The Latest

Achieving Scale With Energy Efficiency

If interest is high in building energy efficiency in the United States, why aren’t investments in efficiency growing? Experts from local and federal governments, the private sector, and non-government organizations explored that question at a June 2013 Roundtable Dialogue in Washington, D.C., convened by the Johnson Controls Institute for Building Efficiency (IBE) and the Institute … Continued

Standard Bearers: The Excellence in Energy Code Compliance Award 2013 Application

[PLEASE NOTE: THE 2013 APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.] Standard Bearers: The Excellence in Energy Code Compliance Award 2013 Applications due August 30, 2013 For the second year, the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) will recognize jurisdictions and code officials using strategies that have improved building energy code compliance … Continued

Retail Green Lease Primer

The Retail Green Lease Primer is a two-page document that helps guide retailers and retail owners to improving the efficiency of their facilities. The goal of the document is to educate real estate and leasing agents on the specific retail lease provisions necessary for achieving reductions in energy, waste, and water use—and cost. When it comes to … Continued

How Energy Codes Make Commercial Buildings More Efficient

How would a (hypothetical) four-story, 50,000-square-foot office building built to meet the 2001 energy code differ from an identical building that meets the 2010 code? It would be 41 percent more energy-efficient, for one thing. Find out more by downloading our new infographic, produced in collaboration with the Energy Efficient Buildings Hub (EEB Hub).

Impact Evaluation of Nebraska Energy Code Training on Energy Code Compliance

This report presents the results of an impact evaluation of a building energy code training campaign on residential code compliance rates in the state of Nebraska. The authors conducted field inspections on a sample of 42 newly-constructed homes in Nebraska—normalizing, modeling, and comparing the results to a pre-training compliance evaluation. On average the pre-training study … Continued

Economist Intelligence Unit, GBPN Identify Strategies for Scaling Up Efficiency

Energy Efficiency Efforts in U.S. Buildings Should Focus on Improvements in Regulation and Financing New Briefing Paper by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the Global Buildings Performance Network Identifies Key Strategies for Scaling Up Efficiency In the United States, buildings account for 41 percent of primary energy consumption, more than the transport or industrial sectors. … Continued

Achieving scale in the US: A view from the construction and real estate sectors

Achieving scale in the US: A view from the construction and real estate sectors is an Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) paper commissioned by the Global Buildings Performance Network. This paper focuses on how companies in the U.S. approach energy efficiency investments, the challenges and opportunities they face, and the role played by innovative financing in … Continued

Third-Party Building Code Enforcement: A Service Delivery Strategy with Cost Savings Potential

Conventionally, local governments implement and enforce building codes through a building or development services department, staffed by government employees. However, as municipal budgets shrink and construction volumes become more unpredictable, jurisdictions have found it difficult to maintain this enforcement structure while ensuring the same level of quality, timeliness, and customer service. One solution is to … Continued