About Oakland Shines

Oakland Shines was an energy program for Oakland businesses that sought to make the city's commercial community the most energy efficient in the nation. By combining high incentives, technical support and project management assistance, Oakland Shines made advanced technologies available to everyone. The program ended in April 2012.

Oakland Shines was designed to reduce energy costs in Oakland in two specific ways:

1) Offering high incentives for advanced technologies that covered between 30-80% of project costs, and; 

2) Providing a concierge service to help take projects from development through installation. The goal of Oakland Shines was to eliminate unnecessary energy costs for businesses while transforming Oakland into the most energy efficient business district in the country.

Oakland Shines offered every business in Oakland a free energy assessment with a goal of reducing energy expenses by up to 20%. Start-to-finish technical assistance including a review of savings opportunities, assistance identifying qualified installation contractors, verification of installation quality and product training, energy benchmarking to ensure continuing savings and cash rebates were available to help streamline the installation of energy efficient lighting, refrigeration products and HVAC improvements — and ensured that investments generated the expected savings.

Oakland Shines emphasized making advanced energy technologies affordable for businesses including:

 

• LED task lighting for office and retail settings

• Task lighting that reduced the need for overhead lighting

• Occupancy-sensing stairwell and garage lighting

• Wireless controls for heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems

While many businesses have already reduced energy consumption, advanced technologies are a cost-effective way to cut energy expenses even further. Oakland Shines made it simple to take the next step.