Nebraska public power utility Lincoln Electric System has received $300,000 in funding from Google to help scale energy-efficiency upgrades for affordable housing in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The funding will expand the City of Lincoln's and LES' existing low-income energy programs, specifically the South of Downtown Rental Rehabilitation Program. The funding will help bring high-efficiency heat pumps, insulation improvements, smart thermostats and other energy-saving technologies to rental units serving Lincoln's most underserved communities.
"We're proud to partner with Google and the City of Lincoln to bring energy savings to the families in our community who need it most," said Emeka Anyanwu, LES CEO. "These funds will help us continue making homes more comfortable, affordable and sustainable — one household at a time."
Since 2023, LES has committed funding for energy upgrades in 133 existing affordable housing units, resulting in average annual bill savings of $250 per apartment. With the additional funding from Google, more than 50 units could receive energy-efficiency improvements, depending on each project's scope.
The South of Downtown Rental Rehabilitation Project aims to improve the energy efficiency and quality of existing affordable housing while extending the life of the buildings. The program serves two census tracts — 20.01 and 20.02 — bordered by A to J streets and South 10th to South 17th streets. In 2020, median income in these areas ranged from $22,000 to $27,000, with poverty rates between 26% and 39%. By comparison, Lincoln's citywide median income was $60,063 with a poverty rate of 12.8%.
"When we launched the South of Downtown Residential Rental Rehabilitation Program, our goal was to improve the quality of Lincoln's aging housing stock, enhance affordability and make life better for local families," said Dan Marvin, director of Urban Development for the City of Lincoln. "Since then, we have helped rehabilitate and preserve the affordability of 166 rental units, with another 266 in progress. But the City is not doing this work alone. We collaborate with key community partners, like Lincoln Electric System, to ensure these efforts deliver the greatest possible public value."
"Google is proud to work with LES and the City of Lincoln on this important initiative to boost home energy efficiency. Our goal is to help Lincoln families save money on their energy bills. Since arriving in Lincoln, we've been committed to being a strong community partner, and this program is a perfect example of that commitment in action," said Allie Hopkins, Google's data center area lead for Nebraska and Iowa.
For more information, a recording of the news conference announcing this grant will be posted on the LES YouTube channel.
