Regional Office presented the 1999 Rebuild America Energy

Excellence Award in Community and Local Government to the

Philadelphia Energy Office on October 29. Rebuild

Philadelphia also used the occasion to honor those who

contributed to the success of the city’s first Rebuild America

project, the Northeast Regional Library. Participants included

David Leiter and Brian Castelli of DOE headquarters, Tony

Pontello, Philadelphia Regional Office acting director, and

Michelle Knapik, partnership leader representing the City. 

Broadcasting success...Vicki Heidinger, leader of Rebuild

Asheville, NC, Ron Shelton, Rebuild America sector manager,

and Larry Schoff, Rebuild America K-12 schools sector

manager, presented a 3-hour session on energy-efficient design

and renovation applicable to Head Start facilities at the National

Head Start Facilities Conference in Nashville, TN, September 27-

29. The conference was broadcast by satellite and downlinked

to 40 states. Heidinger also participated in a 90-session about

the Asheville Head Start program and its successful conversion

of a 1950's school building into a state-of-the-art facility. 

Continued on page 9
U.S. Department of Energy 

Snapshot

Greg Davoren

opens doors

and windows

for partnerships

throughout the

Northeast.

Vital statistics:

Lives in Boston, MA. Attended Clark

University in Worcester, MA for his

undergraduate and graduate degrees in

Environmental Management and Policy.

Current role with Rebuild America:

Rebuild America Team Leader for the

Boston Regional Office which serves New

England and New York State.

Most rewarding aspect of your work:

Meeting the people who are working and

living in buildings that have been

positively affected by Rebuild America. A

great example of this is the Morville

House, a seniors housing development in

Boston where a comprehensive retrofit

helped improve the quality of life for

residents. Improvements included

replacing old, deteriorating windows with

new ones. One resident was ecstatic

with the renovations because she was

finally able to open up the windows and

enjoy fresh air. 

How you became involved with

Rebuild America:

I started working on Rebuild America six

months after the program was formed.

There were only four partnerships in the

region at that time -- we now have 44

and are growing quickly.

Critical issues communities face:

Communities recognize they have serious

building infrastructure needs due to the

age of many inner city buildings. Rebuild

America identifies solutions to improve

the quality of these buildings and

communities. This, in turn, helps create

community vision which is vital to the

revitalization of inner cities.

Your greatest challenge:

Being everywhere at once. To work

within limits and still have enough “one

on one time” with all the Rebuild

America partnerships.

The last play you enjoyed:

At the Scullers Jazz Club in Boston I saw

Eartha Kitt’s “One Woman Show.” She’s

an incredible woman who overcame

many obstacles in her life and is still

going strong.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t

working at DOE:

My hobby is art history. I would

probably be an art historian, working as a

curator at a museum, focusing on Dutch

and Flemish art. 

Where you’d live, if you could pick

any place in the world: 

Florence, Italy. It’s incredible -- a

beautiful country and wonderful people.

Rebuild America Briefs

8

Philadelphia honored for energy prowess...The Philadelphia

Regional Office presented the 1999 Rebuild America Energy

Excellence Award in Community and Local Government to the

Philadelphia Energy Office on October 29. Rebuild

Philadelphia also used the occasion to honor those who

contributed to the success of the city’s first Rebuild America

project, the Northeast Regional Library. Participants included

David Leiter and Brian Castelli of DOE headquarters, Tony

Pontello, Philadelphia Regional Office acting director, and

Michelle Knapik, partnership leader representing the City. 

Broadcasting success...Vicki Heidinger, leader of Rebuild

Asheville, NC, Ron Shelton, Rebuild America sector manager,

and Larry Schoff, Rebuild America K-12 schools sector

manager, presented a 3-hour session on energy-efficient design

and renovation applicable to Head Start facilities at the National

Head Start Facilities Conference in Nashville, TN, September 27-

29. The conference was broadcast by satellite and downlinked

to 40 states. Heidinger also participated in a 90-session about

the Asheville Head Start program and its successful conversion

of a 1950's school building into a state-of-the-art facility. 

Continued on page 9
U.S. Department of Energy 

other programs.

The Small Scale Energy Loan Program provides loans to

individuals, for-profit and non-profit businesses, government

entities including schools, and tribes for qualified energyefficiency projects. This unique program is totally self-supporting.

The Office of Energy reviews each loan application and

approves qualified applicants. 

The Oregon Office of Energy issues general obligations bonds

to create funding for its self-supporting Small Scale Energy Loan

Program. Loans may finance conservation, renewable energy

resources, recycling, and transportation efficiency projects. Since

1981, the program has awarded more than 490 loans for a total

of $276 million. Cumulatively, energy loan projects save enough

energy to heat more than 110,000 homes per year. For more

information, contact Dave Stevens at 503-378-3493 or email

david.p.stevens@state.or.us.

The Business Energy Tax Credit Program, created in 1980, has

supported projects implemented by 264 agricultural firms, 186

food products businesses, 83 lumber companies, 215

manufacturing plants, 555 grocery stores, 119 restaurants, 86

banks, 1,351 rental properties (36,600 units), and 199 service

industry businesses. The program allows a 35 percent tax credit

of eligible project costs over a 5-year-period. It encourages

investment in energy conservation, recycling, renewable energy

resources, and less-polluting transportation fuels. To qualify, a

business must receive approval from the Office of Energy before

starting the project. The administration of the program is selfsupporting. For more information, contact Evan Elias at 503-378-

6044 or via e-mail at: evan.s.elias@state.or.us.

In California, the State Assistance Fund Enterprise, Business,

and Industrial Development Corporation (SAFE-BIDCO), an

independent state-owned nonprofit organization, provides 5

percent energy improvement loans for small businesses and

nonprofits (Sept-Oct ’99 Partner Update). Applicants may apply

for a maximum of $250,000 or 10 times the amount of annual

savings, which ever is less, up to a project’s net cost. Loans can

be used to finance any project that conserves energy by 15

percent, produces energy for on-site usage, or manages load.

Loans are funded upon project completion, which can take

several months. Through November 1998, SAFE-BIDCO made

214 loans for a total of $6.9 million. For more information,

contact Paul Cormier at 707-577-8221.

10

Partnerships Help Owners

Continued from page 5

SOLUTIONS 

Q – How can partnerships evaluate the final energy

saving performance contract (ESPC) proposal from an

energy service company (ESCO)?

A – Rebuild America’s technical experts can review

proposals, also called audits, to evaluate accuracy and

thoroughness. However, any reviewer must have the

ESCO’s basis, assumptions and methods of calculations

they used to estimate energy savings and project cost. 

The best way to ensure that this information is

included is to require it in Request for Proposal (RFP) or

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) documents.

Partnerships can download samples from the Rebuild

America IMS, accessible via

www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/rebuild. A list of

“proposal content requirements” used in Federal ESPC

projects is also available from EREC.

The Tennessee Small Business Development Center at

the University of Memphis developed an RFQ that was

used by Rebuild Shelby in North Carolina and several

school districts. This RFQ requires bidders to detail

information including:

■ Extensive baseline information including methods

for developing an energy consumption baseline and

for adjusting the baseline as equipment is added,

and specifics on current energy consumption, both

total cost and cost per-square-foot.

■ The financing instrument typically used, including

type, term, frequency of payments, interest rate, and

methods of risk minimization.

■ A project cost summary for the whole project with

detail on necessary engineering studies, system and

equipment upgrades, training, and maintenance

services.

■ Guaranteed energy savings including a description

of operational savings, the rationale for each item,

and an explanation of how the savings are

guaranteed.

For more information on evaluating draft ESPC

documents or ESCO proposals, contact EREC at 

1-800-DOE-EREC.
U.S. Department of Energy 

other programs.

The Small Scale Energy Loan Program provides loans to

individuals, for-profit and non-profit businesses, government

entities including schools, and tribes for qualified energyefficiency projects. This unique program is totally self-supporting.

The Office of Energy reviews each loan application and

approves qualified applicants. 

The Oregon Office of Energy issues general obligations bonds

to create funding for its self-supporting Small Scale Energy Loan

Program. Loans may finance conservation, renewable energy

resources, recycling, and transportation efficiency projects. Since

1981, the program has awarded more than 490 loans for a total

of $276 million. Cumulatively, energy loan projects save enough

energy to heat more than 110,000 homes per year. For more

information, contact Dave Stevens at 503-378-3493 or email

david.p.stevens@state.or.us.

The Business Energy Tax Credit Program, created in 1980, has

supported projects implemented by 264 agricultural firms, 186

food products businesses, 83 lumber companies, 215

manufacturing plants, 555 grocery stores, 119 restaurants, 86

banks, 1,351 rental properties (36,600 units), and 199 service

industry businesses. The program allows a 35 percent tax credit

of eligible project costs over a 5-year-period. It encourages

investment in energy conservation, recycling, renewable energy

resources, and less-polluting transportation fuels. To qualify, a

business must receive approval from the Office of Energy before

starting the project. The administration of the program is selfsupporting. For more information, contact Evan Elias at 503-378-

6044 or via e-mail at: evan.s.elias@state.or.us.

In California, the State Assistance Fund Enterprise, Business,

and Industrial Development Corporation (SAFE-BIDCO), an

independent state-owned nonprofit organization, provides 5

percent energy improvement loans for small businesses and

nonprofits (Sept-Oct ’99 Partner Update). Applicants may apply

for a maximum of $250,000 or 10 times the amount of annual

savings, which ever is less, up to a project’s net cost. Loans can

be used to finance any project that conserves energy by 15

percent, produces energy for on-site usage, or manages load.

Loans are funded upon project completion, which can take

several months. Through November 1998, SAFE-BIDCO made

214 loans for a total of $6.9 million. For more information,

contact Paul Cormier at 707-577-8221.

10

Partnerships Help Owners

Continued from page 5

SOLUTIONS 

Q – How can partnerships evaluate the final energy

saving performance contract (ESPC) proposal from an

energy service company (ESCO)?

A – Rebuild America’s technical experts can review

proposals, also called audits, to evaluate accuracy and

thoroughness. However, any reviewer must have the

ESCO’s basis, assumptions and methods of calculations

they used to estimate energy savings and project cost. 

The best way to ensure that this information is

included is to require it in Request for Proposal (RFP) or

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) documents.

Partnerships can download samples from the Rebuild

America IMS, accessible via

www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/rebuild. A list of

“proposal content requirements” used in Federal ESPC

projects is also available from EREC.

The Tennessee Small Business Development Center at

the University of Memphis developed an RFQ that was

used by Rebuild Shelby in North Carolina and several

school districts. This RFQ requires bidders to detail

information including:

■ Extensive baseline information including methods

for developing an energy consumption baseline and

for adjusting the baseline as equipment is added,

and specifics on current energy consumption, both

total cost and cost per-square-foot.

■ The financing instrument typically used, including

type, term, frequency of payments, interest rate, and

methods of risk minimization.

■ A project cost summary for the whole project with

detail on necessary engineering studies, system and

equipment upgrades, training, and maintenance

services.

■ Guaranteed energy savings including a description

of operational savings, the rationale for each item,

and an explanation of how the savings are

guaranteed.

For more information on evaluating draft ESPC

documents or ESCO proposals, contact EREC at 

1-800-DOE-EREC.
Rebuild America is a network of community

partnerships – made up of local governments

and businesses – that save money by saving

energy. These voluntary partnerships, working

with the U.S. Department of Energy, choose the

best ways to improve the energy efficiency of

commercial, government and apartment

buildings. Rebuild America supports them

with business and technical tools and 

customized assistance.

By the year 2003, 250 Rebuild America 

partnerships will be involved in over 

2 billion square feet of building renovations,

which will save $650 million every year in

energy costs, generate $3 billion in private

community investment, create 26,000 new

private sector jobs, and reduce air pollution by

1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide a year.

Rebuild America 

Office of Building Technology,

State and Community Programs

U.S.Department of Energy

1000 Independence Avenue,SW

Washington,DC 20585-0121

Address Correction Requested

Rebuild America Welcomes 7 New Partnerships

City of Fulton, IL

City of Garden City, Garden City, ID

City of Reno Fire Department, Reno, NV

Gem County Community Partnership, Emmett, ID

Nevada Air National Guard, Reno, NV

Washington D.C. Housing Authority, District of Columbia

Western Nevada Community College, NV

Share Your Success

To submit news or story ideas, contact: 

• Elise G. Rand, (202) 466-7391, or e-mail 

erand@pcgpr.com

• Alex Zartman, (301) 588-9387, or e-mail 

alexz@drintl.com

Learn More

Rebuild America is part of DOE’s Buildings for the 21st

Century. If you would like information about Rebuild

America or the other energy efficiency and renewable

energy programs and resources, call 1-800-DOE-EREC or

visit www.eren.doe.gov.

To be placed on the mailing list for Rebuild America

Partner Update, e-mail rebuildamerica@drintl.com.

Rebuild America Business Partners

Summit. December 2, 1999 at Pacific

Gas & Electric’s Pacific Energy Center,

San Francisco, CA 94103. Phone: 

415-973-7268. Contact Business 

Partners Team Leader Doug Avery at

310-798-6927.

1999 Annual Congress of Cities,

National League of Cities. November

29-December 4, 1999 in Los Angeles.

Call 202-626-3105 for more information.

Chicago Regional Team Meeting.

December 15-16, 1999 in Chicago.

Contact Geri Perrotte at 312-886-8597 

or email: geri/perrotte@hq.doe.gov 

Announcement and Celebration of

Rebuild America’s 250th Partnership,

TBA. Contact Mark Bailey (DOE HQ) at

202-586-9424 or Rebecca Penovich

(D&R) at 301-588-9387.

Denver Regional Peer Exchange.

January, 26-27, 2000 in Denver, CO.

Contact Denver Regional Team Leader

Dave Waltzman at 303-275-4821.

Upcoming Events