Alarm about home energy efficiency loans in the US

To help fund building renovations, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans became popular in the United States. The Scotsman Guide, the leading resource for mortgage originators in US, writes that the financial industry has some concerns. Energy-efficient PACE loans draw industry fire The powerful Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) is raising warning alarms about home … Continue reading Alarm about home energy efficiency loans in the US →

It takes money to make money: getting money to flow into energy efficiency projects

Jim Barrett, Chief Economist, for ACEEE, The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, writes an excellent blog on the ACEEE website about an initiative by the Bank of America to increase investments at the community level. Bank of America’s Energy Efficiency Financing Program shows path to combining energy savings and community development If you … Continue reading It takes money to make money: getting money to flow into energy efficiency projects →

Ramping up energy efficiency in leading cities

There is an increasing recognition that cities have an important role to play in our global efforts to promote energy efficiency. There is a good article on the blue&green tomorrow website about a new initiative led by the World Green Building Council and the World Resources Institute-led Building Efficiency Accelerator. Leading cities around the … Continue reading Ramping up energy efficiency in leading cities →

Analysing the energy performance of commercial buildings in London

The Association for the Conservation of Energy has recently published a report that assesses the general state of non-domestic buildings in London. David Pratt reviews the report in an article on the Clean Energy News website. ACE report reveals poor energy efficiency of London’s buildings Over a third of non-domestic buildings in London have … Continue reading Analysing the energy performance of commercial buildings in London →

Europe needs a renovation strategy

We have put many of the pieces together in the EU to develop quite a robust energy efficiency strategy. But one area that has been left aside is in comprehensively tackling the one area where there is tremendous potential – our existing buildings. This current report by Dr. Yamina Saheb of OpenEXP provides important evidence … Continue reading Europe needs a renovation strategy →

Reviewing why we improve energy efficiency

For many years now, there have been many writing about the benefits from improved energy efficiency. This was brought home by work at the International Energy Agency. Jacob Bayer writes a good post on the Fox News website that is refreshing to see. It is important for a wider audience to get a better appreciation … Continue reading Reviewing why we improve energy efficiency →

The continuing controversy over energy performance certificates in the rental market in Britain

Britain has one of the most progressive policies relating to requiring landlords to upgrade their properties to meet climate and energy goals. Yet, as Andrew Warren, chairman of the British Energy Efficiency Federation, writes in the July/August issue of Energy in Buildings and Industry magazine, it may be illegal to rent out a building without … Continue reading The continuing controversy over energy performance certificates in the rental market in Britain →

Big growth forecast for improving energy performance of commercial buildings

The Business Wire on the Yahoo! Finance website discusses a new report by Navigant Research on the state of the global market for energy efficiency retrofits for commercial buildings. Global Revenue for Energy Efficiency Commercial Building Retrofits is Expected to Exceed $100 Billion in 2025, According to Navigant Research A new report from Navigant … Continue reading Big growth forecast for improving energy performance of commercial buildings →

So, why do you save energy?

Understanding human behaviour is quite complex. It would be good if we were all economists and simply said that consumers do things in a rational manner – whatever that is. Chris Mooney, writing in the Washington Post, raises many important issues from a recent psychological study about why we take the actions we do. … Continue reading So, why do you save energy? →

Awareness in energy efficiency opportunities begins at home

Since the first oil crisis in the 1970s, many countries have developed educational materials for school children to teach them the benefits of energy efficiency and to take those lessons home. Chelsea Harvey writes in the Washington Post about a new study involving girl scouts to see how children can influence their parents’ behaviour. … Continue reading Awareness in energy efficiency opportunities begins at home →