Partnering with Communities to Help Californians Save Energy
The nonprofit Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) serves as the regional administrator of the Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Program in Central California. Working with the California Energy Commission and regional partners, CSE coordinates building electrification services, oversees outreach and education, and analyzes program impacts.
CSE recognizes the vital role community-based organizations play in building trust and raising awareness, and we champion their work connecting underserved households with program benefits. The partners featured below are helping make this work possible, bringing local knowledge and deep community connections to the EBD Program.
California Energy Commission
As the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, the California Energy Commission (CEC) plays a critical role in creating the energy system of the future—one that is clean, modern, and ensures the fifth largest economy in the world continues to thrive.
The State of California is committed to a just and equitable transition to carbon neutrality by 2045. Residential and commercial buildings account for about 25 percent of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, so the decarbonization of buildings is essential to achieving the state’s carbon neutrality goals. Assembly Bill 209 directed the CEC to develop and implement the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program to install retrofit measures in single-family and multifamily homes. The primary goals of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing buildings and advance energy equity.
Franklin Energy
Franklin Energy delivers sustainable energy management solutions to utilities and government organizations across the U.S. Our mission is to help clients achieve carbon-reduction and energy-productivity goals.
We leverage integrated solutions, innovation, and deep expertise with over 1,100 professionals in design, engineering, and customer service. Our key initiatives include:
- Programs: Delivering 200+ programs for more than 100 clients in 47 states, covering residential, commercial, and industrial markets.
- Platforms: Offering integrated marketplaces and customer engagement tools for energy efficiency and demand response.
- Products: Manufacturing 375+ energy and water conservation products and distributing products like smart thermostats and EV chargers.
We support the goals of the Equitable Building Decarbonization Program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy equity by providing home energy assessments and leading the installation of energy-efficient electric appliances and equipment for low-income households.
As the implementer for all installations, Franklin Energy will ensure efficient, high-quality deployment that advances energy equity and sustainability goals.
Earth Advantage
Earth Advantage is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to advance a more informed and humane housing market. Our staff work to ensure the U.S. housing market recognizes home elements that create climate risk and values home elements that provide climate solutions.
Our programs include verifying climate-friendly homes, providing green data solutions for real estate, educating the workforce about green job opportunities, and addressing climate injustices through direct services. Over the last 20 years, Earth Advantage has become a national leader and trusted partner in advancing tangible solutions to complex climate and housing problems.
Earth Advantage is supporting the Equitable Building Decarbonization program in California's central region through advising on program design with an eye toward providing program customers with high quality and high value installations.
Res-Intel
Res-Intel is a mission-driven analytics firm advancing equitable building decarbonization and supporting California’s transition to carbon neutrality—especially for low- and moderate-income households in underserved communities.
Its Benchmark.AITM platform enables utilities, governments, and program administrators to scale decarbonization through mass-scale energy benchmarking, energy use intensity (EUI) calculations, and predictive targeting for high-impact retrofits.
Key modules support the Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Direct Install Program by:
- Offering a Utility Dashboard to identify retrofit opportunities and track impact.
- Using AI-driven targeting to prioritize properties with the highest energy burdens.
Res-Intel’s approach lowers energy costs, reduces GHG emissions, and supports community-focused outreach. With advanced analytics and strong partnerships, Res-Intel helps ensure that EBD investments deliver meaningful results for those who need them most—building a healthier, more equitable energy future for California.
Self-Help Enterprises (SHE)
Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) is a nationally recognized housing and community development organization with the mission of working cooperatively with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. Based in California’s Central Valley, SHE serves communities throughout the region with a focus on rural and underserved areas.
The pioneer and leading provider of mutual self-help housing in the United States, SHE’s efforts encompass a range of endeavors to build better homes and communities for farmworkers and other hard-working families. Since 1965, SHE has helped more than 6,600 families build their own homes, rehabilitated over 7,000 unsafe homes, developed over 3,000 units of affordable rental housing, and provided technical assistance for reliable access to safe drinking water and sanitary sewer infrastructure to over 34,000 individuals in 175 small communities.
SHE’s commitment to providing resources and training for individuals builds the capacity of highly effective leaders in communities and promotes collaborative solutions for improving communities. These combined efforts have touched the lives of over 81,000 families, providing security and stability for families and building more productive communities.
For more information, contact Jose at joserg@selfhelpenterprises.org.
If you are interested in becoming a partner or supporting community engagement for the EBD program in the Central California region, please contact CSE at contactEBD@energycenter.org.
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