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Energy-efficient buildings, whether new or existing, lessen our nation's energy use.

Essential to Efficiency

Buildings consume 40 percent of all energy used in the United States and are responsible for nearly 40 percent of domestic carbon dioxide emissions. Efficient buildings reduce the speed and severity of global warming, lessen demand on the power grid, decrease stress on natural gas supplies, improve local air quality and save consumers money. Efficient features may be either embedded in new buildings or added to existing buildings through energy retrofits.

New Buildings

The design phase of a new building is the best opportunity to embed long-term energy savings into the building. Major improvements in building efficiency are often accomplished through stronger efficiency requirements in building codes. More on building codes.

Existing Buildings

With less than 1.5 percent of the U.S. building stock built new each year, improving existing buildings is critical to improving building efficiency overall. Energy retrofits, which upgrade equipment and seal the envelope of existing buildings, can save building inhabitants up to 20 percent on their utility bills. Still, participation in retrofit programs remains low. Financial support and technical assistance from all levels of government can help drive energy efficiency retrofits.

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New Energy Efficiency Tax Credit Bills Introduced in U.S. Senate

Date: Aug 26, 2009

In August 2009, Senators Snowe (R-Maine) and Bingaman (D-N.M.) released a package of bills that would extend certain tax credits for energy efficiency in homes and industries, and create several new credits. While the three bills would expand and extend existing credits, they would also aim to drive technological innovation by focusing incentives toward cutting edge projects and improvements.

Three Senate bills would expand and extend incentives for energy efficiency improvements and new efficient buildings in residential and industrial sectors

Alliance to Save Energy Congratulates Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance for Spurring Efficiency in Its Region With $500K Award to Charlottesville, Albemarle Co., Va.

Author: 
Ronnie Kweller
Contact Email: 
rkweller@ase.org
Date: 
July 21, 2009

The Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) significantly advanced energy efficiency in its region by awarding Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Va., $500,000 for their winning entry in a regional competition to save energy and money and create jobs.

Washington, D.C., July 20, 2009 – The Alliance to Save Energy today congratulated the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA) for significantly advancing energy efficiency in its region by awarding Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Va., $500,000 for their winning entry in a regional competition to save energy and money and create jobs.

A panel of national experts selected theirs among 16 proposals submitted based on depth of community involvement and support, comprehensiveness and innovation in program design, and reasonableness of project objectives.

Analysis of The Waxman-Markey Climate And Energy Bill

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Chambers of Congress
July 21, 2009

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) that passed the House on June 26th, 2009 provides a critical and effective framework to make the United States a world leader in advancing energy efficiency and addressing climate change. ACES establishes an economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions and puts the United States on a trajectory to reduce emissions by 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES) that passed the House on June 26th, 2009 provides a critical and effective framework to make the United States a world leader in advancing energy efficiency and addressing climate change. ACES establishes an economy-wide cap on greenhouse gas emissions and puts the United States on a trajectory to reduce emissions by 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050.1

Energy Legislation

Powerlines
July 16, 2009

The Alliance Policy Team works on the design, passage, and implementation of federal and state energy efficiency legislation. At the federal level, energy efficiency policies are sometimes passed individually, but often incorporated into larger omnibus energy bills incorporating separate energy policies in one document. This page highlights federal energy legislation in the past five years.

The Alliance Policy Team works on the design, passage, and implementation of federal and state energy efficiency legislation. At the federal level, energy efficiency policies are sometimes passed individually, but often incorporated into larger omnibus energy bills incorporating separate energy policies in one document. This page highlights federal energy legislation currently under consideration, as well as major bills passed in the past five years.

Analysis of Building Energy Code Provisions in 2009 House and Senate Energy Bills

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codes_house-senate_comparison-09.pdf
Roof Trusses
July 15, 2009

Section 241 of Building Efficiency title as reported from Senate ENR Committee and section 201 of American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009 as passed by the House of Representatives

 

Senate Energy Committee

House Energy and Commerce Committee

Section 241 of Building Efficiency title as reported from Senate ENR Committee

FY 2010 Federal Energy Efficiency Programs Funding

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ASE-EE_funding_chart-FY10.pdf
Stethescope and Money
July 15, 2009

An analysis of the administration's budget proposal. It reviews specific requests and compares them to the FY2010 requests and FY2010 appropriations, as well as funds appropriated in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Below is a policy analysis of the administration's budget proposal. It reviews specific requests and compares them to the FY2010 requests and FY2010 appropriations, as well as funds appropriated in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

(Millions of dollars)

Unlikely New Coalition Shines Spotlight on National Goal of Dramatically Upping Energy Efficiency of ALL New U.S. Homes, Commercial Buildings

Author: 
Ronnie Kweller
Contact Email: 
rkweller@ase.org
Date: 
June 30, 2009

The Building Energy Efficient Codes Network (BEECN), a diverse and even unlikely new coalition of utilities, the building and manufacturing industries, regional and national energy efficiency organizations, labor, academia, think tanks, and more today launched an integrated national campaign advocating strengthened codes to greatly reduce energy from America’s largest user – its homes and commercial buildings.

Utility CEO, State Energy & Industry Assn Heads, Homebuilder, Efficiency Advocates Join in Urgent Call for Strong Building Energy Codes in All States

American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009:Title III: Global Warming Pollution Reduction Program

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aces_summary.pdf
Chambers of Congress
June 29, 2009

On June 26, 2009 the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009, a combined energy and climate bill representing our first real chance for a national carbon reduction plan in the United States. The bill combines standards and incentives to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies with a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will continue to work to obtain Senate passage of strong climate legislation.

On June 26, 2009 the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009, a combined energy and climate bill representing our first real chance for a national carbon reduction plan in the United States. The bill combines standards and incentives to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies with a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will continue to work to obtain Senate passage of strong climate legislation.

American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009: Title IV: Transitioning to a Clean Energy Economy

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aces_summary.pdf
Chambers of Congress
June 6, 2009

On June 26, 2009 the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009, a combined energy and climate bill representing our first real chance for a national carbon reduction plan in the United States. The bill combines standards and incentives to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies with a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will continue to work to obtain Senate passage of strong climate legislation.

On June 26, 2009 the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009, a combined energy and climate bill representing our first real chance for a national carbon reduction plan in the United States. The bill combines standards and incentives to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies with a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will continue to work to obtain Senate passage of strong climate legislation.

American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009: Title V: Agricultural and Forestry Related Offsets

application/pdf icon
aces_summary.pdf
Chambers of Congress
June 29, 2009

On June 26, 2009 the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009, a combined energy and climate bill representing our first real chance for a national carbon reduction plan in the United States. The bill combines standards and incentives to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies with a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will continue to work to obtain Senate passage of strong climate legislation.

On June 26, 2009 the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) of 2009, a combined energy and climate bill representing our first real chance for a national carbon reduction plan in the United States. The bill combines standards and incentives to promote clean energy and energy efficiency technologies with a firm cap on greenhouse gas emissions. The Alliance will continue to work to obtain Senate passage of strong climate legislation.

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