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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.

2007 Great Energy Efficiency Day

2007 Great Energy Efficiency Day

February 14, 2007 - 8:00am - 4:00pm
Washington, District Of Columbia
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2006 World Energy Outlook Offers Prescription for Change

Date: Jan 09, 2007

World government leaders have the choice to set a global energy policy course that will reduce overall energy demand and drastically curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This course is outlined in a recently released report by the International Energy Agency.

World government leaders have the choice to set a global energy policy course that will reduce overall energy demand and drastically curb harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This course is outlined in a recently released report – The World Energy Outlook 2006 – by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and offers a compelling look at a sustainable energy future that can be accomplished by instituting measures and polices already under consideration by many countries.

 

One-Year Extension of Energy-Efficiency Tax Incentives A Positive But Limited Step, Says Alliance to Save Energy

Date: 
December 11, 2006

Congress’s one-year extension of selected energy-efficiency tax incentives – expected to be signed into law shortly by President Bush – is a positive, but time-limited, step for promoting energy efficiency throughout the U.S. economy.

Washington, D.C., December 11, 2006 – Congress’s one-year extension of selected energy-efficiency tax incentives – expected to be signed into law shortly by President Bush – is a positive, but time-limited, step for promoting energy efficiency throughout the U.S. economy, the Alliance to Save Energy said today.

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ASE Purchases Renewable Energy Credits for New Office Space

Date: Nov 16, 2006

The Alliance and its design team worked diligently to include many energy-efficiency and environmentally friendly elements into its new office space.

The Alliance and its design team worked diligently to include many energy-efficiency and environmentally friendly elements into its new office space. We also decided to purchase Renewable Energy Credits (aka Tradable Renewable Credits or Green Tags) equal to 100% of our estimated electricity consumption for the next two years. The Alliance selected Windcurrent to provide us with Green-e certified renewable energy credits.

2006 Dinner

2006 Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards Dinner

September 12, 2006 - 6:00pm - 10:00pm
441 G Street, NW, Washington, District Of Columbia
2006 Policy Summit

2006 Policy Summit - Energy Efficiency: The First Solution for Addressing Climate Change

September 12, 2006 - 8:00am - 2:00pm
Washington, District Of Columbia

Alliance to Save Energy Says Western Govs’ Energy Efficiency Recommendations Provide ‘Blueprint’ for Other Regions, Congress

Date: 
June 15, 2006

The Alliance to Save Energy challenges the federal government and states outside the West to emulate the Western Governors’ Association’s (WGA) commitment to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020.

Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006 – The Alliance to Save Energy challenges the federal government and states outside the West to emulate the Western Governors’ Association’s (WGA) commitment to increase energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020. The WGA adopted this strong energy-efficiency goal and recommended an array of policies aimed at fulfilling them at its recent meeting in Sedona, Ariz.

Alliance to Save Energy Hails Introduction of Bill to Extend Energy Policy Act Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits through 2010

Date: 
March 14, 2006

The creation of sustainable markets for energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings got a boost today with the introduction of a Senate bill to extend new federal tax credits authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 through 2010, the Alliance to Save Energy said today.

Washington, D.C., March 14, 2006 – The creation of sustainable markets for energy-efficient homes and commercial buildings got a boost today with the introduction of a Senate bill to extend new federal tax credits authorized in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 through 2010, the Alliance to Save Energy said today.

IRS Guidance Helps Consumers Benefit from New Federal Tax Incentives for Energy-Efficiency Home Improvements

Date: 
February 23, 2006

The Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) has posted links to new Internal Revenue Service guidelines so consumers and businesses can take full advantage of new federal tax credits for energy-saving technologies and practices. The guidelines cover existing homes, new homes, and new manufactured homes.

Washington, D.C., February 23 – The Tax Incentives Assistance Project (TIAP) has posted links to new Internal Revenue Service guidelines so consumers and businesses can take full advantage of new federal tax credits for energy-saving technologies and practices. The guidelines cover existing homes, new homes, and new manufactured homes.

White House Must Put Money where its Rhetoric is On Energy-Efficiency, Says Alliance to Save Energy

Date: 
February 21, 2006

“Now that the Bush Administration has ‘found’ money to reinstate 32 positions at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), it must also ‘find’ sufficient money to reinstate the important energy-efficiency programs that are slashed or zeroed out in its FY ’07 budget request,” Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan said.

Washington, D.C., February 21, 2006 – “Now that the Bush Administration has ‘found’ money to reinstate 32 positions at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), it must also ‘find’ sufficient money to reinstate the important energy-efficiency programs that are slashed or zeroed out in its FY ’07 budget request,” Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan said today.

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