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Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency

CONTENTS

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Current and Future Energy Use in American Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Overcoming Barriers to More Efficient Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Key Milestones for Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Benefits of Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Overview of Coordinated Agency Work Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Schematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R H O M E E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y 1

IntroductionAmericans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light, and live in ourhomes. This energy represents about 21 percent of the national total and includessignificant demands for electricity and natural gas. Without additional efforts toimprove the efficiency of home energy use, our national home energy bill isexpected to rise to $200 billion by 2015 and expend more of our natural resources.

The energy used in our homes also contributes about 17 percent of U.S. emissionsof greenhouse gases. The President has committed to a national goal of improvingthe greenhouse gas intensity of the country by 18 percent by 2012. And he hascalled on all companies to voluntarily take action to help reduce emissions ofgreenhouse gases.

With these challenges in mind, three Agencies of the federal government arecoordinating the Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency to make U.S. homesmore energy efficient and help households cost-effectively save 10 percent ormore on their energy bills over the next decade. This cross-agency initiative will build on existing policies and programs that involve partnerships withmanufacturers, retailers, home contractors and remodelers, utilities, states,financial organizations, and educational institutions, among others, to leverage the power and creativity of the marketplace. The initiative also will build newcoalitions and undertake new programs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are convincedthat together with our partners we can significantly improve the efficiency ofAmerica’s housing stock in the coming decade by bringing better information andcost-effective services, technologies, products, and practices to all sectors of thehousing market. The Agencies and their partners will promote adoption of the

Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

If, through greater energy efficiency, American households saved10% on their home energy bills in the next 10 years, that wouldu total almost $20 billion a year in savings,u increase the affordability and comfort of homes,u reduce demand for natural gas by more than 1 quad,u avoid the need for more than 40 power plants, and u prevent the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from

more than 25 million vehicles.

2 P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R H O M E E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y

many available, but as yet under utilized, options forimproving home energy efficiency and educatehouseholds about the benefits of an energy-efficienthome. Helping families improve the efficiency oftheir homes is one way for all Americans to be partof the solution.

The Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiencyprimarily focuses on existing homes—both ownedand rented. The initiative provides support tohomeowners who have a personal incentive to investin energy efficiency, as well as to rental propertyowners wishing to make improvements in theirproperties. The initiative addresses market rate,private sector housing as well as federally assistedor financed housing.

Progress in improving the efficiency of U.S. housinghas, in fact, been made in the past 30 years throughpolicies such as building codes and appliance efficiencystandards and through improvements in buildingmaterials, designs, technologies, and constructionpractices. New refrigerators, for example, require justone-third the electricity they did 30 years ago. However,great opportunities remain to improve efficiency evenfurther by expanding on these accomplishments andleveraging the power of the market.

Advances in energy efficiency will play animportant role in our energy future. Greaterefficiency is a key element of our National EnergyPolicy and national efforts to reduce the risks ofglobal climate change. By helping to make U.S.housing more efficient, the Partnerships for HomeEnergy Efficiency will contribute to these efforts. Atthe national level, increased energy efficiencyaddresses energy security, environmental concerns,and energy supply issues. At the personal level,increased energy efficiency can lower Americans’home energy bills, reduce the cost of housing, andhelp improve the quality of our lives.

The OpportunitiesMany households could save 20 to 30 percent on their household energy bills through cost-effectivehousehold improvements such as:

u Selecting products distinguished by the ENERGYSTAR label, the government-backed symbol forenergy efficiency, when in the market to purchaseproducts such as refrigerators, clothes washers,dishwashers, and home electronics, among others,

u Paying special attention to using ENERGY STARqualified light fixtures and bulbs in the mostfrequently used areas of the home,

u Improving the home’s “envelope” by applyingappropriate amounts of insulation combined withhome air sealing and choosing high-efficiencywindows when looking for replacements,

u Improving the efficiency of heating and cooling systems through better maintenance ofequipment, sealing the ducts carrying theconditioned air, installing modern thermostats,and hiring a qualified expert to ensure thereplacement unit is properly sized and installed to deliver the rated efficiency, and

u Remodeling with an eye on energy efficiencywhen household improvements or renovations are underway.

Many low income and subsidized housinghouseholds could see similar savings with assistancefrom the appropriate weatherization and publichousing energy programs. Households, as well ashousing agencies, that take these measures wouldsee sufficient savings within the first several years ofa purchase or home improvement project to offsetany additional initial investment.

The three Agencies involved in the initiative understandthat a number of economic, institutional, and practicalobstacles can inhibit families and individuals frompursuing these energy efficiency opportunities on alarge scale. Market barriers, such as lack of informationand split incentives, limit expenditures on what are, infact, attractive investments when examined with fullinformation. The initiative will work to overcomethese barriers.


Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency DOE, HUD, and EPA already are partnering with leadingorganizations across the country to overcome marketbarriers to achieving greater home energy efficiency.Together, they are bringing information and cost-effective,energy-efficient services, technologies, products, andpractices to our homes.

Through the initiative, the federal government is extendingexisting partnerships and building new ones that willincreasingly promote cost-effective, efficient products,develop and promote a new suite of energy efficiencyservices built on industry best practices that offer additionalhome energy savings, promote energy efficiency to lowincome and subsidized housing markets, and continue tointegrate the results of innovative research into residentialconstruction and remodeling practices.

The Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency will

u Provide greater public education on the value andavailability of energy-efficient products and services,

u Give clear, credible information on efficient products toconsumers through the Energy Guide label and theENERGY STAR program,

u Develop training in energy-efficient remodelingtechniques for home remodelers,

u Establish new credentialing programs and qualityassurance/quality control (QA/QC) mechanisms forhome contractors and home improvement professionals,

u Create a new energy efficiency service for theinstallation and verification of cooling equipment, whichwill be available to credentialed contractors who agree toemploy industry best practices and have their workverified,

u Expand the new standardized home improvementservice—Home Performance with ENERGY STAR—tobe offered by credentialed home professionals whoagree to follow industry best practices for efficient homeretrofits and have their work quality controlled,

u Create educational materials on energy-efficient buildingscience for career professionals and contractors,

u Provide access to financing, where possible, to differentsegments of the housing market,

u Extend energy efficiency products and services into thelow income and affordable housing market throughWeatherization Assistance Programs, HUD’s EnergyAction Plan, and partnerships with affordable housingproviders and intermediaries, and

u Invest in research on innovative building sciencetechnologies, practices, and policies and disseminate the research results to benefit residential equipmentmanufacturers, builders and remodelers, homeowners,and others in the home energy transaction chain.

MANUFACTURERS

RETAILERS

Expand the ENERGY STAR program to qualifymore home products, to increase consumerawareness of the ENERGY STAR, and toincrease understanding of the cost savingsavailable to homeowners through theirproduct choices.

Expand partnerships with national, regional,and specialty retailers to bring a broader setof energy efficiency solutions to moreconsumers.

More than 1,400 product manufacturers acrosssome 40 product categories for the homecurrently distinguish their products that areenergy efficient and cost-effective with theENERGY STAR label.

Working with national, regional, and specialtyretailers to provide consumers with clear,credible information on cost-effective energy-efficient solutions when they are makingpurchasing decisions.

CURRENT AND EXPANDING FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS INVOLVE THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

CURRENT WORK FUTURE WORK

UTILITIES AND OTHERENERGY EFFICIENCYPROGRAM SPONSORS

HOME BUILDERS

HOME CONTRACTORS,HOME IMPROVEMENTPROFESSIONALS, ANDREMODELERS

FINANCIALORGANIZATIONS

AFFORDABLE HOUSINGPROVIDERS

EDUCATIONALINSTITUTIONS

Continue to partner with these organizationsand help them deliver clear, credible informationon cost-effective, energy-efficient productsand services.

Help more home builders integrate buildingscience technologies and practices into newhomes, while seeking to reduce energy use byclose to 50 percent through DOE’s BuildingAmerica Program. Continue to assist currentpartners, and help new partners, in promotingtheir ENERGY STAR qualified homes to buildconsumer interest in and demand for energy-efficient homes.

Help establish new training and credentialingprograms for home contractors, homeimprovement professionals, and remodelers.Develop the requirements for two new energyefficiency services that can be offered bycredentialed contractors. Provide “BestPractices” guidelines to assist the more than200,000 home remodeling firms in the UnitedStates in incorporating cost-effective, energy-efficient features into their projects.

Work with these financial organizations aswell as local lenders to promote thesemortgage products. Facilitate the use ofattractive, easy-access loan packages forremodeling existing homes.

Work to improve the energy efficiency of thenation’s affordable housing stock, hoping toreduce HUD’s estimated annual utility bill of$4 billion for the approximately 5 million unitsof affordable housing throughout the country.Continue to offer weatherization services tothousands of low income households throughDOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program.Work with Congress, Building America, andHabitiat for Humanity to design and buildaffordable energy-efficient houses.

Develop partnerships with the land grantuniversities and community colleges totransfer federal research and developmentresults to career professionals and contractorsinterested in advanced building science practices.

Many utilities, state and local governments,and other organizations administer residentialenergy efficiency programs as a cost-effectiveway to slow the growth in energy demand andavoid the need for new power plants, amongother objectives.

By the end of 2004, almost 10 percent ofhousing starts earned the ENERGY STARlabel. These homes are significantly moreefficient than those built to code, are lesscostly to own and maintain, and are morecomfortable.

Working with states, local governments,energy efficiency program sponsors, and trade industries to offer services that helphomeowners obtain properly sized andinstalled heating and cooling equipment, aswell as home improvement services that applyindustry best practices to whole home retrofitprojects.

A key incentive to improving energy efficiencyis financing. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, theFederal Housing Administration (FHA), theUSDA, and other organizations offer energy-efficient mortgages with partner lenders,which help owners finance cost-effective,energy efficiency improvements in theirhomes.

An extensive set of partnerships exists amonglocal public housing authorities, communityaction programs, state housing financingoffices, Habitat for Humanity, and the federalgovernment.

The Agencies and their partners havedeveloped a program plan for educationaloutreach for building professionals.

CURRENT AND EXPANDING FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS INVOLVE THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:

CURRENT WORK FUTURE WORK



IntroductionEnergy efficiency is the ability to use less energy to produce the same amount oflighting, heating, and other energy services. For individuals and families, usingless energy means lower energy bills, lower housing costs, and a better quality oflife. For the country as a whole, greater energy efficiency helps us make the mostof U.S. energy resources, reduces energy shortages, decreases the need for newpower plants, lowers our reliance on energy imports, mitigates the impact of highenergy prices, and reduces pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. Energyefficiency is an important element of a sound energy policy and our nationalefforts to reduce the risks of global climate change.

Improved energy efficiency in our homes is the result of many individualdecisions, including those of consumers, manufacturers of appliances and otherproducts, home builders and remodelers, and officials in state, federal, and localgovernment agencies. The federal government, through the Partnerships forHome Energy Efficiency, can help facilitate more decisions to pursue energyefficiency by improving the dissemination of timely and accurate informationregarding the energy use of consumers’ purchases, by setting standards for moreenergy-efficient products, and by encouraging industry to develop more efficientproducts and homes. The federal government can promote energy efficiencythrough programs such as ENERGY STAR®, Weatherization Assistance, andpublic housing, as well as through research into and demonstration of innovativetechnologies and practices for improving home energy efficiency.

CURRENT AND FUTURE ENERGYUSE IN AMERICAN HOMES

NATIONAL ENERGY POLICYRECOMMENDATIONS

The Partnerships for Home EnergyEfficiency helps fulfill threerecommendations of the National Energy Policy.

u Extend the ENERGY STAR®

labeling program to additionalproducts, appliances, and services.

u Strengthen public educationprograms relating to energyefficiency.

u Implement a strategy to increasepublic awareness of the sizablesavings that energy efficiencyoffers to homeowners across thecountry. Typical homeowners cansave about 30 percent (about $400)a year on their home energy bill byusing Energy Star-labeledproducts.

From the National Energy Policy, 2001


Progress has been made over the past 30 years toimprove the efficiency of U.S. housing. However,great opportunities remain to improve home energyefficiency even further by leveraging the power and creativity of the market to build on the nation’s progress.

The Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency is a coordinated effort of the U.S. Department ofEnergy (DOE), Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment (HUD), and EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) in partnership withleading organizations across the country to improvethe energy efficiency of U.S. homes significantlyover the next decade. The three Agencies, togetherwith manufacturers, retailers, utilities, state andlocal governments, home contractors andremodelers, financial organizations, and educationalinstitutions, among others, will leverage the powerof the marketplace to improve owners’ and renters’access to energy efficiency information and cost-effective services, technologies, products, andpractices. This initiative fulfills recommendations ofthe National Energy Policy and allows us all to bepart of the national effort to reduce emissions ofgreenhouse gases.


Energy Use in American HomesWe Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light, and live in our homes. Our110 million homes currently use 22 quads of energy (21 percent of the national total). These homesaccount for 17 percent of total U.S. electricity useand a significant amount of natural gas. Natural gasis used directly by households for heating andcooking and at the generating plant to make peakelectrical power for services such as air-conditioning.Generating the energy used in our homes alsocontributes about 17 percent of U.S. emissions ofgreenhouse gases (Figure 1).

The cost of energy is a sizable household expense;the average household pays approximately $1,500 ayear. Single family homeowners pay an average ofmore than $1,600 per year, and the approximately 33 million households eligible for federal assistancepay about $1270, on average, per year.1

Our monthly energy bills pay for the followingcommon home energy end-uses:

u Space heating,

u Space cooling,

u Water heating,

u Lighting,

u Refrigerators,

u Large appliances (clothes washers and dryers,cooking equipment, freezers, and dishwashers),and

u Small appliances (televisions, other homeelectronics, and home office equipment,among others).

FIGURE 1. U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

FIGURE 2. MAJOR HOME ENERGY END-USES

Source: U.S. EPA 2003

Source: U.S. DOE 2005

FIGURE 3. HOME ENERGY BILLS IN DIFFERENT CLIMATES

Source: U.S. DOE, EIA 2001

1 U.S. DOE, EIA 2001, Table CE1-4e.

Nationally, space heating represents about 30 percent of home energy use, the single largestcategory, followed by small appliances as a group and then water heating and home lighting(Figure 2). While the amount of energy for heatingand cooling varies with climate conditions acrossthe country, most homes have either a significantbill for heating, for cooling, or for a combination ofthe two, which averages about 40 percent of thetotal energy bill nationally (Figure 3).

Much progress has been made over the past 30 years to improve the energy efficiency of U.S.housing. Energy use per person has remained fairlyconstant since the 1970s even though house size hasincreased, and the number of energy-consumingappliances within our homes has gone up.2 Thisstability in energy use per person is due primarilyto market and government responses to rising

energy prices over the years. Americans haveadopted conservation measures at home, whileCongress has demanded increased energy efficiencystandards for products and appliances, and stateshave included energy efficiency in building codes.Manufacturers are supplying more energy-efficientproducts, and builders are applying better buildingpractices in new home construction.

Future Home Energy UseBetween now and 2020, if no significant additionalefforts are made to improve home energy efficiency,energy use in U.S. homes is expected to increase asthe number of homes grows by one-fifth to morethan 130 million. This growth is expected to spurdemand for electricity and natural gas, resulting inmore emissions of greenhouse gases.


TABLE 1. ENERGY USE IN AMERICAN HOMES

2000 2010 2015 2020

NUMBER OF HOMES 105 122 129 136(MILLIONS)

ENERGY CONSUMPTION 20.4 23.5 24.5 25.6 (QUADS)

NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION 5.1 5.7 5.9 6.1(QUADS)

CARBON EMISSIONS 317 369 387 405(MMTCE)

ELECTRICITY SALES 11403 1471 1584 1696(Billion kWh)

TOTAL ENERGY BILLS 162 182 199 216(BILLION 2003 $)

Source: U.S. DOE 2005

2 U.S. DOE, EIA 20043 Electricity sales for 2001

Our homes consume 21% of our national energy use and contribute 17% of U.S. greenhouse gas emssions.


The increase in home energy demand will occur eventhough the energy required for particular end-uses willdecrease. Below are several major trends through 2020 forkey home energy end-uses:

u Heating and cooling will continue as a significant part of the home energy bill, representing about 40 percent of annual energy use in the average home;

u Electricity use for smaller home appliances and otherproducts (televisions, other home electronics, and homeoffice equipment, among others) will grow by more than 70 percent, representing about 27 percent of home energy use;

u Electricity use for home lighting will grow by 30 percent;

u Energy use for larger home appliances will grow byabout 10 percent; and

u Electricity use for home refrigeration will decrease bymore than 20 percent.

Although overall energy use per square foot has decreasedby 30 percent since 1970, this decrease has not beensufficient to overcome the increase in residential energyuse due to the higher number and larger size of homes.Increased energy use is expected to continue through thenext two decades unless there is a much greater emphasison cost-effective, energy-efficient products and services innew and existing homes.

Opportunities for Greater Savingsfrom Energy EfficiencyMany opportunities exist for improving home energyefficiency. The federal government estimates that manyhouseholds could save 20 to 30 percent cost-effectively ontheir energy bills, by taking the following steps:

u Selecting high-efficiency products when shopping forrefrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers, and homeelectronics, among others,

u Using high-efficiency light fixtures and bulbs,

u Improving the envelope of the home by applyingappropriate amounts of insulation, sealing air leaks inthe home, and choosing high-efficiency windows whenlooking for replacements, and

u Improving the energy efficiency of heating and coolingsystems through improved maintenance of equipment,sealing and insulating the ducts carrying theconditioned air, installing modern thermostats, andhiring a qualified expert to ensure the replacement unitis properly sized and installed to deliver the ratedefficiency.

These energy efficiency measures pay for themselves,meaning that households can see sufficient savings withinthe first several years of a purchase, which offset anyadditional initial investment. These steps can reduce the 40 percent share of residential energy bills that goestoward heating and cooling, and they offer additionalsavings as homeowners purchase energy-efficientappliances or undertake major home renovations. Thesteps also address the rising energy bill associated withsmall household products. If more Americans tookadvantage of these cost-effective, energy-efficientsolutions, they could reap significant home energy savings,contribute to natural gas and electricity savings, reduce thenumber of new power plants needed, improve their qualityof life, and help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

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OVERCOMINGBARRIERS TO MORE EFFICIENTHOMES

To understand how the marketplace can improve the energy efficiency in the existing housing stock, as well as new homes, it is helpful to consider therange of barriers or impediments to achieving the goal and to identify steps formitigating or eliminating those barriers. The current marketplace includes manyproduct and system choices that have the potential to reduce home energy useand save households significant amounts of money. However, a number ofeconomic, institutional, and practical obstacles inhibit their larger scale use.Common market barriers include:

HIGHER INITIAL COSTS. Energy-efficient products often cost more thantheir less efficient counterparts, and some people do not have the extra dollarsavailable when they make an expensive purchase, such as a major appliance. So,even if a better appliance would pay for itself fairly quickly through lower energybills, buyers tend to purchase the lower priced product without determining thesavings the product may soon provide.

UNCERTAIN BENEFITS. Consumers may be unsure about the credibility ofthe energy-savings and cost-effectiveness claims of individual manufacturers,sales staff, or remodeling designers. Unless consumers are assured of the potentialsavings, they may be reluctant to pay the additional costs. Businesses that adoptlabeling programs that spell out energy savings may be more successful in sellingmore efficient, yet initially more expensive, products.

INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION. Monthly energy bills generally report thetotal electricity or natural gas used, leaving families unsure about the expense ofindividual energy-using equipment or products and which investments could best help them reduce their costs. This incomplete information is a marketimperfection that hinders purchases of cost-effective, energy-efficient productsand investments in cost-effective, energy-efficient services.

LACK OF INCENTIVE. Decisions about the energy efficiency of new homesand rental properties are not usually made by the consumer who will ultimatelypay the energy bills. To keep costs down, builders and landlords are more likelyto install the least expensive and generally least efficient products that are heavilystocked and discounted by suppliers as part of volume ordering. The builder orlandlord does not have an incentive to choose the designs, equipment, ormaterials that would be judged most cost-effective by homeowners or tenants ifthey were making the decision themselves.

P A R T N E R S H I P S F O R H O M E E N E R G Y E F F I C I E N C Y 1 1

LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCING.People without the extra dollars to purchase an energy-efficient major appliance, buy an efficient home, orundertake a home improvement project often are unawareof the mortgage instruments and other loan options thatcould help them afford the efficient choice. In addition,they may not realize that they can afford the efficientchoice because savings from their lower energy bills willmore than offset the initial cost within a few years.

LACK OF AVAILABILITY. Frequently, the mostenergy-efficient products are less widely available,especially in smaller communities.

LACK OF AUTOMATION. People often walk out oftheir homes with the lights on and the air conditionerrunning. Turning off all unused appliances, electronics,and lights can be inconvenient and time consuming. Lack of automation (e.g., occupancy sensors) means thatconservation mostly depends on people consciouslychoosing to turn switches off. Moreover, some appliancesand electronics, such as stereos, video tape players, andtelevisions, continue to use electricity even after they areturned off.

BARRIERS

Lack of awareness about cost saving options andlinks between energy efficiency and comfort, value,and quality of homes

Poor or conflicting information on product and homeenergy performance

Lack of performance standards that identify qualitycontractors

Limited quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)programs to safeguard against poor workmanship.

Lack of standardized home energy performanceservices offered by the contractor trade

Lack of knowledge about energy efficiency financing

Lack of information in the affordable housing sectorand a process to make energy efficiency improvements

Need for continued technological advances toimprove energy efficiency in new and existing homes

Lack of financial incentives for adoption of energyefficiency in homes

APPROACHES

Public education to establish the connectionbetween energy efficiency and its benefits

Clear, credible information on cost-effective, energy-efficient products and home energy performance

Contractor training and credentialing programs

QA/QC mechanisms to be used by contractors

Whole home energy performance services offeredby qualified professionals

Dissemination of information about energyefficiency financing tools

Implementation/expansion of HUD’s Energy ActionPlan to reach the 5 million units under HUD’s programs

Continuation of innovative research linked with realworld practitioners

Exploration of financial incentives

TABLE 2. MARKET BARRIERS TO IMPROVING HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND APPROACHES FOR ADDRESSING THEM

Approaches exist for overcoming many of the market

barriers limiting greater energy efficiency in our homes


These market barriers leave homeowners withmany questions, such as:

u Which products (or homes) will deliver theclaimed energy savings?

u Which products of those that initially cost moreoffer a reasonable return on the additional cost?

u Which products offer the desired features orperformance in addition to greater energyefficiency (i.e., is a sacrifice required)?

u What design and installation issues are importantto obtaining the claimed energy performance of aproduct?

u How does one find a heating and coolingcontractor or home improvement professionalwho is well versed in the best practices for homeenergy efficiency?

u Is there money available to help cover the higherinitial cost that can be paid back once the savingsare in hand?

In addition, many manufacturers, retailers, homecontractors, and others find it difficult to sellenergy-efficient products and services due to themarket barriers mentioned previously. The lack ofconsumer information and consumer skepticismabout claims for future savings make it difficult tosell higher priced products and services.

Approaches do exist for overcoming many of thesemarket barriers and helping the marketplace offerand deliver energy-efficient products and servicesto households across the country. These approaches,which build on existing energy efficiency policies,codes, and standards as well as other programs,include:

u Educating the public on energy use in the homeand on the potential savings and other benefitsfrom energy-efficient products and homeimprovement projects,

u Clearly and credibly defining which products arecost-effectively energy efficient and offerattractive reductions in energy bills,

u Establishing training and credentialing programsfor professionals who can offer quality servicesfor heating and cooling installations and wholehome improvement projects,

u Offering greater access to financing for energyefficiency improvements where needed,

u Providing energy efficiency measures to lowincome households and through public housingprograms,

u Continuing to undertake research to furtherdevelop lower cost technologies and practices forcost-effectively improving home energy efficiencyand continuing to disseminate these results tomanufacturerer, builders, remodelers,homeowners, and others in the home energytransaction chain, and

u Continuing to conduct reseach to improve ourunderstanding of market barriers and thesolutions to them.

The common barriers to improving home energyefficiency and the broad approaches available forovercoming these barriers are summarized in Table 2.

The next section outlines how the three federalAgencies involved in the Partnerships for HomeEnergy Efficiency are working in a coordinatedmanner and collaborating with leadingorganizations across the country to overcomemarket barriers and pursue these approaches.


PARTNERSHIPS FOR HOMEENERGY EFFICIENCY

Improved energy efficiency is the result of many individual decisions, includingthose of consumers; manufacturers; home builders and remodelers; and state,federal, and local government officials. The Partnerships for Home EnergyEfficiency is a coordinated effort of the federal government to build on existing energyefficiency policies and programs and to work in partnership with leading organizationsto affect many of these decisions and leverage the power of the marketplace. Theinitiative is designed to improve the access households have to energy efficiencyinformation and cost-effective services, technologies, and practices with the goal ofsignificantly improving the efficiency of U.S. homes over the next decade.

To overcome the market barriers to greater home energy efficiency, the federal government is extending existing partnerships and building newpartnerships that

u Provide more public education on the value and availability of energy-efficientproducts and services,

u Give clear and credible information on cost-effective, energy-efficient productsto consumers by building on the Energy Guide label and the ENERGY STARprogram,

u Develop training in cost-effective, energy-efficient remodeling techniques andprovide sets of best practices and technical protocols to home remodelers,

u Establish new credentialing programs and quality assurance/quality control(QA/QC) mechanisms for home contractors and other home professionals,

u Develop new energy efficiency services for the installation and verification ofcooling equipment, which will be available to credentialed contractors whoagree to employ industry best practices and have their work verified,

u Expand the new standardized home energy efficiency service, called HomePerformance with ENERGY STAR, to be offered by credentialed homeprofessionals who agree to follow industry best practices for efficient homeretrofits and have their work quality controlled,

u Create educational materials on energy-efficient building science for careerprofessionals and contractors,

u Facilitate access to financing, where possible, to different segments of thehousing market,

TABLE 3. NATIONAL RETAILERS BRINGING ENERGY EFFICIENCY SOLUTIONS TO CUSTOMERS


u Provide tools and information to the affordablehousing market through HUD’s Energy ActionPlan and assist low income households withhome weatherization, and

u Continue to invest in innovative research inbuilding science technologies, practices, andpolicies and in the dissemination of results tomanufacturers, builders, remodelers, andhomeowners.

The next section illustrates how the three federalAgencies are partnering with thousands of leadingorganizations to implement the ambitious projectsin this initiative.

DRAFT

LOWE’S Lowe's is broadly educating its customers about energy-saving products and practices through in-storepromotions, broadcast advertising, and Web outreach under its branded environmental educationmessage, “Together, We're Saving More Than Money.” This fall, Lowe's will feature the benefits ofenergy-efficient lighting as part of the “ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World” campaign andplans to launch a special fall promotion of all ENERGY STAR qualified products and practices to helpcustomers prepare their homes for winter.

THE HOME The Home Depot has stepped up its efforts to bring the benefits of energy efficiency to its customers by making a 28-page ENERGY STAR educational brochure available at all of its stores. It is a strong supporterof the national campaigns on appliances, "Spring Into a World of Savings”; cooling products, “Cool YourWorld with ENERGY STAR”; and lighting “ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World” all of whichinclude special displays and in-store signage. And, The Home Depot is planning a high-profile push onENERGY STAR home sealing to help its customers improve the comfort and efficiency of their homes.

SEARS Sears sells more ENERGY STAR qualified appliances than any other retailer in addition to integratingENERGY STAR into its Home Services for HVAC and windows. By expanding its line of ENERGY STARqualified Kenmore products and conducting ENERGY STAR targeted promotions such as 12-month, 0% financing, Sears is helping bring energy efficiency to all income levels. Sears’ appliance departmentsalso include a broad array of ENERGY STAR promotional materials to educate customers on the benefitsof ENERGY STAR, including signs and informative collateral.

ACE HARDWARE ACE Hardware stores are helping bring ENERGY STAR to American homes by displaying ENERGY STAReducational materials, providing sales associate training, and clearly identifying and promoting theENERGY STAR qualified products they offer. Hardware stores in the ACE family allow ENERGY STAR toreach customers in large cities and small towns across the country so everyone can benefit from lowerutility bills and cleaner air.

DEPOT


Promote Energy-Efficient ProductsSelecting more energy-efficient products when makingchoices for the home is an important opportunity forconsumers to reduce their home energy bills. Cost-effective, energy-efficient choices exist for many of theproducts we use daily at home, including heating andcooling systems, major appliances, home electronics andoffice equipment, and lighting products. Many of thesmaller products offer energy savings with no additionalinitial cost; for the larger products, the reduced energy billscan quickly offset any higher initial cost. The Partnershipsfor Home Energy Efficiency will provide households withmore information on and access to cost-effective, energy-efficient products in cooperation with retailers,manufacturers, states, energy efficiency program sponsors,and many others.

MANUFACTURERS. The federal government partnerswith more than 1,400 product manufacturers across morethan 40 product categories for the home to clearlydistinguish those products that are energy efficient withthe ENERGY STAR label—the government-backed symbolfor energy efficiency. This label is now recognized by morethan 60 percent of the public, and one in three peoplereport using the label as part of a purchase decision in thelast year. Products earning the ENERGY STAR are 10 to 90percent more efficient than standard models, and theenergy bill of a home fully equipped with ENERGY STARqualifying products can be 20 to 30 percent lower, whichadds up to $450 in savings each year for a typicalhomeowner. EPA and DOE will expand this program toadditional energy-using products in the home, work toincrease consumer awareness of the ENERGY STAR, andhelp increase consumer understanding of the potential costsavings available to them.

RETAILERS. The three federal Agencies will build ontheir partnerships with national, regional, and specialtyretailers so that stores across the country provideconsumers with clear, credible information on cost-effective, energy-efficient solutions for the home. It is instores where many people gather the information theyneed to make purchase decisions. Among other efforts, thefederal government will coordinate national outreachcampaigns on key products during the seasons in whichmany people make these purchases.

The campaigns will highlight the savings from

u energy-efficient heating and cooling equipment,

u energy-efficient appliances,

u energy-efficient lighting, both bulbs and fixtures, and

u energy-efficient home electronics.

The federal government will further assist interestedretailers as they seek to expand their efforts to providebroader cost-effective home energy efficiency solutions totheir customers. The efforts that certain national retailersare undertaking as part of this partnership to provideenergy-efficient solutions to their customers arehighlighted in Table 3.

UTILITIES AND OTHER ENERGY EFFICIENCYPROGRAM SPONSORS. Many utilities, states, andother organizations across the country administerresidential energy efficiency programs as a cost-effectivemeans for slowing the growth in energy demand andavoiding the need for new power plants, among otherobjectives. The three federal Agencies will continue toform partnerships with these organizations so that theycan bring clear, credible energy efficiency information andservices to their residential program participants andspread their energy efficiency dollars further.

HOME BUILDERS. Energy-efficient homes are morecomfortable and more affordable over the long term. Thefederal government will expand its partnerships withhome builders to help them distinguish and sell homesthat are verified to be significantly more efficient thanhomes built to code as ENERGY STAR qualifying homes.In 2004, almost 10 percent of new homes were ENERGYSTAR qualified, and in certain markets ENERGY STARhomes represent 20 or 30 percent of new housing starts. In other regions of the country, however, only a few suchhomes exist. The federal government will continue to buildconsumer interest in energy-efficient homes throughcurrent partners and expand efforts into more areas of thecountry. The federal government will also expand its workwith home builders to help them integrate cost-effectivebuilding science technologies and practices into newhomes, while seeking to reduce energy use by close to 50 percent through DOE’s Building America Program.


AFFORDABLE HOUSING NETWORKS.HUD has formulated a 21-point Action Plan withthe following goal: Every building assisted,financed, or insured by HUD will be a model ofcost-effective energy efficiency, either by qualifyingfor the ENERGY STAR label for new constructionor substantial rehabilitation, by encouraging thepurchase of ENERGY STAR qualified products andappliances, or by adopting energy-efficientmaintenance and management practices. HUD willpursue this goal in partnership with state, local, andfederal public housing authorities, state housingfinancing agencies, national intermediaries,affordable housing developers, faith-based andcommunity-based organizations, and owners andmanagers of assisted housing. In addition, DOEthrough its R&D teams will continue to developand disseminate cost-effective, energy-efficientproducts and building practices for affordablehomes (see the affordable housing section below).

New Energy Efficiency ServicesIn addition to building awareness and providingaccess to information on energy-efficient products,the three Agencies in the initiative are collaboratingwith a number of organizations nationwide,including many mentioned above, to develop newenergy efficiency services that provide homeownerswith greater opportunities for energy savings.

These cost-effective, energy-saving opportunities fora home go beyond the choice of products andequipment. They entail efficiency improvements tothe outer “envelope” of the home and the heatingand cooling system. Common structural or mechanicalfactors that lead to higher energy bills include

u Air conditioning systems and heat pumpssuffering from improper refrigerant charge,leading to problems that range from reducedoperating efficiency to system freeze-up,

u Duct leakage that adversely affects overall HVAC system efficiency, especially when theleakage occurs in unconditioned or semi-conditioned space,


u Oversized cooling equipment that increases on/offcycling leading to poor dehumidification, and

u Air infiltration though the home’s envelope (seecutaway drawing of home), which leads to comfortproblems and reduces the effectiveness of insulation.Under certain conditions, the influx of warm, humid airthrough a poorly sealed envelope allows water to condenseon cool surfaces and cause moisture damage and mold.

New energy efficiency services built on best practices canaddress these factors cost-effectively. Well-defined, qualityservices delivered by trained professionals, which improvethe comfort of a home while reducing energy costs, couldhelp many households. Each year, millions of homeownersspend billions of dollars on home renovations andremodeling. Many more projects would deliver improvedcomfort and energy savings if home contractors, remodelers,and home professionals offered cost-effective energyefficiency services as part of these home projects. Forexample,

u When a furnace or central air conditioner is beingreplaced, on-site technicians can potentially seal orinsulate the duct system at lower cost than if this workwere performed in isolation.

u When siding is replaced, insulation, foam sheathing, andhouse wrap can be added underneath.

u When an unfinished basement is converted to finishedspace, insulation can be installed in the walls and airleaks can be stopped.

As part of the initiative , the federal government inpartnership with leading organizations is working todefine these services and assist in training the contractorsand others who will be offering them.

EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. Thefederal government has already developed a trainingprogram to help remodelers understand cost-effective,energy-efficient remodeling. DOE’s Building AmericaProgram will help educate remodelers, document theenergy savings, and continue to refine and promoteremodeler training. Additionally, the federal governmentwill develop educational materials for the banking,appraising, and realtor sectors to help them understandand market energy-efficient homes and services.

CREDENTIALING PROGRAMS AND QUALITYASSURANCE MECHANISMS. The federalgovernment will work with state and local governmentsand industry partners to establish new or support existingcredentialing programs to help home owners identifyquality technicians. In addition, key partners, with theassistance of the federal government, will develop QA/QC procedures for monitoring the work performed bycontractors. Market-wide implementation of these procedureswill help reassure home owners of the quality of thetechnician’s work.

ENERGY STAR INSTALLATION GUIDELINES FORHEATING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT. The federalgovernment will partner with leading organizations tooffer new services for the installation and verification ofheating and cooling equipment. This work will build onbest practices in the industry and the work of states,utilities, and others that have demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of these services. The federal government

FIGURE 4. HOME PERFORMANCE BENEFITS

Many homeowners are not getting the comfort theyare paying for. Their homes suffer from rooms thatare too hot or too cold, drafts, moisture problems, andmold and mildew. Skilled contractors, under HomePerformance with ENERGY STAR, can

u Fix rooms that are too hot or too cold,

u Eliminate drafts,

u Correct conditions that lead to mold or mildew,

u Ensure combustion appliances are venting properly,

u Prevent ice dams,

u Solve underlying problems that lead to rot orpeeling paint,

u Keep outdoor pollutants from entering the home, and

u Save energy and lower monthly utility bills.

These improvements make a home more comfortableand more durable.


continues to support the North American TechnicianExcellence (NATE), which tests HVAC contractorson proper installation, maintenance, and repair orservice of heating and cooling equipment.

HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGYSTAR. The federal government already ispartnering with several organizations around thecountry to pilot test a home retrofit program calledHome Performance with ENERGY STAR. In it,trained professionals provide homeowners withdetailed home energy audits and make cost-effective recommendations to improve efficiencyand comfort of the home (see Figure 4). At thehomeowner’s request, they will also make theimprovements. Work performed by these homeperformance contractors is quality controlled by asponsoring organization, such as a state or localgovernment or utility energy program. A number oforganizations have been testing this program withsignificant success (see Table 4).

To further develop the services of this program sothat they become more broadly available across thecountry and are attractive to the service providersand homeowners, the federal government will

u Quantify the energy savings from these homeenergy efficiency improvements,

u Continue to educate consumers on the cost-effective opportunities for improved comfort andenergy savings through home improvement,

u Enable the service providers to perform well bygiving them training, credible credentials, and arecognized marketing platform, and

u Provide protocols for QA/QC mechanisms sothat the service is reliable and of high quality.

BEST PRACTICE GUIDES AND PROTOCOLSFOR REMODELERS. In recent years, homeremodeling has grown into a $200 billion dollarindustry in the United States. This growth is drivenby an aging U.S. population, aging housing stock,strong economic growth, and growth inhomeownership. The trend toward remodelingprovides many opportunities to incorporate energyefficiency features into remodeling jobs. For example,

u A remodeled kitchen could easily include energy-efficient lighting as well as ENERGY STARqualified appliances.

u A room addition could include ENERGY STARqualified windows and lighting and be properlyair sealed and insulated.

Remodelers, however, must be aware that anychanges they make to one or two rooms in the homemay adversely affect the overall heat flow and aircontrol for the whole home. The federal governmentwill work with professional groups to develop bestpractices guides that show how energy efficiencyimprovements may be successfully incorporated intoremodeling jobs. Lastly, the federal government issupporting the development of technical protocolsthat contractors and remodelers can use to assess theopportunities for improving home energy efficiencyand guide the installation of recommendedimprovements in a way that delivers the potentialenergy savings. These protocols are designed to carryout a key recommendation of HUD’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH)Roadmap for Energy Efficiency in Existing Homes.Providing guidance to remodeling contractors andhomeowners, the protocols will be developed withsignificant input from remodelers, energy specialists,consumers, and technical experts.


FinancingFannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Federal HousingAdministration (FHA), and other federal and stateagencies offer Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) that helphomeowners finance cost-effective, energy-efficient homeimprovements when they are remodeling existing homesor help them finance the purchase of new energy-efficienthomes. The federal government will work with thesefinancial organizations as well as other lenders to promotethese mortgage products. Already, FHA has issued a newMortgagee Letter clarifying its procedures, and as part ofHUD’s Energy Action Plan, it is committed to publicizingEEMs. The initiative will also facilitate the use of attractive,easy-access loan packages for remodeling existing homes.Financing has proven to be important for contractorsoffering whole house retrofits under Home Performancewith ENERGY STAR. These jobs typically range in costfrom $5,000 to $15,000. The availability of financing for

such jobs can be pivotal in the homeowner’s decision toretrofit or not. In addition, low interest rates can enticehomeowners to make an energy-efficient improvement.Through its Climate Vision program, DOE will investigatethe impact of lower interest rates on the inclusion ofenergy efficiency in remodeling projects, as well as on newhome buyers’ decisions to purchase energy-efficienthomes.

Affordable Housing The most affordable homes are those that are also energy-efficient, with lower monthly energy bills. Such a home ismore comfortable and easier to maintain. It places asmaller burden on limited monthly incomes. Cost-effectiveenergy efficiency improvements to affordable housing caneither reduce demands on federal, state, and local fundswhere such funds are used to pay energy bills or makethese funds available to more households. The initiative

TABLE 4. LEADING EXAMPLES OF HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR

NEW YORK The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has helped improve the efficiencyof more than 8,000 homes through its Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.Homeowners have reaped substantial savings, and the market has accepted a comprehensive,building science-based approach to improving homes. Homeowners are willing to pay for realsolutions, backed by quality assurance. And contractors are thus able to sustain robust businessesbased on delivering reliable information and quality work.

WISCONSIN The Wisconsin Focus on Energy program has shown that remodeling contractors can be convincedof the value of bringing in third-party home performance consultants to provide recommendationsfor, and independent validation of the quality of, energy and comfort related home improvements.Wisconsin helped improve more than 1,000 homes in 2004 under Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.

AUSTIN, TEXAS Austin Energy is enhancing its residential program by helping contractors qualify for certificationby the Building Performance Institute (BPI), thus establishing a recognizable credential for qualityhome energy-related improvements. Austin's use of BPI serves as a national model for techniciancertification and contractor accreditation and lends technician credibility to homeowners in themarket for retrofits. In 2004, Austin Energy's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program helpedimprove 1,350 homes.

CALIFORNIA In a project funded by the California Public Utility Commission, the California Building PerformanceContractors Association has shown that contractors can successfully deliver services that embracehome performance contracting principles and practices, even in the absence of special homeowneror contractor incentives or rebates. This bolsters the immediate viability of the approach on a natonalscale, recognizing the federal, state, and utility support for a program can help bring this approach tomarket more quickly. This Home Performance with ENERGY STAR project based in the San FranciscoBay Area is anticipated to help improve more than 1,200 homes in 2005.


will build on the work being done by DOE, HUD,and other agencies. DOE will continue its successfulWeatherization Assistance Program, which completesmore than 100,000 retrofits of low income houseseach year. DOE also is working through its BuildingAmerica project to design and construct Habitat forHumanity houses that meet or exceed the ENERGYSTAR new homes specification. HUD will continueto implement a wide ranging Energy Action Plan to reduce energy use in the approximately 5 millionunits of affordable housing that it subsidizes or insures.

During the coming year, HUD is conductingdepartment-wide training on energy efficiency,streamlining its energy performance contractingprocedures within public housing, establishingENERGY STAR as the standard for HOPE VI newconstruction as well as housing for the elderly anddisabled persons through its competitive grantawards. HUD also will promote the purchase ofENERGY STAR qualified products wherever theyare cost-effective. HUD is encouraging communitiesto adopt ENERGY STAR guidelines for newconstruction or substantial rehab financed throughthe HOME or CDBG programs. DOE and HUDhave entered into a weatherization partnership formultifamily apartment buildings, and the twoAgencies have invested in R&D and home designsthat make energy efficiency more cost-effective.While continuing work on these efforts, the

Agencies will explore ways to bring new energyefficiency services such as Home Performance withENERGY STAR to affordable housing in partnershipwith state and local organizations. EPA is workingwith the Weatherization, Rehab & Asset PreservationPartnership (WRAP) to explore ways to integrateHome Performance with ENERGY STAR into lowincome assistance programs. And, DOE will exploreother ways to improve the energy efficiency ofmultifamily affordable housing.

Innovative R&DDOE and HUD continue to conduct robust buildingscience research programs. These programs alreadyhave helped industry improve the energy efficiencyof many important household appliances,equipment, and lighting systems; developed energyperformance improvements in building systems,practices, and designs; and set the stage for futureenergy performance gains. While most of theresearch results apply to new home construction,many of the results can be readily adapted toexisting homes. DOE’s Building America Programand HUD’s PATH have demonstrated the energysavings potential of new products and innovativebuilding and remodeling practices and provided theresults of their research to building professionals inthe field. DOE and HUD provide technicalassistance, training, and best practices manuals to arange of building professionals. By linking theirWeb sites for this initiative, the Agencies willfacilitate the dissemination of these research results.DOE also will undertake policy research to explorewhat steps best mobilize action by public andprivate stakeholders to invest in energy-savinginnovations in the new and existing housingmarkets. Also, as part of the initiative, the federalgovernment is investigating performance monitoringmeters that measure the rate of household energyconsumption in real time. With such meters,homeowners could monitor their hourly electricityconsumption rate and adjust it, given the rightincentives or under the right conditions.


KEY MILESTONES FORPARTNERSHIPS FOR HOMEENERGY EFFICIENCY

Fall 2005

u National outreach on energy-efficient lighting

u National outreach on energy-efficient heating equipment and do-it-yourselfguidance for consumers on home sealing

u Expansion of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR to new regions

u Revised energy efficiency specifications for ENERGY STAR new homes

u Protocols for energy-efficient remodeling of existing homes initiated

u HUD Phase II Energy Action Plan for single and multifamily homes initiated

u DOE release of HVAC Best Practices guides for home remodelers

Winter/Spring 2006

u New accreditation standards and quality assurance criteria for home contractors

u DOE release of 30% HVAC Best Practice Builder Guides

u New ENERGY STAR guidelines for proper installation and verification ofHVAC equipment

u DOE release of Energy Efficient Remodeler Training

Summer/Fall 2006

u Fall ENERGY STAR campaigns for energy-efficient lighting, heating equipment,and home sealing

u Expansion of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR to new regions

u HUD release of home improvement protocols for remodeler industry

u DOE research on homes that achieve 30% whole home energy savingscompleted

u DOE launch of research on homes that achieve 50% whole home energy savings


BENEFITS OF PARTNERSHIPS FORHOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Many environmental and economic benefits will come from our successful effortsto improve the energy efficiency of U.S. housing. These benefits include

u Significant savings on energy bills,

u Improved affordability of housing and home ownership,

u Avoiding the need for new electric power generation,

u Reduced demand for natural gas and reduced natural gas price volatility,

u Reduced demand for electricity, and

u Avoided emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

If each household across the country were improved by 10 percent over the nextdecade, as a nation we would see the following results:

u Energy bill savings of more than $20 billion,

u Reduced demand for natural gas of more than 1 quadrillion BTU,4

u Reduced demand for electricity of 160 billion kilowatt hours (kWhs),

u Avoided need for more than 40 new electric power plants, and

u Avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million vehicles.

In addition, many Americans would be living in more comfortable homes.

4 These natural gas savings include savings in direct use and savings from lower electricity demand.


OVERVIEW OF COORDINATEDAGENCY WORK PLAN

The coordinated Agency work plan draws on the strengths and resources of theU.S. Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, andEnvironmental Protection Agency to pursue the broad objective of improving theaccess of homeowners and others to cost-effective, energy-efficient services,technologies, products, and practices and to continue to overcome market barriersto greater home energy efficiency. The work plan shows how the Agencies willpursue projects in the near-term, building on existing policies and programs. Theprojects are organized under the following broad areas:

u Support energy service providers, contractors, and remodelers. Planned projectswill educate and train contractors, remodelers, and home professionals to besuccessful in delivering energy efficiency to the homeowner; develop new credentialing and quality assurance programs; and develop new servicesthat they can offer, which are backed by the ENERGY STAR program, amongother efforts.

u Educate and motivate consumers to seek cost-effective energy efficiencyimprovements. Planned projects will educate the public on the benefits ofenergy efficiency, promote cost-effective, energy-efficient products, andcondition the marketplace for new home energy efficiency services.

u Continue innovative research in building science technologies, practices, andpolicies and demonstrate new product and building practices that provide cost-effective energy efficiency in new and existing homes.

The schematics on the following pages provide an overview of the work plannedby the three Agencies.


SCHEMATICS


REFERENCES

National Energy Policy Development Group. 2001. National Energy Policy. May. Available online athttp://www.energy.gov/engine/doe/files/dynamic/1952003121758_national_energy_policy.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). 2004. Protecting the Environment—Together. ENERGY STARand Other Voluntary Programs. 2003 Annual Report. Climate Protection Partnerships Division. September.(EPA 430-R-04-011). Available online at http://www.epa.gov/appdstar/annualreports/annualreports.htm

U.S. EPA. 2005. Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2003. Office of Atmospheric Programs.April. (EPA 430-R-05-003). Available online athttp://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ResourceCenterPublicationsGHGEmissions.html

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (U.S. DOE, EIA). 2001. Residential EnergyConsumption Survey. Available online at http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/contents.html

U.S. DOE, EIA. 2004. Annual Energy Outlook 2004 with Projections to 2025. Office of Integrated Analysis andForecasting. January. (DOE/EIA-0383(2004)). Available online at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/

U.S. DOE, EIA. 2005. Annual Energy Outlook 2005 with Projections to 2025. Office of Integrated Analysis andForecasting. January. (DOE/EIA-0383(2005)). Available online at http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 2003. PATH Technology Roadmap: EnergyEfficiency in Existing Homes. Office of Policy Development and Research. October. (Volume Three: PrioritizedAction Plan).

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