EPA creates a Building Performace Program

The EPA just recently rolled out a program to help utilities and their partners, help businesses with the programs and funding offered by local utilities. So this will work with the programs that are already in place. Currently they are testing the program with Energy Star partners Commonwealth Edison, Mass Save, MidAmerican, National Grid, New Jersey's Clean Energy Program, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Focus on Energy. The program was modeled after their residential program.
The EPA's Press Release states:
The program will help energy efficiency programs achieve deeper, more comprehensive energy
savings in commercial buildings by:
* Packaging EPA’s successful business energy management and building upgrade strategies
along with the powerful ENERGY STAR brand to enable programs to harvest more energy
savings from commercial buildings.
* Targeting businesses interested in an ongoing relationship with their utility or state program sponsor around strategic energy management by utilizing marketing strategies designed to secure the commitment of senior management.
* Going beyond current points of entry into efficiency programs (retrofit, custom incentive,retro-commissioning, etc.) to help customers plan for and tap into program incentives and technical support in a way that makes the most sense from a financial and strategic energy management perspective.
* Building infrastructure for delivering whole building energy improvement services through local trade ally networks.
* Incorporating best practices from successful partner programs and over a decade of
ENERGY STAR buildings.
Use of the Building Performance with ENERGY STAR name, logo, and tools will be granted to partners who implement a program that includes several key elements, including benchmarking with EPA’s Portfolio Manager tool to score building performance; providing strategic energy management guidance to help customers develop action plans for energy efficiency improvements; offering whole-building assessments of energy efficiency opportunities; engaging local trade ally networks to offer comprehensive services; and aligning financial incentives and technical assistance with a comprehensive approach to building upgrades.

How this will affect the programs in Connecticut we don't know. We will have to watch how the pilot programs work. Hopefully this program will help Connecticut's programs to reach more commercial buildings, continue funding, and raise the energy efficiency of those participating.