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.

Andrew Jubelt is a principal at AVANT Capital Partners, bringing his years of broad based experience to the process of acquisition financing and recapitalization of under-water projects to this a real estate advisory firm and lender.

Avant Capital Partners was recently featured in the November issue of the Scotsman Guide regarding the “Unsung Value of Energy Retrofits.” This article explores the single largest operating expense in commercial office buildings − energy.

Energy makes up about one-third of typical operating budgets, and accounts for almost 20 percent of national greenhouse gas emissions. By becoming more energy efficient, property owners and managers can reduce operating expenses, increase property asset value, and position themselves as environmentally friendly, which these days is a very prestigious distinction and important selling proposition.

Because the burden of high energy costs often falls on the tenants, buildings with lower utility costs can garner more demand and higher rents, which will increase the property’s net operating income (NOI). Energy Star calculates that a 10 percent decrease in energy use could lead to a 1.5 percent increase in NOI.

 

There are two key energy-cost considerations:

1. Lower energy costs can drive higher rents - Lower energy costs reduce overall tenant-occupancy costs. Lower over-all occupancy costs can alleviate the crowding out of higher rents by ever-escalating utility cost reimbursements. These higher rents increase property value.
2. Lower energy costs increases building value - Buildings more profitable in cases where the landlord pays for utilities.

The cost-effective investment strategy requires capital, and although a market for energy-efficient capital investment has not been developed fully yet, government authorities have started initiatives. For example, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) is a program that allows local government entities to offer sustainable energy project loans to eligible property owners. Another example is the New York City Energy Efficiency Corp. (NYCEEC). It has been established to assist New York City implement its Greener, Greater Buildings Plan by helping private building owners get energy-efficient retrofit financing.

For more information about AVANT Capital Partners lending programs focused upon financing stabilized and transitional commercial real estate nationwide, contact Andrew Jubelt at ajubelt@avant-capital.com or at (212) 231-9779.