BAMBE Program
Upgrade your Property and Save with BAMBE!
Receive rebates and no-cost technical assistant services for energy and water-saving upgrades to your multifamily property with the Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancements (BAMBE) program. Whether you want to replace outdated equipment or take advantage of the latest, most efficient technology, BayREN will help you plan and pay for upgrades, on average covering 30-40% of project costs.
Learn How the Program Works
Watch this video for an overview of eligibility, program steps, and how to get started.
Eligibility Requirements
To participate, properties must:
- Have more than 5 units or 2–4 units with central system (e.g., shared hot water heater)
- Market-rate properties with 50 units or more are NOT eligible
- Be located in the nine county Bay Area: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma
- Have an active PG&E account(s)
Project Requirements
- Projects must install at least two measures with a minimum of 10% modeled energy savings, both in-unit and common area upgrades are eligible.
- Rebates must be formally reserved before purchasing or installing equipment. Upgrades already in progress or completed are not eligible for rebates.
Rebates start at $500 per unit with significant additional incentives available for properties installing electrification measures and/or located in program-designated burden zones that are most impacted by air pollution, extreme heat, and high housing costs.
Customers can choose their own licensed contractor.
What BAMBE Offers
No-Cost Consulting
Our expert technical assistants provide no-cost consulting and project management to help you determine which upgrades make the most sense for your multifamily building to maximize energy savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Generous Rebates
BAMBE rebates start at $500/unit and can range to over $5,000/unit depending on project scope and location and on average cover 30-40% of total project cost, paid out after full project installation is complete.
- Market rate projects ≥ 50 units are not eligible for the program
- Deed restricted projects ≥ 50 units are capped at $500/unit
- Co-leveraged* properties < 50 units → Capped at $5,000 per unit
- Non- co-leveraged* properties < 50 units → Not capped
*Co-leveraged are projects leverage (or “stack”) other incentive programs (e.g. TECH, LIWP)
Learn more about how BAMBE rebates work, our common measures list, and the program process.
Get Started
1. Submit an Interest & Eligibility Form
After reviewing program eligibility and requirements, fill out the BAMBE Interest & Eligibility Form. Once submitted, a program representative will call you to confirm eligibility, and you’ll be assigned a Technical Assistant (TA).
2. Meet Your Technical Assistant
Your TA will help you develop a project scope and provide expert guidance on equipment, financing/lender services, and additional incentive opportunities.
3. Complete a Site Visit
Your TA will visit the property and prepare an Energy Survey Report outlining project scope, expected energy savings, and rebate amounts.
4. Reserve Your Rebate & Begin Construction
After finalizing the project scope, your TA will reserve your rebate. You can then purchase equipment and start construction.
5. Complete Construction & Documentation
Once upgrades are installed, your contractor will notify your TA. The TA will submit final documentation for rebate processing.
6. Receive Your Rebate
After a post-installation site visit to confirm proper installation, you’ll receive your rebate check by mail within 3–6 weeks.
Actual project timeline will depend on existing site conditions, project scope and complexity, and responsiveness of project contact, contractors, PG&E, and building departments issuing permits, and any co-leveraged incentive programs. Projects are expected to complete within 6-12 months from rebate reservation to complete installation of the reserved project scope.
Program Funding
The Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancements (BAMBE) Program is funded by California Investor Owned Utility (IOU) customers through the Public Purpose Program charge, which is administered under the oversight of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
As part of the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), BAMBE is one of several programs designed to help residents and property owners save energy, lower costs, and support California’s climate and clean energy goals.
Questions?
Contact our program and we will get back to you within 3-5 business days.
Email: Multifamily@bayren.org
Phone: (855) 213-2838