On Friday, April 26th representatives from District government and the DC business community gathered to celebrate the energy-efficient upgrades at Paradise at Parkside, an affordable housing complex located in the Kenilworth-Mayfair neighborhood. Residents of the 653-unit complex also received free home energy conservation kits that included 2 efficient air purifiers, an advanced powerstrip, and a WiFi enabled smart plug to further improve their energy savings, courtesy of the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU). In addition, the District Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) signed residents up for Solar for All and gave away $25 giftcards to those who signed up.
Paradise at Parkside, managed by CT Group and owned by Telesis Corporation, underwent extensive enhancements including switching units from gas heating with electric cooling to high-efficiency mini-split heat pump systems, improved lighting, and installing 24 Community Renewable Energy Facilities (CREFs) across 15 buildings that serve over 500 income-qualified households across the District. These improvements were made possible through Solar for All, a Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) program, and the DCSEU’s custom incentives from the Income Qualified Efficiency Fund (IQEF) and Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator (AHRA) programs.
Residents of Paradise at Parkside are experiencing the tangible benefits of this collaborative energy efficiency initiative already through reduced energy bills, improved air quality and more comfort in their homes. These upgrades were made possible by the CT Group and Telesis Corporation’s consistent collaboration and partnership with the DCSEU, New Columbia Solar, and John G. Webster.
"For the District to meet its clean energy goals, it’s going to take more collaborations like this one," said Ernest Jolly, Managing Director of the DCSEU. "This wasn’t one project or one program, it was 4 programs and dozens of projects started in 2020. This investment impact doesn’t happen in an instant or in a vacuum. It takes intention and support from local government, contractors, building managers, and energy efficiency programs."
To learn more about the DCSEU's work with Paradise at Parkside click here.