Energy Efficiency Empowerment receives critical support to unlock federal funding
The Heinz Endowments Provided Critical Support to Unfreeze $400,000 Department of Energy Grant
Pittsburgh, PA — Energy Efficiency Empowerment (E3) has successfully secured the release of $400,000 in federal funding that had been unjustly frozen since January 2025. This funding will allow E3 to continue its work improving the energy efficiency of homes in disadvantaged neighborhoods across the Pittsburgh region.
The Heinz Endowments provided critical support through an $88,000 grant, enabling E3 to maintain operations and pursue legal action that ultimately secured the release of funds from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Buildings Upgrade Prize Phase 2.
“The grant support received from The Heinz Endowments during the challenging early months of 2025 renewed our hope that we could continue advancing our mission,” said Lucyna de Barbaro, Ph.D., Founding Director of E3. “This vital support not only sustained our current efforts but also enabled us to restructure for a future less reliant on federal funding. We are deeply grateful to The Heinz Endowments for their trust and confidence in our work.”
Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services represented E3 in legal action, with additional support from Congressman Chris Deluzio, Lawyers for Good Government, and the Environmental Protection Network. These collective efforts led to the successful release of funding awarded to New Sun Rising and the E3 team.
Since winning Phase 1 of the Buildings Upgrade Prize in 2023, E3 has completed multiple pilot projects in partnership with nonprofit developers, demonstrating measurable reductions in energy use and utility costs—averaging a 26% improvement per home and saving homeowners approximately $500 annually. Affordable housing development partners include Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, Hilltop Alliance, City of Bridges CLT, and Pittsburgh Housing Development Corporation, with work taking place in Hazelwood, Braddock, Upper Hill, Beltzhoover, and other neighborhoods.
“There is no better time to improve a home’s energy efficiency than during the rehabilitation process—it is the most cost-effective investment and has a long-lasting impact on utility bills,” said de Barbaro. “We hope that the success we are demonstrating will inspire stakeholders to adopt these improved practices in more affordable housing rehabs throughout the Pittsburgh region.”
In addition, E3’s initiative offers free hot water heat pump upgrades and free energy audits in two participating communities—Sharpsburg and East Hills—through close collaboration with the East Hills Consensus Group and Sharpsburg Neighborhood Organization.
Integrating data-driven analysis, on-the-ground collaboration, and a deep commitment to energy justice, E3 supports nonprofit developers and community partners in identifying scalable, cost-effective solutions to electrification and efficiency challenges in Pittsburgh’s aging housing stock.
The DOE Buildings Upgrade Prize was originally designed to include five phases and run from 2023 to 2028, awarding up to $1.6 million in funding per winning team to support the transformation of existing U.S. buildings into more energy-efficient, clean-energy-ready spaces. However, with the future of the federal program now highly uncertain, E3 is actively restructuring its operations to continue serving the community and housing partners.
About Energy Efficiency Empowerment: Energy Efficiency Empowerment (E3) is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit initiative dedicated to improving the energy efficiency and long-term affordability of homes in low-to moderate-income communities. Through partnerships with community organizations and nonprofit affordable housing developers, E3 provides energy audits, technical assistance, modeling, and quality assurance to enhance building performance during rehabilitation projects and advance beneficial electrification of water or space heating
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