To further advance energy efficiency in buildings across the country, the Department of Energy is launching two new Better Buildings Accelerators that will help American families improve the efficiency of their homes. The two new accelerators announced today are aimed at making home energy information more accessible to potential homebuyers and improving and expanding home upgrade programs that help Americans save money on their energy bills. With new accelerators announced today, the Department is working to build on the success of the Better Buildings Challenge, cutting energy waste and moving the United States closer to a clean energy future.
“By improving the efficiency of buildings across the country, Better Buildings partners are saving money by saving energy, creating more sustainable communities, and helping to protect future generations from the impacts of climate change," said Under Secretary for Science and Energy Franklin Orr. “Expanding the program to include water savings and the residential sector means that American families can be a part of this successful partnership that cuts costs and pollution."
New Better Buildings Accelerators Focus on Home Energy Improvement
The programs launched today will focus on improving energy efficiency in our nation’s homes by streamlining processes and expanding awareness of homes’ energy performance. Through the Better Buildings Home Energy Information Accelerator, national organizations, federal agencies, and regional, state, and local leaders in real estate and energy efficiency will expand the availability and use of reliable home energy information at relevant points in residential real estate transactions.
New partners in the Home Energy Information Accelerator:
* Appraisal Institute
* Clean Energy Works
* Colorado Energy Office
* CoreLogic
* Council of Multiple Listing Services
* District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility
* Earth Advantage
* Elevate Energy
* Green Button Alliance
* Home Innovation Research Labs
* Home Performance Coalition
* Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
* Information and Real Estate Services, LLC
* Institute for Market Transformation
* Metropolitan Regional Information Systems
* Midwest Real Estate Data
* National Association of Realtors’ Center for Realtor Technology®
* National Association of State Energy Officials
* Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
* Oregon Department of Energy
* PicketFence.com
* Real Estate Standards Organization
* Realtors Property Resource, LLC
* Regional Multiple Listing Service
* U.S. Green Building Council
* Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
The Home Upgrade Program Accelerator supports residential efficiency programs managed by utilities and state and local governments as they provide upgrade services to more homes across the country. These programs currently complete hundreds of thousands of home upgrades annually with an average savings of 20 percent for participating households. By leveraging data management and other strategies that minimize costs while improving overall program effectiveness these programs could complete millions of home energy upgrades annually, helping more Americans save money on their home energy bills.
New partners in the Home Upgrade Program Accelerator:
* Arizona Public Service
* Build It Green
* Building Performance Institute
* Clean Energy Works
* New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
* Pearl Home Certification
Better Buildings Solutions Center Launched as Additional Resource for Organizations
Additionally, the Energy Department is announcing a new online resource, the Better Buildings Solution Center, for businesses and state and local governments across the country. This Solution Center is an online tool designed to help organizations explore the solutions tested and proven by partners. Users can easily browse energy solutions by topic, building type, solution type, specific barrier, technology, location and more. There are more than 200 solutions available today - 100 more are expected to be added by the end of 2015.
Better Buildings aims to make commercial, public, industrial, and residential buildings 20 percent more energy efficient over the next decade. This means saving hundreds of dollars on energy bills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating thousands of jobs. Through Better Buildings, public and private sector organizations across the country are working together to share and replicate positive gains in energy efficiency. The Energy Department is currently pursuing strategies within four interrelated key areas to catalyze change and investment in energy efficiency. Read more about Better Buildings Challenge partner results, showcase projects and innovative solutions being shared with others in the.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
