Residential Program Increases Energy Efficiency in Apartment Building

January 2007

The Washington, D.C. Energy Division Residential Conservation Assistance Program provides energy efficiency improvement services for multifamily buildings. A combination of the Energy Division's Weatherization Assistance Program and Reliable Energy Trust Fund program dollars enabled the Cascade Park Apartments — a five-building, 132-unit complex — to improve the energy efficiency of its heating and hot water distribution system.

The building complex, located in southeast Washington, D.C., received an energy audit that identified an inefficient heating and hot water distribution system and recommended replacement. Heat loss and hot water leaks significantly increased the residents' water and energy bills. Energy Division auditors discovered that the two huge gas boilers and two hot water tanks that serviced the five buildings were located a substantial distance apart. The Energy Division redesigned the entire system: five heating and hot water systems (one for each building) were monitored and installed at a cost of $317, 947.

The apartment complex experienced an increase in occupancy from 55% to 95% and has an expected five-year payback with an annual 2,758 million Btu savings, annual gas consumption dollar savings of $47,568, annual water consumption savings of $10,527, and total annual savings of $58,095.