WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has released a new resource, the Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Center, to share proven methods for reducing energy waste in residential buildings. A result of the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, the Solution Center shows how to design, implement, and evaluate efficiency programs to improve the energy efficiency of communities. It profiles solutions used to improve the efficiency of homes and other buildings by 20 percent or more, said DOE.

Now available online, the Solution Center — what DOE calls a one-stop shop for residential energy efficiency program administrators and home performance professionals — highlights proven strategies that Better Buildings Neighborhood Program partners used to make energy efficiency more accessible to homes and businesses. During the past four years, the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program worked with more than 40 communities across the country to develop sustainable energy efficiency programs. The program helped to facilitate more than 100,000 energy-saving upgrades in homes and buildings, saving families and businesses more than $730 million on utility bills, and demonstrated a variety of successful program approaches.

The Solution Center is organized into a series of handbooks with step-by-step guidance for planning, operating, and evaluating a residential energy efficiency program. The handbooks offer proven methods for helping program administrators and home performance professionals bring home energy upgrades to consumers. Each one draws on the experiences of multiple programs and contains resources such as tools, calculators, publications, videos, presentations, and program examples. Users can find information regarding business models, program designs, marketing and outreach, financing, contractor engagement, workforce development, and evaluation and data collection.

All content is based on qualitative and quantitative evidence and best practices from existing energy efficiency programs. It has been reviewed by third-party experts. DOE invites users to explore the Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Center and suggest additional content or materials for possible inclusion by emailing BBRPSolutionCenter@ee.doe.gov. Based on feedback from users, DOE said it will routinely make updates and enhancements to the content.

To access the Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Center, visit https://bbnp.pnnl.gov/.

Publication date: 11/17/2014

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