by Shane Henson — February 15, 2012—The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) latest publication, Engaging as Partners in Energy Efficiency: Multifamily Housing and Utilities, could help building owners and residents start saving real money when it comes to their buildings’ energy efficiency.
The easy-to-read guide demonstrates that energy use in multifamily buildings can be reduced substantially, and cost-effective upgrades can result in utility cost savings of 15 to 30 percent in buildings with five or more residential units. The key to unlocking the savings, the report finds, is for energy utilities and apartment building owners to work together more closely to develop effective energy efficiency policies.
Energy efficiency upgrades improve the bottom line for multifamily building owners, help maintain affordable housing, decrease financial risk for lending institutions, and improve occupant comfort, say the report authors. However, building owners often have difficulty finding technical assistance, financing, or qualified contractors to upgrade their buildings. Better coordination between apartment building owners and energy utilities could address that, according to the report’s analysis.
The study finds that there is a vast, largely untapped opportunity to engage utilities in providing effective energy efficiency programs that target the multifamily sector. The research examines utilities’ involvement in energy efficiency efforts across the country and identifies strategies that the multifamily building community can use to work together for improved efficiency.
The report also identifies regions where the multifamily sector could see particularly dramatic benefits from improvements in energy efficiency policy. These include Florida, Illinois, Texas, and the District of Columbia—regions that have a substantial number of multifamily buildings and energy policies that reportedly leave significant room for improvement.
