Jul 14 2005
DOE joined with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on July 11th to announce a new joint effort, the Partnership for Home Energy Efficiency. The new partnership aims to cut household energy costs by 10 percent over the next decade by expanding efforts to promote Energy Star products, launching new energy efficiency services for homeowners, and delivering energy efficiency savings to low-income and subsidized housing. The three federal agencies also plan to continue to invest in innovative research in building science technologies, practices, and policies to develop durable, comfortable, and affordable homes that use 40 percent less energy. By 2020, the partnership aims to develop design technologies and building practices to allow the construction of cost-effective homes that use net zero energy over the course of a year. See the HUD press release and Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman's comments.
To support the new partnership, the federal government launched a new Web site that provides energy-saving solutions for homeowners, contractors, builders, building managers, realtors, state agencies, and others. See the new Partnership for Home Energy Efficiency Web site.