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$810 Million Funding Needed to Achieve 90% Compliance With Building Energy Codes

Building energy codes are one of the nation's most effective means of reducing energy costs and cutting pollution, but widespread noncompliance weakens these savings. An analysis by an IMT-led task force of experts reveals an annual spending need of $810 million for compliance initiatives at all levels of government, including training, outreach, implementation, and enforcement. … Continued

Energy Assessor Credentialing Program Profiles: Commissioning (Cx) and Energy Auditor Programs

Update, 7/2012: See a comprehensive list of training and certification programs for energy engineers, auditors, and managers; in commissioning and retro-commissioning; and for facility managers. See also a list of HVAC technician training and certification programs. IMT conducted a review of professional certification programs in the building industry.  There is growing demand from local, state, … Continued

Comparative Analysis of U.S. and China Building Energy Rating and Labeling Systems

Rating the energy performance of buildings is an emerging policy tool in both the United States and China. Although rating policies and practices between the two countries differ in terms of approach, structure, administration and support, the goal of encouraging greater energy efficiency and fewer greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector is shared. This … Continued

Empowering the Market: How Building Energy Performance Policies Encourage U.S. Energy Efficiency

There is tremendous potential to achieve energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the U.S. building stock. Today, U.S. policymakers are turning their attention to existing buildings, where opportunities for greater energy efficiency are abundant but fraught with barriers that continue to severely impede progress. This paper examines how mandatory rating and disclosure policies can help … Continued

The Future of Building Energy Rating and Disclosure Mandates: What Europe Can Learn From the U.S.

Worldwide, commercial building energy rating and disclosure mandates are becoming more common as policymakers target the building sector in energy and climate protection policies. Although the United States has no policy equivalent to the European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), rating and disclosure policies are beginning to appear in states and local jurisdictions. … Continued

Average U.S. Homeowner Costs 2007-2008

2008 Figure: EIA 2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Energy Consumption and Expenditures Table US10. Average Expenditures by Fuels Used, 2005, Dollars per Household, adjusted for 2008 using BLS Household Energy Price Index. 2008 Figure: The Tax Foundation, Property Taxes on Owner-Occupied Housing by County, 2005 – 2008, Ranked by Taxes as Percentage of Home Value, … Continued

White Paper: Rating and Disclosing the Energy Performance of Buildings

With climate protection and energy security issues at the forefront of global politics, improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings is emerging as a central goal for policymakers. In the United States, buildings account for nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions,1 about half of which are from existing commercial buildings… (Continue reading by downloading the … Continued