by Shane Henson — December 11, 2013—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the expansion of its Better Buildings Challenge to include multifamily housing in efforts to further reduce energy costs in buildings throughout the United States. The DOE expects that improving the energy efficiency of these buildings by 20 percent will save nearly $7 billion in energy costs each year.
The Better Buildings Challenge supports commercial and industrial building owners by providing technical assistance and proven solutions to energy efficiency. The program also provides a forum for matching partners and allies to enhance collaboration and problem solving in energy efficiency.
As part of the recent expansion of the program, the DOE and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are partnering with market rate and affordable housing owners as well as public housing agencies to cut energy waste and help families save on their utility bills. Through the Challenge expansion, 50 multifamily partners—representing roughly 200,000 units and more than 190 million square feet of floor space—have committed to cutting their energy use by 20 percent in 10 years, says the DOE.
The DOE also launched three new Better Buildings Accelerators to support and encourage ongoing efforts led by state and local governments to save money and energy:
- Energy Data Accelerator, with more than 30 cities and utilities developing streamlined approaches to help building owners access whole-building energy use data;
- Performance Contracting Accelerator, with 16 states, cities, and school districts entering into $1.2 billion worth of performance-based contracts, to drive economic development, utilize private sector innovation, and increase efficiency at minimum cost; and
- Industrial Superior Energy Performance (SEP) Accelerator, with nine U.S. manufacturers and utilities using a superior energy performance certification program to verify energy efficiency improvements and practices.
The multifamily housing organizations joining the Challenge will showcase innovative strategies to boost energy efficiency, including lighting improvements, heating and cooling system upgrades, installing rooftop solar systems, and supporting new financing for energy retrofits and green construction. These partners will also share best practices and lessons learned with other Challenge participants, serving as a model for the broader U.S. multifamily housing industry.
