A five-year initiative between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) demonstrated the feasibility of improving the energy efficiency of publicly assisted housing. Twenty-seven projects and activities undertaken during 1990-95 involved research and field demonstrations, institutional and administrative changes to HUD policies and procedures, innovative financing and leveraging of federal dollars with non-federal money, and education, training, and technical assistance.
Comparative energy information is one method energy policymakers have employed to motivate consumers to reduce their energy use. The US appliance labeling program, for example, has used graphical displays to illustrate the differences in energy consumption among home appliances. Little is known, however, about how consumers interpret various graphical displays and/or how they use the information. Additionally, subtleties in the accuracy with which these graphical displays convey the underlying data have yet to be addressed in the research literature.
This paper compares energy and environmental awareness in two small towns in Sweden and Minnesota over time. In the early 1980s, Minnesotans were more anxious and exerted greater conservation efforts than the Swedes, but both are now bored with energy issues. They focus instead on environment-namely, recycling. Saving money continues to dominate decisions, but time is gaining priority in tradeoffs of energy, money, and time. Environmental concern is usually sacrificed to economics. Certain culturally-valued behaviors override both more conserving alternatives and economic considerations.
This authors draw upon 16 years of evaluation experience in conducting energy service marketing evaluations and market assessment research in the commercial and small industrial sectors to present real-life experiences and results of marketing efforts for energy services. The paper covers the use of mass and targeted media, community groups, trade allies, social groups and networks, demonstrations, one-on-one appeals and other methods to market energy services.
A new method of test for residential thermal distribution efficiency is currently being developed under the auspices of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This test method will have three main approaches, or "pathways," designated Design, Diagnostic, and Research. The Design Pathway uses builder's information to predict thermal distribution efficiency in new construction.
Residential new construction and renovation programs, home energy rating systems programs and energy efficient mortgage instruments are some of the many ways that local energy utilities and other state or federal agencies attempt to increase the supply and demand of energy efficient housing.
As required by the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA), minimum energy efficiency standards ranging from 8.0 to 9.0 EER went into effect for window-type room air conditioners on January 1, 1990. But by incorporating commonly used technologies such as high-efficiency rotary compressors, grooved refrigerant tubing, slit-type fins, subcoolers, and permanent split capacitor fan motors, 10.0 EER efficiency levels can be achieved for the most popular classes of room air conditioners without having to increase chassis size.
Thermal distribution systems represent the most promising opportunities for cost-effective energy savings in residential new construction. This paper describes the results of an unusual but on-going collaboration between the building industry, the environmental community, the research community, and the regulators to develop cost-effective, implementable procedures for improved heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HV AC) duct system design, fabrication, and installation
HVAC system designs must address both high indoor air quality as well as energy efficiency as the awareness of and demand for proper air quality increases. Economic considerations such as installation and operating costs have impaired many conventional system designs to the point of compromised indoor air quality. This paper discusses many HVAC design parameters that arc critical to achieving adequate indoor air quality.
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