Making Buildings More Energy Efficient
Channel: eesionline
Date: 2015-03-13

Learn more and download slides at http://www.eesi.org/briefings/view/031215buildingsbudget
Table of contents: https://youtu.be/vXJidTCxl0g?t=20s

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing on the programs and priorities of the Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office (BTO), as reflected in its FY 2016 budget request.

Speakers:

Roland Risser
Director, Building Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy
Download Slides:http://www.eesi.org/files/Roland_Risser_031215.pdf
View presentation: https://youtu.be/vXJidTCxl0g?t=2m22s

Jay Murdoch
Director of Government and Public Affairs, Owens Corning
View presentation: https://youtu.be/vXJidTCxl0g?t=24m27s

Adam Rosenberg
Democratic Staff Director, Energy Subcommittee, House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
View presentation: https://youtu.be/vXJidTCxl0g?t=44m37s

Q&A
https://youtu.be/vXJidTCxl0g?t=58m

Why is DOE involved in researching and developing building technologies? Buildings represent 40 percent of the total energy used in the United States and a whopping 70 percent of the electricity used (for lighting, air-conditioning, appliances, electronics). Making buildings and the products that go into them more energy efficient will make a serious dent in U.S. energy use, save billions of dollars each year, improve comfort, and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. BTO is seeking to reduce U.S. building energy consumption by 50 percent from a 2010 baseline.

In addition to providing an overview of the Building Technologies Office, the briefing highlighted successful industry-government partnerships that are bringing technologies like solid-state lighting to the marketplace and helping builders construct “zero-energy” homes. The panel also addressed the role of Congress and building/energy issues on the horizon in the current session.

In view of the building sector’s importance, the DOE buildings program calls for a substantial 53 percent increase in proposed funding over 2015 enacted levels. The FY 2016 request of $264 million emphasizes R&D to improve the energy efficiency and performance of lighting, building materials and envelopes, and heating and cooling technologies; the development of appliance/equipment efficiency standards; and activities to improve the efficiency and resiliency of the electric power grid and its connections to buildings. The budget request also supports a new R&D effort for advanced heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems; provides information to boost consumers’ knowledge of “high-performing” houses and buildings; and supports technical assistance and training to help the building industry apply new technologies and practices cost-competitively.

It is important to know that the Building Technologies Office focuses on improving individual building components and products as well as improving the methods of putting them together. BTO integration programs, such as Building America, help building industry professionals achieve optimal energy performance for their projects with energy-use simulation tools and best practices in planning, design, construction and operation. Investing in building technologies and better buildings bolsters the building industry, U.S. competitiveness, national security, the health and well-being of everyone who uses buildings, and the resiliency of communities nationwide.