Category: Energy efficiency

DOE’s manufactured home efficiency rule disappoints conservation advocates, manufacturers

Read the full story at Utility Dive.

The U.S. Department of Energy on Wednesday adopted new energy efficiency standards for manufactured homes, also known as mobile homes, setting different conservation requirements for single- and multi-section structures to balance up-front affordability against long-term cost savings.

The rules, including new insulation and sealing requirements, could save residents up to $450 annually on utility bills, DOE estimated. About 17 million Americans live in manufactured homes, which are constructed off-site as opposed to traditional stick-built homes.

DOE’s new rules have been criticized by both efficiency advocates, who argue the tiered standard is too lax, and home manufacturers, who say it will drive up costs.

Innovation drives sustainability success at DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee plant

Read the full story in Chiller & Cooling Best Practices.

Innovation is at the core of virtually every initiative at DENSO Manufacturing Tennessee, Inc. This includes a host of activities designed to allow the leading supplier of advanced automotive technology, systems and components, to realize its corporate vision of creating a sustainable automotive society.

Among key initiatives at DENSO’s Maryville, Tennessee, facility is the use of an innovative ice-storage system engineered to provide environmentally friendly comfort cooling to employees at the company’s main production facility. The system also allows Plant 101 to reduce cooling costs per ton by 44%, while providing a payback of less than four years. It also resulted in an annual carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction of 18,000 tons.

Why Biden just used one of his most significant powers on insulation

Read the full story in Fast Company.

When a president invokes the Defense Production Act, it’s one of the rare moments the executive branch orders the private market to act. In the past, it has been used to boost production to help fight wars and battle a global pandemic. This week, President Biden used it for something a bit unexpected.

It’s not weaponry or some high-tech device, but building insulation. This humdrum material may not be anyone’s idea of advanced national security technology but, according to the Biden administration, it’s one of the key weapons we’ll need to combat energy waste amid a rapidly changing climate.

Commission launches EPREL database to help consumers on energy efficient products

Read the full story from the European Commission.

A new EU-wide public database enabling consumers to compare the energy efficiency class and other data about different household products has been launched by the European Commission this week. With detailed information on well over 1 million products, the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) breaks new ground in helping EU consumers become more energy efficient. Building on the highly successful EU energy label, this innovative tool provides unprecedented market transparency free of charge at a time when consumers are looking to make savings on their energy consumption, and when the Commission is trying to boost energy efficiency across the EU.

Unilever ‘warms up’ ice cream freezers to help tackle emissions

Read the company news release.

Unilever is launching two pilots to trial warmer ice cream freezer cabinets with an aim of reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by approx. 20 – 30% per freezer*, whilst ensuring the same ice cream quality and consumer experience.

How much energy powers a good life? Less than you’re using, says a new report

Read the full story from NPR.

How much energy does it take to have a good and healthy life? A new Stanford University study has found that the answer is far less than the average American is using.

Webinar: Leveraging Behavioral Science for Continuous Improvement within SEM

Apr 27, 2022, 11 am CDT
Register here.

Energy efficiency program administrators across the U.S. and Canada have been working together to improve the performance of their Strategic Energy Management (SEM) programs. While SEM can support decarbonization of operations at customer sites and often provides other non-energy benefits, these programs are challenging to administer and implement and they rely on customer commitment. To ensure program offerings meet customers’ needs while maintaining flexibility, a committee of program administrators from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), with input from their SEM implementation contractors, is looking at the key role of behavioral science in making SEM more effective and inspiring customer commitment. The committee is also determining how to most effectively evaluate energy-saving measures that leverage behavioral science.

To cite an example: at a recent CEE Industry Partners session, an SEM implementer illustrated the importance of employee engagement in making the cultural shift to SEM. One way he leverages behavioral science in practice is through treasure hunts, which support customer buy-in to SEM.

To further explore this topic and work toward concrete demonstration of verifiable SEM impacts, a panel of several program administrators and SEM implementers will discuss the role of behavioral science in SEM based on their observations so far. Panelist presentations will be followed by facilitated discussion.

How better data can help carbon-belching buildings reduce their impact

Read the full story from Fast Company.

Tracking power sources on an hourly basis has helped companies and cities find new ways to cut their emissions.

Energy Equity for Renters Policy Tracker

ACEEE’s Energy Equity for Renters Policy Tracker lists which cities, counties, and states have adopted policies and programs to advance both energy efficiency and equity in rental housing as of February 2022. The map captures the following policies:

  • Adopting a renter right of first refusal on property sale
  • Creating a rental energy disclosure policy
  • Promoting existing state and utility efficiency programs to renters and landlords
  • Adopting a rental energy performance standard and assisting affordable housing providers with compliance
  • Designing rental efficiency loan and grant programs with affordability covenants
  • Granting renters the right to make efficiency improvements
  • Instituting limited-scope rental property retrofit requirements

Atlanta airport tackles emissions by increasing energy efficiency in buildings, operations

Read the full story at Environment & Energy Leader.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will cut its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by increasing energy efficiency through transitioning to all-electric building systems, adding energy retrofits and using proactive maintenance as part of its 2035 sustainable management plan.