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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.

Energy Bills Not As Low As Expected after Improvements? Check out 4 Possibilities, Advises Alliance to Save Energy

Contact Email: 
rkweller@ase.org
Date: 
April 21, 2009

Perhaps you've replaced a couple of old, inefficient appliances with more energy-efficient models, yet your energy bills are about the same. Or you have insulated, weather-stripped and sealed your home, but your energy bills are not as low as you expected after these energy efficiency improvements. What's the problem?

Washington, DC, April 2009—Perhaps you've replaced a couple of old, inefficient appliances with more energy-efficient models, yet your energy bills are about the same. Or you have insulated, weather-stripped and sealed your home, but your energy bills are not as low as you expected after these energy efficiency improvements. What's the problem?

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Thinking Long-term: the Alliance's FY 2010 Funding Recommendations

Date: Apr 09, 2009

The recent avalanche of funding for energy efficiency in the  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has made the need for regular  appropriations more urgent, not less. This in mind, the Alliance-led Energy  Efficiency Coalition issued its FY 2010 budget recommendations in a letter  addressed jointly to the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the House and  Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Energy and Water.

 

The recent avalanche of funding for energy efficiency in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has made the need for regular appropriations more urgent, not less. This in mind, the Alliance-led Energy Efficiency Coalition issued its FY 2010 budget recommendations in a letter addressed jointly to the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Energy and Water.

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The Alliance Undertakes New Project in Pakistan

Date: Apr 09, 2009

The Alliance, in consortium with the International Resources Group (IRG), has been awarded a three-year contract by USAID/Pakistan Mission for the Empower Pakistan – Energy Efficiency and Capacity (EP-EEC) Project.

The Alliance, in consortium with the International Resources Group (IRG), has been awarded a three-year contract by USAID/Pakistan Mission for the Empower Pakistan – Energy Efficiency and Capacity (EP-EEC) Project.

New Proposals for Major Energy Saving, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs in the U.K.

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Contact Email: 
tsimchak@ase.org
Date: 
March 31, 2009

In the U.K., the Government’s Department of Energy & Climate Change recently released two proposals for new programs and one amendment to an existing program that would drastically reduce the greenhouse gas impact in the built environment while also helping residents – particularly the low-income, elderly and disabled – lower their energy bills.

In the U.K., the Government’s Department of Energy & Climate Change recently released two proposals for new programs and one amendment to an existing program that would drastically reduce the greenhouse gas impact in the built environment while also helping residents – particularly the low-income, elderly and disabled – lower their energy bills.

Recovery Act Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Funding Opportunity Announcement

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alliance_wap_guidance.pdf
Weatherization
March 26, 2009

The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides $5 billion over two years for weatherization of low-income family homes, through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP).

The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) provides $5 billion over two years for weatherization of low-income family homes, through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). WAP is an existing DOE program revised under ARRA to reach a larger number of homes and increase the amount of assistance offered to each home, administered through states. The ARRA funding represents a temporary 5-fold increase in DOE weatherization funding and follows President Obama’s initiative to eventually weatherize 1 million homes per year.

Recovery Act State Energy Program Funding Opportunity Announcement

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alliance_sep_guid.pdf
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March 26, 2009

On March 12, 2009, the Department of Energy released a funding opportunity announcement for the $3.1 billion State Energy Program in the Recovery Act, passed a month before. This page summarizes that announcement.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) appropriated $3.1 billion for the Department of Energy’s State Energy Program (SEP), which provides funding to state energy offices (SEOs) for energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

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Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance Study Finds Big EE Potential in the Southeast U.S.

Date: Mar 25, 2009

A new study by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) entitled Energy Efficiency in Appalachia has found that implementing energy-efficiency measures in Appalachia has the potential to help create tens of thousands of jobs and save billions in energy costs to Appalachian consumers over the next 20 years. Conducted for ARC by the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA), the report also finds that a bold energy efficiency initiative could cut projected energy use in the Region by up to 24 percent by the year 2030.

A new study by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) entitled Energy Efficiency in Appalachia has found that implementing energy-efficiency measures in Appalachia has the potential to help create tens of thousands of jobs and save billions in energy costs to Appalachian consumers over the next 20 years.

Brief #3: Paying for Energy Efficiency Upgrades through Utility Bills

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On-Bill Loans - Final.pdf
Financing
March 19, 2009

This brief focuses on on-bill financing programs which allow the customers to pay for energy efficiency upgrades through a charge on their monthly utility bills.

Paying for Energy Efficiency Upgrades through Utility Bills focuses on on-bill financing programs which allow the customers to pay for energy efficiency upgrades through a charge on their monthly utility bills. This brief describes two types of on-bill programs and provides a survey of experiences with these programs to date, as well as a discussion on their various features, pros and cons and ideal applications.

ARC Study: Efficiency Measures Can Save Billions in Energy Costs

Contact Email: 
rkweller@ase.org
Date: 
March 18, 2009

A new study commissioned by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) concludes that implementing energy-efficiency measures in Appalachia has the potential to help create tens of thousands of jobs and save billions in energy costs to Appalachian consumers over the next 20 years.

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2009—A new study commissioned by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) concludes that implementing energy-efficiency measures in Appalachia has the potential to help create tens of thousands of jobs and save billions in energy costs to Appalachian consumers over the next 20 years.

Recovery Act - Summary of Energy Efficiency Provisions

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arra_summary.pdf
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March 23, 2009

Signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is the single greatest federal investment in the American economy in United States’ history. The Recovery Act provided more than $25 billion dollars for “core” energy efficiency and billions more which can be directly or indirectly applied to energy efficiency projects. This page summarizes the efficiency provisions in the Recovery Act.

Signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is the single greatest federal investment in the American economy in United States’ history. The Recovery Act includes more than $25 billion dollars for “core” energy efficiency and billions more which can be directly or indirectly applied to energy efficiency projects.

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