Multifamily
Multifamily buildings in Maine can range from two-family homes to multi-story apartment buildings. This page is primarily a resource for larger multifamily buildings with three or more units. Energy-efficient systems and equipment can help landlords and tenants reduce energy costs, enhance comfort and improve safety. Efficiency Maine offers incentives for a wide range of efficiency measures.
If you have a two-unit multifamily building, click here to learn about available incentives through Efficiency Maine’s residential programs.
Opportunities
Funding Opportunity Notice (FON) for the Initiative for Electrification in New Affordable Multifamily Housing: FON-009-2025
Efficiency Maine is seeking applications for qualifying efficient HVAC heat pump systems in new construction of multifamily buildings that will serve low-income residents. Click here for more information.
Funding Opportunity Notice (FON) for Low-Income Multifamily Building Retrofits: FON-026-2026
Efficiency Maine is seeking applications for qualifying HVAC and weatherization retrofit projects in multifamily buildings that serve low-income residents. Click here for more information.
Solutions
Weatherization
- Multifamily homes can take advantage of financial incentives for attic and basement insulation and air sealing. Upgrading a building’s thermal envelope can reduce heating and cooling costs and increase tenant comfort.
Basement Insulation
- Defined as basement, crawlspace or other unconditioned space directly below a conditioned living area.
- Basement must be air sealed prior to or as part of insulating the basement. This includes all penetrations between the basement and the first floor.
- Upgraded by insulating:
- Basement or crawlspace ceiling (including sill and band joist) with either dense-pack insulation or minimum 2” open or closed-cell spray foam OR
- Foundation walls insulated from 2 feet below grade to underside of first floor (including sill and band joist) with minimum 2” rigid or closed-cell spray foam
- Incentives are available for either basement/crawlspace ceiling insulation OR foundation wall insulation, not both
- Batt insulation not eligible for incentives
- Code-approved fire protection was added to foam insulation when applicable
Attic Insulation
- Attic must be air sealed prior to or as part of insulating the attic. This includes any penetrations between the attic and the floor below.
- Attic must be insulated to one of the following levels:
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- Open attic insulated to at least R49
- Enclosed cavities filled to capacity with dense-pack insulation
- A minimum of 5” of closed-cell spray foam
- Closed-cell spray foam applied to within 1.5” of the surface of cavities that were subsequently enclosed
- Batt insulation not eligible for incentives
- All exhaust fans must be ducted outside the building
- Code-approved fire protection must be added to foam insulation when applicable
Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC)
- There are efficient options for whole-building HVAC solutions using heat pump technology and ventilation systems. Efficiency Maine offers incentives to upgrade to high-efficiency heating, cooling, and ventilation systems including:
HVAC Solutions
- Ductless Heat Pumps
- Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Systems
- Heat Pump Rooftop Units (RTUs)
- Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs)
- And more
Lighting
- Tenants and landlords can reduce electricity costs while improving quality of light and safety by upgrading lighting systems. Efficiency Maine offers incentives on energy-efficient common-area and exterior lighting solutions including:
Lighting Solutions
- LED Retrofit Kits
- New LED Fixtures
- Exterior Lighting
- And more
Water Heating
- Multifamily homes can reduce water heating costs by upgrading to heat pump water heating systems and choosing a system that meets each building’s needs.
Click here to learn more.
Appliances
- Appliances, lighting, and electronics account for nearly 30% of the typical household’s energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Upgrading to high-efficiency appliances can help reduce apartment energy usage. Find out more about how much you might save by switching to high-efficiency appliances on the ENERGY STAR® webpage. Efficiency Maine offers incentives for clothes washers.
Click here to learn more.
Benefits of Multifamily Upgrades
How Landlords Benefit
Landlords can save energy by upgrading heating, cooling and ventilation systems; interior and exterior lighting; water heating; and the building envelope. These efficiency upgrades can result in multiple benefits such as:
- Lowered operating costs
- Greater tenant satisfaction
- Greater equipment reliability
- Reduced maintenance and replacement costs for lighting
How Tenants Benefit
Tenants can also enjoy the benefits of energy efficiency upgrades, such as LEDs, high-efficiency appliances and heating systems. Some of the benefits include:
- Lower energy costs
- Enhanced comfort
- Greater equipment reliability
Other Energy Saving Tips
For more energy savings tips and resources for landlords and tenants, click here.
Get Started
Ready to upgrade your facility with high-efficiency equipment and appliances? Work with an Efficiency Maine Qualified Partner in order to be eligible for these incentives.
Click here to find a Qualified Partner working near you. If you work with a contractor that is not yet a Qualified Partner, urge your contractor to find out more information here. As part of the project approval process, you will accept the C&I Prescriptive Program’s Terms and Conditions. If you’re interested in becoming a Qualified Partner, click here to see our Become A Qualified Partner page.
If you’re interested in getting started with an energy efficiency project for your business but don’t know where to start, you can sign-up for a business customer consultation here.
Additional Information and Resources
Don’t see your energy solution listed above? Efficiency Maine offers incentives for site-specific energy solutions such as custom HVAC solutions. Click here for more information on the Custom Program.