DOE Seeks Input on National Energy Rating Program for Homes
June 15, 2010
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 inviting interested parties to submit comments that will help to develop a National Energy Rating Program for Homes. This rating program will offer consumers easy-to-understand, reliable information about the energy performance of existing homes, and help them identify cost-effective energy efficiency investments for their homes.
Even though home energy retrofits are good investments that save families money, consumers often do not have the straightforward information on a home's energy use that they need to decide whether to retrofit their homes and what investments make the most sense. This national program will enable consumers to access additional information about their home's energy use. It will facilitate a new level of investment in home energy efficiency by developing a consistent way of measuring a home's energy performance and a clear method for conveying information to consumers. Greater investment in home energy retrofits will create jobs, save homeowners money on their energy bills, help avoid emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, and improve energy security. The program is meant to complement existing home retrofit efforts, such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, weatherization, and other state and local energy efficiency initiatives.
The National Energy Rating Program for Homes will consist of standardized approaches for evaluating home energy performance and options for conveying this information to consumers. DOE is considering a wide range of issues including how to measure energy performance, what performance metrics to use, and how best to present information to consumers. Interested stakeholders such as state and local energy offices, realtors, consumer groups, utilities, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractors and administrators, weatherization contractors, home energy rating organizations, lenders, environmental groups and non-profit organizations involved with energy efficiency initiatives, are encouraged to participate.
This RFI seeks public input on the following aspects of the program:
- Guiding principles for the program
- Options and approaches for key elements of the program
- Proposed DOE approaches
- Additional work that the Department is considering
The deadline for comments is July 10, 2010. The Department plans to have an initial program design available by early fall 2010. The Department expects to partner with interested parties and ongoing residential energy efficiency retrofit programs to implement this effort.
Learn more about the proposed National Energy Rating Program for Homes (PDF 300 KB) and how to submit your comments through the Request for Information. Download Adobe Reader.
Or send an e-mail with your comments to buildingratingRFI@EE.DOE.GOV. Please include "RFI: National Energy Rating Program for Homes" in the subject line of the message. The Buildings Program will also host a Webinar on the RFI with all stakeholders at 1:30 Eastern on Monday, June 21.
