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
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
This paper proposes a classification framework for energy efficiency evaluation tools by comparing 17 building energy performance assessment systems from ten countries. These systems include Energieausweis in Germany; the Ministry of Housing and Urban and Rural Development (MOHURD) rating in China; Energy Performance Certificates and Display Energy Certificates in the UK; and the Home Energy … Continued
This report presents the results of a state-by-state analysis of the potential energy and cost savings from improving compliance with building energy codes to 100 percent from current levels. The report also examines 45 statewide compliance evaluation studies, providing a summary of evaluation methods and key findings. Evidence in most states indicates that staggering rates … Continued
Many have theorized that energy-efficient homes should have lower default risks than standard homes because the former are associated with lower energy costs, which leaves more money to make the mortgage payment. However, few empirical studies have been conducted due to limited data availability. This study examines actual loan performance data obtained from CoreLogic, the … Continued
Many have theorized that energy-efficient homes should have lower default risks than standard homes because the former are associated with lower energy costs, which leaves more money to make the mortgage payment. However, few empirical studies have been conducted due to limited data availability. This study examines actual loan performance data obtained from CoreLogic, the … Continued
In July 2012, a working group comprised of local utilities, utility regulators, building owners, and experts from the real estate, academic, and energy efficiency fields came together to examine utility efforts to provide building operators with better access to energy consumption data for their buildings. A product of the working group, this report identifies best … Continued
Building energy-efficiency codes have received considerable attention lately because of the energy-savings opportunities they present for utilities and other program administrators (PAs). A recent report estimates that upgrades to building energy codes could offset as much as a third of all electricity consumption growth nationally through 2025. PAs are in a strong position to support … Continued
A new policy is taking hold across the U.S. that could help motivate owners of apartment buildings and condo complexes to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings, slashing as much as $9 billion from energy bills for 40 million Americans. This policy – energy benchmarking and disclosure – requires property owners to annually measure … Continued
Transparent energy ratings can help drive investment in energy efficiency by enabling tenants, investors, and lenders to compare building energy performance, creating demand for efficient buildings that have lower utility bills and/or operating costs. This fact sheet gives an introduction to commercial building energy rating and disclosure policies, now in effect in six U.S. cities … Continued