Homes and Multifamily Buildings

Making homes more affordable, healthy, and resilient.

Housing costs consume roughly a quarter of American household income — with mortgage or rent accounting for about 15% and energy for another 2.4%. For lower-income households, those shares are disproportionately higher. In recent years, these costs have risen faster than inflation, placing mounting financial pressure on families across the country. But a home should be more than a cost to manage — it should be a place of safety, warmth, and resilience where people can thrive.

ACEEE works to make that vision a reality for homeowners and renters alike, including the millions of Americans living in multifamily buildings. Through research and policy work, ACEEE promotes homes that are more affordable to own and rent, healthy and free from indoor pollutants, and resilient in the face of extreme weather. For multifamily buildings specifically, ACEEE addresses the split incentives that often block efficiency upgrades, where landlords bear the upfront costs while tenants pay the energy bill,  and supports policies that make retrofits viable for building owners serving low-income renters.

Our work covers both existing homes and new construction, and spans a range of policy and other interventions: codes, energy disclosures, and performance standards for the residential buildings themselves, incentives and efficiency standards for both the buildings and the appliances and equipment in them. We also conduct research into all energy-using systems within homes and provide technical assistance to cities and community groups, supporting their goals of efficient, affordable housing for all.