Energy retrofits are often considered to be too expensive by businesses. The surprising truth, however, is that most alterations to a building's energy structure are very affordable, as long as they're approached in the right way.

Here are seven common ways to help finance such a project:

1. PACE Loans

The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program is an ongoing initiative that allows for tax liens to be used in financing. These are especially valuable for larger projects, as they can be repaid over as many as 30 years, and nearly any profitable property can easily work that into its plans. It's worth noting that most retrofits will not take this long to pay off -- between three and five years is a normal payback period for most properties.

2. Financing From Utilities

Most utility departments run incentive programs to help property owners reduce the amount of energy they use. Not every utility company will offer major loans, but at the very least, companies can expect to save significantly on energy-efficient equipment like new lighting fixtures.

3. Tax Credits

These vary by region, but property owners will usually be able to cut some of the cost of the installation from their taxes. If the business actually pays taxes to begin with, this is effectively a direct discount in the price -- albeit one that only comes into effect when taxes would normally be due, rather than paying it off right away.

4. ESCO

The Energy Service Company (ESCO) model is one of the more recent ideas for renovating buildings. In essence, the ESCO company performs the upgrades to the building and often sells the power later on, after which they enter into a profit-sharing agreement where they are paid off over time. This is affordable for nearly any business, as long as the amount of profit shared is less than the costs saved by the retrofit. Keep in mind, however, that ESCO financing may not always be eligible for combining with other forms of financing. It's unlikely, for example, that a property owner can claim tax deductions if they're not the ones paying directly for the retrofit.

5. Leasing Equipment

While this isn't practical for large-scale projects, leasing programs (or, better, lease-to-own agreements) can provide properties with access to energy-efficient equipment at minimal up-front costs.As with ESCO financing, the goal is to ensure that the company is able to save more money through the use of the equipment than it spends for borrowing it. When this is the case, even minimally-profitable properties can afford the retrofit they've been looking for.

6. Bond Financing

This is one of the least-used methods of financing an energy retrofit, but it may become more popular in the future as companies realize its value. Private municipal or corporate bonds offer the ability to fund multiple smaller transactions and scale the costs of the retrofit to what a buyer is able to pay for.

7. Capital Expenditures

This is the most common method of financing an energy retrofit, yet businesses should consider this their final option instead of their first. Simply put, many of the opportunities listed above offer ways to reduce some or all of the costs associated with a retrofit project, and using several of these techniques (such as tax credits, utility financing and lease-to-own agreements, all at the same time) can drastically reduce the amount of capital that needs to be expended for the property. Most retrofits are too expensive to be paid off right away, so businesses planning to pay through this method should consider using loans, leases, or other pay-over-time agreements to finance the retrofit.

As a principal at Avant Capital Partners, Andrew Jubelt can advise you on any CRE energy retrofit projects you may be considering. He can also provide you or your clients with the commercial real estate funding you need. Contact Andrew Jubelt at ajubelt@avant-capital.com or call 212-231-9779.

As an experienced developer, owner and operator of commercial real estate, including more than 10,000 multifamily and senior housing units, Andy Jubelt knows a thing or two about how energy and sustainability improvements add value to all parts of a property or company. He is a Principal at Avant Capital Partners and specializes in creative and innovative strategies to enhance the long-term value of commercial real estate.

Mr. Julbelt understands that the financial cost reductions associated with superefficient buildings — making the pursuing of energy retrofits by owners and investors the wave of the future.

Consider this: buildings in the U.S. consume a lot of energy. In fact, they use 42 percent of the nation’s primary energy and 72 percent of its electricity. Unfortunately, much of that energy is needlessly wasted through inefficient design and operation.

The following are the reasons why commercial real estate professionals such as Mr. Julbelt are recommending superefficient building retrofitting:

• Energy retrofitting can reduce a buildings’ energy consumption by 54–69 percent over business-as-usual projections through 2050. As a result, absolute energy consumption in 2050 that would be 40–60 percent less than in 2010, despite a 70-percent bigger building stock.
• A joint Rockefeller Foundation / Deutsche Bank Group 2012 study found energy savings worth four times their cost in ten-year time frame. An investment of $279 billion could yield more than $1 trillion in energy cost savings.
• Numerous studies and surveys note that, compared to market averages, energy-efficient green buildings boast reduced absenteeism, better employee health, higher occupancy rates, increased rental rates and sales prices, and decreased financial and regulatory risk.
• A growing body of statistical evidence suggests that green office buildings can command rent premiums of 3–6 percent and sales price premiums of 10 percent or more.

A focus exclusively on saved energy costs overlooks other important values, known as “value beyond energy cost savings” (or VBECS). For example, risk is one of the most important factors in any deep energy retrofit capital decision and has a direct tie to VBECS. Risk is not just a soft, indirect, or non-financial consideration, but one of the most important value elements in a deep energy retrofit investment. For example, an annual $1,000 retrofit cash flow benefit with a five percent return requirement would be valued at $20,000, approximately 100 percent higher than the same $1,000 cash flow benefit valued assuming a 10 percent return requirement.

Sustainability and energy efficiency have become central concerns to regulators, employees, customers, clients, boards, and other stakeholders. Maximizing recognition of value by all stakeholders requires understanding what aspects of sustainable value are most critical to different stakeholder groups and clearly communicating these values. Andrew Julbelt understands this. Please contact Andrew Jubelt at (212) 231-9779 for more information about how energy and sustainability improvements add value to a commercial property.