When it comes to energy incentive/rebate programs, you may know your stuff. You understand the difference between a prescriptive and a custom energy incentive. You’re familiar with the programs offered by your utility company, and you’ve even filled out a few of the applications yourself.

Maybe you work for a university, hospital, school district, or property management company. You’re responsible for an entire campus of buildings—keeping them functioning and operating efficiently. You may have multiple renovation, new construction, or system upgrade projects happening every year. Those projects’ bottom lines are your bottom line. Getting every incentive dollar available is important, but the applications are starting to pile up as other responsibilities take priority.

If this sounds like you, it may be time to consider an energy incentive administrator.

What Does an Energy Incentive Administrator Do?

An energy incentive administrator manages the energy incentive process for all of your projects from start to finish.

The incentive administrator will work closely with your team—whether they are internal staff, architects, engineers, or other subcontractors—to understand what projects are planned or already in process. They will then determine the optimal course of action to maximize the incentive you will receive from the utility company for those projects. They will gather the documents, submit the application, and jump through the hoops to ensure you get the money you deserve once your project is complete.

How Do You Know if You Need One?

If you’ve read this far and haven’t decided if you need an energy incentive administrator, consider the questions below.

Think of all renovation, system upgrade, and new construction projects you have managed or been involved with in the past five years.

1. How many of those projects involved HVAC, lighting, building controls, kitchen equipment, industrial processes, windows, glazing, or an energy study?
2. What energy incentives were you qualified for on each of those projects?
3. How many rebates did you ultimately receive for those projects?
4. What was the total dollar amount of the incentives you received?
5. How many projects missed out on rebates, even though they qualified?
6. What would have helped you successfully apply for and receive the incentives you missed out on?
7. Did you receive the maximum available per year? (For example, an IPL customer can earn up to $500,000 annually or a NIPSCO customer can earn up to $300,000 annually.)
8. Do you have someone on staff to ensure you meet the incentive program requirements?
9. Do you have someone on staff whose job function specifically makes energy rebate administration a priority?
10. How much time did your team spend throughout the energy rebate process?
11. Could your budget use an extra $50,000 to $500,000 boost as a result of properly applying for rebates?

If you don’t know the answers to many of these questions, or answers point to money left on the table, you may need support in maximizing energy incentives.