A number of schemes to improve existing buildings' energy efficiency have been funded or sponsored by the US federal, state and local governments. Examples of these schemes include the following:

• The Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) initiative is a widely adopted and innovative means of financing energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to buildings. Interested property owners voluntarily evaluate measures that achieve energy savings and financing for the up-front cost of energy or other eligible improvements on a property. This financing is then repaid as a property tax assessment over a period of up to 20 years. The loan obligation is attached to the property rather than the individual who made the loan, and the PACE financing mechanism provides strong credit without the need for government subsidies, which is attractive to private sector investors. The PACE program is structured to overcome challenges that have traditionally hindered the adoption of energy efficiency and related projects in buildings by (i) eliminating up-front costs, (ii) providing low-cost long-term financing, and (iii) making it easy for building owners to transfer repayment obligations to a new owner. The program is available for both residential and commercial buildings. PACE programs add value and have gained bipartisan support nationwide at federal, state, and local levels. To date, 37 states and the District of Columbia have adopted (or already had) legislation that enables local governments to offer PACE benefits to building owners.
• The DOE's Building America Program is a cost-shared industry partnership research program that works with national laboratories and science research teams to accelerate the development and adoption of advanced building energy technologies and practices in new and existing homes. This work advances building technologies and practices to decarbonize homes, while centering on equity and benefits to communities.

Additionally, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development provides Energy Performance Contracts. This is a financing technique that uses energy and/or water cost savings from reduced energy and/or water consumption to repay the costs of installing Energy Conservation Measures.