While not formally partnered, EPS New Homes and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) can support the same projects you’re planning. By combining the two, builders can receive additional incentives and assistance with advanced planning to build more efficient homes.
What PCEF offers
Passed by Portland voters and using revenue from a local business tax, PCEF supports projects that benefit low-to-moderate-income residents, including energy efficiency upgrades and affordable housing.
While the programs operate independently, PCEF funding and EPS incentives often support the same projects, allowing builders to unlock additional incentives, improve project planning, and create more affordable, marketable high-performance homes.
For many PCEF-supported housing developments, builders can also add solar and net zero design to reduce long-term energy costs for homeowners. With EPS incentives for net zero or installed solar and storage, PCEF funding can also be allocated to additional energy efficiency upgrades.
Forecasting means earlier planning and fewer surprises
Because grant-funded developments often begin years before construction, PCEF can flag upcoming net zero projects to EPS and builders ahead of schedule.
For builders, this early notice complements the education and support EPS already offers with additional access to Early Design Assistance (EDA) meetings to assess energy-efficiency opportunities even before ground is broken. These meetings, attended by the builder, verifier, subcontractors, and an EPS account manager, can help avoid costly design changes later and ensure you’re learning about and grabbing available incentives.
Coordination in action
A recent collaboration between Proud Ground, PCEF, and EPS illustrates this in real-time.
By combining PCEF funding with EPS incentives and technical support, the Proud Ground project shows how builders can combine PCEF funding, EPS incentives, and early design support to deliver affordable homes with stronger energy performance and long-term savings for homeowners.
These PCEF-funded homes are net zero and include solar panels, extra insulation, high-performance windows, ENERGY STAR® appliances, and highly efficient heating and cooling systems.
Learn more
Ready to learn how EPS New Homes and PCEF funding can work together on your next project? Contact your EPS verifier to get started.
Our trade ally coordinator is also available via email at eps@energytrust.org or phone at 1.877.283.0698 for any questions about the EPS New Homes program.