WASHINGTON — To further advance energy efficiency in buildings, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it is launching two new Better Buildings Accelerators to help American families improve the efficiency of their homes. The two new accelerators 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, DOE said it is working to build on the success of the Better Buildings Challenge.
“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 Franklin Orr, under secretary for science and energy. “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.”
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 are:
• 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, DOE said 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 are:
• Arizona Public Service
• Build It Green
• Building Performance Institute
• Clean Energy Works
• New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
• Pearl Home Certification
In addition, DOE announced 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 implemented 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 with 100 more expected to be added by the end of 2015.
Publication date: 6/8/2015
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