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42 <br />DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY INVESTMENT <br />OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY <br />The Office of Sustainability’s mission is to mobilize the community to address climate <br />change. We do this by illuminaƟ ng ways to reduce polluƟ on and adapt to a changing <br />environment, collaboraƟ ng with the community and exisƟ ng climate acƟ on, and <br />designing, developing, and delivering climate soluƟ ons. <br />ENERGY ASSISTANCE AND SOLAR SAVINGS <br />INITIATIVEE (EASSI) <br />EASSI (pronounced “easy”) provides subsidized <br />energy assessments, matching grants, and <br />opƟ onal low-interest loans to nonprofit <br />community organizaƟ ons to complete energy <br />efficiency and/or solar projects. EASSI aims <br />to reduce buildings’ carbon emissions, make <br />community organizaƟ ons more resilient by <br />reducing their energy bills, and increase <br />awareness of energy efficiency and renewable <br />energy. We partner with IFF, a CDFI and real estate <br />consultant for nonprofits, and CDFI Friendly South <br />Bend to administer the program. In its third year, <br />EASSI supported 12 organizaƟ ons, including 10 <br />located in areas with the highest levels of social <br />vulnerability in the city, according to the CDC’s <br />Social Vulnerability Index. EASSI project results <br />include: <br />• 2 solar projects resulƟ ng in 32kW of solar <br />energy generaƟ on potenƟ al, the equivalent <br />of saving over 3,500 gallons of gasoline from <br />being consumed each year. <br />• 17 energy efficiency projects, including <br />high- efficiency HVAC systems, insulaƟ on <br />improvements, LED LighƟ ng replacements, <br />and electrificaƟ on. <br />• 10 energy audits conducted. <br />• A combined total of more than $1,000,000 <br />in public and private investment in energy <br />efficiency and solar: $221,000 in matching <br />grants awarded to EASSI nonprofits leveraged <br />$855,000 in private investment. <br />• Roughly, every $1 dollar invested by <br />EASSI grants generated $2.40 in building <br />investments for energy efficiency and solar <br />(not including energy savings). <br />“In addiƟ on to funding energy-effi cient windows South Bend’s EASSI program provided a though ƞ ul <br />energy assessment and a collaboraƟ ve grantee cohort that helped guide both short- and long-term <br />sustainability decisions” -EASSI ParƟ cipant