New York City has embarked on a groundbreaking effort to grow awareness of building energy use by establishing building energy efficiency labels (“grades”) beginning in 2020. The labels are intended to be valuable to you—the community and local market actors—and the city needs your help. NYSERDA, the New York Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, and the Institute … Continued
This post is the first in a three-part series that helps local governments understand why working with utility regulators matters, what they can achieve, and how to set themselves up for success. Read part two here and part three here. Cities, counties, and states across the U.S. are pledging to recommit to the Paris Agreement … Continued
Since moving into Boulder Commons in late 2017, Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI’s) net-zero energy (NZE) multi-tenant Class A office in Boulder, Colorado (pictured above), RMI has been working to share lessons learned and increase adoption of advanced green and net-zero energy leases. While innovative efforts such as RMI’s have been raising the ceiling for green leases, … Continued
What makes energy efficiency interesting to you? As IMT’s Communications Director, I spend a lot of time thinking about this question as it relates to me, to my colleagues at IMT, to our collaborators in cities, companies, and allied organizations, and to the people we seek to better engage on efficiency in the public and … Continued
Last week, the City of Seattle released a new summary report highlighting the results of its citywide building benchmarking and transparency program for 2014 to 2016, and the findings are encouraging. For example, consider these two highlights: Compliance is high. In 2016, the last year covered by the new report, 3,352 buildings reported, representing over … Continued
Alabama has the second highest electricity prices in the nation. Better compliance with modern energy codes can help ease the burden on homeowners and provide a level playing field for local builders. Image: Unsplash.com The average residential electricity bill in Alabama is $145 per month, the second highest average in the nation behind South Carolina. … Continued
Meeting global climate challenges will require every tool we have. Energy efficiency is many packed into one. Image: Unsplash.com From more frequent and intense natural disasters to growing electricity demand and costs, climate-related challenges are on the rise for everyone. Meeting these extraordinary challenges head-on requires an all-hands-on-deck effort to transform our energy future and … Continued
It’s an exciting week to be in the climate action space, and IMT is thrilled to take part in the international conversation. Recognizing the critical need for climate action, the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit is uniting international leaders and community members on deeper commitments and accelerated action. As states and regions, cities, businesses, and … Continued
Last month in Austin, Texas, where the LEDs at night are big and bright, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hosted the 2018 National Energy Codes Conference. Over the course of three days and twenty sessions, more than 230 attendees uncovered the current state of building energy codes and offered new ideas, tools, modifications, and … Continued
This article originally appeared in the April 2018 issue of the Scotsman Guide (Commercial Edition). For commercial property owners, investing in energy efficiency is increasingly moving from a nice-to-have perk to a must-deploy business tool. As energy costs and estimates of energy use within the United States continue to rise, so, too, will … Continued