The *Recovery Through Retrofit *Report builds on investments made in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) to expand the home energy efficiency and retrofit market. Home retrofits can potentially help people earn money, as home retrofit workers, while also helping them save money, by lowering their utility bills. By encouraging nationwide weatherization of homes, workers of all skill levels will be trained, engaged, and will participate in ramping up a national home retrofit market.

*Support Municipal Energy Financing *
Property tax or municipal energy financing allows the costs of retrofits to be added to a homeowner’s property tax bill, with monthly payments generally lower than utility bill savings. This arrangement attaches the costs of the energy retrofit to the property, not the individual, eliminating uncertainty about Recovery Through Retrofit recovering the cost of the improvements if the property is sold. Federal Departments and Agencies will work in partnership with state and local governments to establish standardized underwriting criteria and safeguards to protect consumers and minimize financial risks to the homeowners and mortgage lenders.

*Expand State Revolving Loan Funds *
Expanding state revolving loan funds from 16 states to all 50 states will leverage private capital and achieve economies of scale necessary to produce consistent and affordable loan products.

Support Municipal Energy Financing
The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing programs enable the costs for energy efficiency retrofits to be added to an owner’s property tax bill as part of a municipal property tax assessment, which takes the same priority as traditional property tax liens and assessments….DOE will be funding model PACE projects, which will incorporate the new principles for PACE program design.

Expand State Revolving Loan Funds
Revolving Loan Funds for energy efficiency retrofits in homes already exist in 16 states.

Improve Energy Efficient Mortgages
Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) enable home buyers and homeowners refinancing their properties to add energy efficiency upgrades and improvements to their properties as part of the underlying mortgage financing transaction

Develop Consistent Workforce Certifications and Training Standards
Advance a nationally recognized worker certification standard for comprehensive training that provides evidence that a worker is well qualified to properly complete efficiency and healthy home retrofits.