Additional Contributors: Katie Ackerly – David Baker Architects, Meg Duff – AEA, GG Merkel – AEA, John Neal – AEA, Andrew Brooks – AEA, Tammy Siliznoff – RDH Building Science, Michael Hsueh – RDH Building Science, Curtis Harrington – UC Davis Western Cooling Efficiency Center

This guide provides design and installation details for a standardized retrofit package serving California’s most common multifamily buildings. Technologies in the package were selected based on learnings from pilot demonstrations funded by California Energy Commission awards EPIC 17-040: Mass Deployment of Energy Efficiency Retrofits in Multifamily homes in California (also referred to as REALIZE-CA) and EPIC 19-036: Varieties of Prefabricated Envelope Solutions for CA Low-Rise Buildings. For each technology, the guide includes a detailed description of design recommendations and installation guidelines based on lessons learned across the following demonstrations:

• Corona del Rey Apartments – 1148 D St, Corona, CA 92882
• Vera Cruz Village Apartments – 631 Rd 210, Richgrove, CA 93261
• King’s View Manor – 949 E. Annadale Ave, Fresno, CA 93706
• Light Tree Apartments – 1804 E. Bayshore Rd #100, East Palo Alto, CA 94303

The guide also includes financing recommendations driven by incentive opportunities for affordable multifamily housing through the federal Inflation Reduction Act and third-party lenders offering energy efficiency financing options for multifamily building owners.

Acknowledgements:

RMI would like to thank the California Energy Commission (CEC) for its unwavering support and guidance throughout the REALIZE-CA program. Together, we retrofitted over 300,000 square feet of multifamily affordable housing throughout California, developing a standardized approach to scaling building decarbonization and improving the lives of low-income ratepayers statewide.

In addition, RMI would like to thank the tenants and building owners at each pilot demonstration for their trust and patience during the program. Pilot demonstrations present unique challenges, and without commitment from each community our work would not have been possible.

And last but certainly not least, RMI would like to thank our wonderful project partners for their invaluable contributions and perseverance over the years:

• Association for Energy Affordability
• David Baker Architects
• RDH Building Science
• UC Davis — Western Cooling Efficiency Center