Transition to Sustainable Buildings – Strategies and Opportunities to 2050 (Executive Summary)

Natural Gas in Commercial Buildings

There were more than 4.8 million commercial buildings in the United States in 2003. Space heating and lighting are the largest uses of energy in commercial buildings, representing 38 percent and 20 percent of total site use respectively. The choice of electricity or natural gas use within the sector is dependent on building use, size, and geographic location. Health care and educational buildings use natural gas more commonly than other commercial building types.

Do Investments in Green Buildings Pay Off?

A large proportion of energy used worldwide is expended in the building sector. From a sustainability point of view, it is clear: to bring about a green society, we have to invest in green buildings. But do investments in green buildings pay off? From a micro per- spective, it may be clear: a house-owner installing a more efficient heating system is making a good investment, as the energy costs saved will pay for the investment and more. But is this also true from a macro perspective? What about investors planning to invest in green buildings directly or indirectly—does that pay …

Addressing Market Barriers to Energy Efficiency in Buildings

A large share of total U.S. energy consumption—40 percent—occurs in homes and buildings. Homes and buildings are less energy efficient than they would be if people could assess the value of energy savings more easily and correctly, and if energy prices provided them with stronger incentives to do so. This paper identifies three reasons why people undervalue energy savings: misperceived energy prices, imperfect information about energy efficiency, and biased reasoning about energy savings. The paper then examines four types of policy options for addressing those underlying market imperfections: prices that reflect the social costs of energy use, financial incentives, energy-efficiency …

Buildings R&D Breakthroughs: Technologies and Products Supported by the Building Technologies Program

ecoENERGY Efficiency for Buildings

Assessment of the Technical Potential for Achieving Zero-Energy Commercial Buildings

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Program has adopted
the goal of making zero-energy commercial buildings (ZEBs) marketable by 2025.  The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted an assessment of the entire commercial sector to evaluate the technical potential for meeting this goal with technology available in 2005 and projected forward to possible technology improvements for 2025.  The analysis looked at the technical feasibility of ZEBs, limitations in market penetration and utility grid structures notwithstanding.

The core of the evaluation was based on creating 15-minute, annual simulations based on 5,375 buildings in the 1999 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption …

Methane Gas Leaks: Frequent Leaks are Resulting in Death, Injury and Other Damage to our Health and Environment

Methane gas has heated the homes of many Americans for over a century – and for over a century, it has been prone to leaks, putting communities and the environment in danger. With growing awareness of the impact of methane leaks on the climate, and with growing availability of safer alternatives, it is clear that gas has no place in a modern clean energy network.

The consistent risks posed by gas leaks – coupled with the urgent need to address climate change – mean that the nation should prioritize electrifying buildings while taking immediate, focused actions to address …

Wells Fargo Housing Affordability and Climate Change Dialogues: Multifamily Workshops Summary Report

New and existing financing tools must play a crucial role in addressing barriers to achieving energy efficiency and emissions reductions in the US multifamily housing sector. Yet, current market challenges have inhibited the adoption of low-carbon technologies across the sector. To identify and address current market pain points, RMI and Wells Fargo convened key industry experts, including leading developers, lenders, policy influencers, technical experts, and housing finance agencies, to engage in two interactive workshops on addressing existing market challenges inhibiting the advancement of low-carbon affordable multifamily housing.…

Economic Impacts of a Clean Energy Transition in New Jersey

Researcher Joshua Castigliego, Assistant Researchers Sagal Alisalad and Sachin Peddada, and Senior Economist Liz Stanton, PhD prepared a report on the economic impacts associated with a clean energy transition in New Jersey that aims to achieve the State’s climate and energy goals in the coming decades. AEC staff find that adding in-state renewables and storage, and electrifying transportation and buildings creates additional job opportunities, while also bolstering the state’s economy. From 2025 to 2050, AEC estimates that New Jersey’s clean energy transition will result in almost 300,000 more “job-years” (an average of about 11,000 jobs per year) than would be …