LoanSTAR After 11 Years: A Report on the Successes and Lessons Learned from the LoanSTAR Program

Abstract

The Texas LoanSTAR program, which began in 1988, has produced over $110 million savings from energy conservation projects applied to state and local government buildings. One of the key features of LoanSTAR has been the monitoring and verification of the savings. Nationally, LoanSTAR has served as a showcase for other states to follow. LoanSTAR M&V methods have become the foundation for the the USDOE's NEMVP, IPMVP and ASHRAE's Guideline 14P. However, underneath the success of the LoanSTAR program are many lessons that have been learned that are not as highly publicized. This paper will present an overview of 11 years of measured savings from the LoanSTAR program, including the cost effectiveness of the LoanSTAR loans, trends in LoanSTAR funding, lessons learned about how to reduce the cost of a revolving loan program while maintaining quality control, and a discussion of the LoanSTAR emissions reductions.