Commercial buildings consume 20% of the total energy used in the United States, a significant portion of which can be saved through comprehensive retrofits that take into account the interactive ef…
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Commercial buildings consume 20% of the total energy used in the United States, a significant portion of which can be saved through comprehensive retrofits that take into account the interactive effect of the energy use of the various energy systems in the building.
While many utility programs offer incentives for comprehensive retrofits, the participation in such programs has been limited. In this report, we review over 25 programs from across the nation and recommend pathways that program administrators can adopt to increase their market penetration and improve the program outcomes. The report summarizes our key findings along the program life cycle beginning from prospecting and outreach, to design and implementation, and finally monitoring and verification of savings.
Leading programs in this space have innovatively designed incentives that encourage deeper savings. We find that advances in measuring real-time energy-use data and advanced analytical capabilities are creating new opportunities for whole-building assessments, identification of comprehensive savings, and automated monitoring and tracking of energy-systems performance.
Efficiency retrofits provide many non-energy benefits such as health, safety, comfort, and productivity improvements, in addition to energy savings, which can help customers achieve their primary institutional mission and thus make efficiency an even more attractive prospect.
The commonwealth spends almost $11 billion a year buying energy from out of state. Mass Save lowers bills and keeps money at home.
Utility energy efficiency programs have increased investment in low-income households, but significant gaps remain. This report examines spending and savings trends across 48 major U.S. utilities, identifies barriers to expanding low-income programs and highlights policies and program strategies that can improve energy affordability and equitable access to efficiency upgrades.
The United States faces interlocking energy challenges: rising home energy bills and gasoline prices; new demand for electricity from data centers and other loads; high greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.
Now, a new era of energy efficiency progress in our buildings, transportation, and industry is needed to meet this moment. This wide-ranging study finds a massive opportunity.
Home energy report programs, in which utilities provide households with personalized insights into their energy use and tips to lower their bills, are a…
ACEEE’s independent research and advocacy depend on the support of foundations, businesses, and individuals committed to cutting energy bills, waste, and climate pollution.