WHAT IS THE ENERGY EFFICIENT SCHOOLS INITIATIVE LOAN PROGRAM?

The Energy Efficient Schools Initiative (EESI) was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2008 with $90 million. Over $87 million has been approved for projects to improve the energy efficiency in Tennessee’s public K-12 schools. The purpose of the Energy Efficient Schools Council, also created by this legislation, include providing grants and loans for capital outlay projects and establish and support energy management programs. The enabling legislation also created a twelve member council to approve guidelines, award grants and loans, verify energy efficiencies, and establish and support energy management programs. The Council appointed a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and an Executive Director to oversee EESI activities.

ADDITIONAL LOAN INFORMATION

Repayment Term: The repayment schedule and term are determined by the estimated annual energy cost savings from the aggregated project(s), using energy costs and operating schedules at the time of loan approval. As part of the application process, the applicant must provide cost benefit and return on investment calculations to substantiate the estimated energy cost avoidance on an annual basis. The term of the loan may be determined by dividing the total cost of the project by the annual estimated cost avoidance to get the number of years of the term and adding up to two additional years not to exceed 12 years.

Loan repayment terms cannot exceed the useful life of the loan funded equipment. The loan repayment term should not exceed the time it takes to recover project costs (plus interest) in energy savings. In some cases, due to economic hardship, EESI may allow a slightly longer term, but such exceptions will be determined by the EESI Council based upon a recommendation from the TAC.

Adherence to Program Rules Statement: A copy of the EESI Loan Program Rules is made available with this application. These rules set forth project parameters and reporting requirements. Please review these rules. If you have any questions, please contact the EESI staff. Please have the appropriate district officer sign the certification at the bottom of the rules statement and return a copy with your application.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA

Energy efficiency projects installed in K-12 schools must meet the following criteria to be considered eligible for the EESI loan:
  • Project must be part of an existing school facility; new construction projects are not considered.
  • Projects must be technically and economically feasible as evaluated by the EESI Technical Committee.
  • The loan can fund 100% of the project cost within a 12 year (maximum) payback based on the estimated first year’s energy cost savings.
  • Projects already funded or completed are ineligible.
  • Projects must apply for energy efficiency incentive funding from the TVA EnergyRight® Program to determine if additional funds are available to help offset the project cost. Click here to learn more about the program and apply.
  • Energy Efficiency Conservation Measures (ECMs) must meet or exceed: ASHRAE 90.1-2010 or TVA EnergyRight® Program requirements.
Examples of Qualified Projects Include:
  • Interior and exterior lighting systems.
  • Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment (i.e., boilers, cooling towers, chillers, heat recovery systems, etc.).
  • Energy management systems and equipment controls.
  • Pumps and Motors (i.e., variable frequency drives (VFDs)).
  • Retro-Commissioning.
  • Any other related engineering or design costs when initiated after the loan award.

WHEN CAN PROJECTS BEGIN?

Once a loan agreement is fully executed (i.e., signed by the authorized EESI Council member and loan applicant), and project plans and specifications have been submitted and approved by TAC, a "Notice to Proceed" will be issued. Applicants will have 12 months from the date of the "Notice to Proceed" to complete the project. Any construction period change orders issued in the project must have TAC approval to be allowed. Only approved project-related costs with invoices dated within the term of the executed agreement are eligible for reimbursement under the loan. If the loan is not approved and executed, the EESI is not responsible for reimbursement of any costs.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

To get started, click START APPLICATION and: 1) complete the Customer Information, Site, and project Measures pages; 2) upload required documentation (engineering calculations for savings, assumptions, metered data, power bills, etc.); 3) review and accept the Terms and Conditions; and 4) submit the application. You will have the opportunity to review the application and make any changes before submission. You can also save the application at any point and return to it at a later date to complete. Upon submission, you will receive a confirmation email with a PDF version of the application. A copy of the application will also be sent to EESI program staff. Information about applying for incentives with the TVA EnergyRight® Program is included above in the “Energy Efficiency Project Eligibility and Criteria” section. The EESI Energy Efficient Loan Program (EELP) cannot be used to reimburse projects already completed prior to the date of this application.

Click here for a checklist of information required to complete your application.