Dec. 19, 2013: ACEEE Report Provides Roadmap for Multifamily Energy Efficiency Programs
Multifamily Has Been Underserved Market for Efficiency Programs
WASHINGTON — According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the benefits of energy efficiency have been out of reach for many of the more than 20 million U.S. families living in apartments or condominiums that are often underserved by energy efficiency programs. A new report from ACEEE, Apartment Hunters: Programs Searching for Energy Savings in Multifamily Buildings, offers advice to utilities on how to deliver energy efficiency to multifamily customers.
ACEEE said energy efficiency programs often underserve multifamily buildings because they can be more challenging to reach than large commercial buildings and single-family homes. An earlier ACEEE report showed that in many metropolitan areas, multifamily housing’s share of energy efficiency program dollars is much smaller than their share of the housing market. The new report describes energy saving strategies that utilities can follow to start new multifamily programs or strengthen existing ones.