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Announcements
Today IMT and the Appraisal Institute unveiled an updated guide to factoring energy performance into real estate valuation. The guide explains why energy matters for cash flow and net income, how energy performance is assessed, and how energy performance is benchmarked, among other topics.
Today, Cliff Majersik presented on "The Energy Efficiency Landscape" at an exploratory meeting for an ANSI energy efficiency standards panel. His presentation slides can be viewed here.
Today, IMT releases two major new reports on the job creation potential of building energy rating & disclosure. Energy Disclosure & the New Frontier for American Jobs describes the jobs impact of local benchmarking laws in cities across the U.S. An economic analysis by IMT and PERI (University of Massachusetts, Amherst) analyzes the jobs potential of a national building energy rating and disclosure policy.
Read more in our press release and media backgrounder.
Today, IMT's green leasing program manager Adam Sledd and other speakers introduced greenleaselibrary.com, a new, central resource for green leasing information online. The website is a project of the U.S. Department of Energy with collaboration from IMT, GSA, BOMA, NRDC, and other groups. To learn more, see our press release or DOE's EERE News Progress Alert.
On March 22, IMT's Cliff Majersik gave a presentation titled "Role of data in transforming the market for energy efficiency and retrofits" at a Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster event. Utility commissioners from around the Mid-Atlantic region had gathered at the Philadelphia Navy Yard to explore energy efficiency opportunities. The slides are available for download here.
A report released today by the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) reveals that China has achieved significant gains in its compliance with building energy codes, at both the design and construction stages, since 2005. Author Shui Bin of ACEEE attributes this to strong governmental support, a national program of inspection, and other factors. Read the report or see our press release to learn more.
IMT's newsletter has a new design and will now appear monthly. Please read it, subscribe, and pass it on!
On March 14th, the Green Builder Coalition and Green Builder Media presented an informational and thorough look at the SAVE Act. Moderator and Green Builder Coalition Chairman Ron Jones was joined by Ken Gear (Leading Builders of America) and Philip Henderson (Natural Resources Defense Council). Together, they explored what the bill contains, how it proposes to modify home appraisals, and how it will benefit the owners and occupants of energy-efficient homes.
The slides shown during the webinar are available for download here.
The link for Congressional outreach is here.
Although strong energy codes are among the best tools we have to reduce energy consumption, compliance is low—around 50%, estimates IMT. How can cash-strapped local governments improve energy code compliance? After researching best practices, IMT has released five case studies documenting cost-effective strategies that local governments can use to raise compliance rates. Read our press release here.
On Feb. 16, IMT's Cliff Majersik spoke at The New York Academy of Sciences on the panel "Finding the Needle in the Data Haystack: The Implications of a Data-Driven Built Environment." Fellow panelists were Chris Garvin of Terrapin Bright Green and Chris Pyke of the U.S. Green Building Council. Download slides for Majersik's talk, Building Energy Rating & Disclosure: A Catalyst for Efficiency.
IMT has released two more case studies in our series exploring innovative strategies for improving energy-code compliance. They focus on, respectively, the success of Georgia's residential performance testing requirement, and effective streamlining strategies. All five of the case studies are downloadable for free on our Code Compliance web page.
Want to learn more? Code Compliance Specialist Ryan Meres is giving a free webinar for local government officials about improving code compliance on Feb. 23. Sign up here.
We are pleased to announce that Jayson Antonoff, of the City of Seattle's Office of Sustainability and Environment, will join the Global Buildings Performance Network as U.S. Regional Director. The Global Buildings Performance Network is a new international knowledge partnership advancing building energy policies, and IMT is its U.S. hub.
IMT and fellow members of the Green Affordable Housing Coalition cosigned a letter to HUD Sec. Shaun Donovan, urging the Obama administration to advance energy efficiency and sustainability in the country's affordable housing. Read the letter here.
Read about upcoming education events, the SAVE Act, Vision 2020, and more in our newsletter.
On Jan. 27, Cliff Majersik joined other leaders in presenting the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU) at a sold-out DC Building Industry Association luncheon. See the slideshow to learn more.
A survey conducted by the Consumers Union and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP) indicates that most Americans believe that homes should meet national energy standards and agree that energy-efficient homes reduce energy use and pollution. Read our press release for more information.
Mostafa Hussein, a visiting fellow at IMT until late December, has been profiled in a publication of the U.S. Department of State. The article describes Hussein's efforts to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in his home country of Egypt, and some of his projects in D.C. this fall and winter.
IMT's December update rounds up the recent energy-efficiency news.
Underfunding of code compliance initiatives is a nationwide problem, but some jurisdictions--including Austin, Texas, and the state of Wisconsin--are forging innovative, cost-effective approaches. Read more about their strategies for improving compliance in IMT's case studies, the first three in a series.
Maryland has become the first U.S. state to adopt the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. Read our press release to learn more.
The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) has released online a major new report on how EU member states can meet the requirement that all new construction be nearly zero-energy by 2020. A higher resolution pdf of the report and more information can be found on their website, bpie.eu.
Cliff Majersik gave a talk on D.C.'s energy benchmarking policy last week to the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition. The week before, he was in Arizona, addressing the National League of Cities' Congress of Cities & Exposition on Why Building Energy Code Compliance Matters.
Watch the clip: CNBC reported on how the SAVE Act could help homeowners recoup the upfront costs of energy efficiency and stimulate homebuilding activity.
Last week Cliff Majersik gave a presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) on "The Role of Data Collection and Disclosure Policies in Influencing Regional Markets for Energy Efficiency." GPIC is a U.S. DOE Energy Innovation Hub located at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Last week, the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) presented findings from two major new reports - on the energy performance of the European building stock and on principles for nearly-zero-energy building - at an event in Brussels. The first of the studies, European Buildings Under the Microscope, is now available online. The second will be available at the end of the month. Visit bpie.eu for more information.
The General Services Administration (GSA) has updated its sustainable lease provisions in order to improve competition from lessors and promote efficiency in the more than 8,000 buildings where U.S. government agencies lease office space. IMT offered technical guidance on the revisions. See our press release for more information.
SAVE Act is introduced in Congress; GSA greens its leases; and more news.
On October 25, IMT's Cliff Majersik spoke to the Environmental Bankers Association about energy benchmarking and disclosure policy for commercial buildings. His presentation can be viewed here.
The District Department of the Environment has published its proposed ENERGY STAR benchmarking regulations for a 30-day public comment period, as well as draft guidance for building owners and tenants. With this key accomplishment, DDOE now anticipates a reporting deadline for buildings over 200,000 square feet at the end of January 2012.
The U.S. Department of Energy has released an Advanced Energy Design Guide for 50% energy savings in K-12 school buildings, which is available for free download.
Today at the U.S. Capitol, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) introduced the SAVE Act, a bill to factor energy costs into the mortgage underwriting process. The SAVE Act would raise lending standards, make energy-efficient homes more affordable, and create 83,000 jobs by 2020. IMT strongly supports the SAVE Act. Our press release has more information.
On Wednesday, October 5, IMT's executive director Cliff Majersik spoke on a panel at Resources for the Future in Washington, D.C., entitled "Can Creative Financing Programs Close the Energy Efficiency Gap?" Watch a video of the seminar or download Majersik's presentation (pdf).
COMNET announces a technology partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), creators of the LEED green building program. Coined LEED Automation, the partnership enables users of LEED to easily sync up data and information with LEED Online, the software platform that manages the LEED certification process. Read the press release to learn more.
IMT and ICLEI-USA partner on commercial energy policy toolkit; SAVE Act attracts additional backers, and more news.
IMT releases major report on building energy transparency; 2012 IECC published; and more news.
On August 10, IMT's Cliff Majersik spoke at a conference in Chicago, Multifamily Buildings 2011: The Energy Efficiency Edge, organized by the Association for Energy Affordability. Majersik's presentation - "Multifamily Rating and Disclosure as Market Drivers for Energy Performance" - can be viewed here.
As the District of Columbia revises its construction code, the city looks ready to become one of the first jurisdictions to adopt the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which would yield energy efficiency gains of 30 percent more than the 2006 IECC. See our press release for more.
This new report presents a comprehensive review of U.S. building energy rating and disclosure policies, and creates the first blueprint policymakers can use to guide implementation of this emerging policy tool.
IMT's Cliff Majersik spoke on Monday, June 27th in Montreal at ASHRAE's 2011 Annual Conference. His presentation, entitled, "What's Happening in the US: Policy Obstacles and Opportunities for Greater Building Efficiency," was part of a discussion of the current status of code-related activities in North America.
