Energy Efficiency Introduction and Objectives

Information by State  Print version   In This Section   Energy Efficiency Contributes to Affordability   Key Benefits of Increasing Energy Efficiency in Rehabilitation Projects   Identifying Energy Efficiency Techniques in Rehabilitation Projects   Rehab-Energy Efficiency Integration Challenges and Issues   Assessing Cost-Effectiveness of Energy Efficiency   Identifying Skills Needed to Undertake Energy-Efficient Actions   Identifying Programs that Support Energy Efficiency   Where to Get Additional Help

Introduction

America's low-income families face the critical challenge of paying for the cost of rising energy prices. As reported in the National Energy Policy, during the winter 2000-2001, the average low-income household spent approximately 14 percent of their income on energy costs alone.

Grantees (and PJs for the HOME Program) have the ability to alleviate the strain of energy costs on low-income families through adoption of the Energy Star Building standards, rehabilitation programs, and weatherization programs. As outlined in the topics that follow, energy efficiency programs are simple to administer, beneficially being undertaken by grantees and result in substantial benefits to grantees and their clients.

What will you learn in this module?

This module will provide grantees of CPD-administered funds information on the importance of energy efficiency in their rehabilitation projects, strategic ways to increase energy efficiency and the benefits of working with weatherization agencies when developing a rehabilitation program. Specifically, by the end of this module, you should be able to:

• Discuss the importance of energy efficiency and how it relates to affordability.
• Identify the benefits of energy efficiency and collaboration between grantees and weatherization agencies.
• Describe key energy saving techniques, discuss strategies to reduce energy loss and recall models of energy efficiency projects.
• Identify the five most common problems in homes related to energy use and energy loss.
• Describe the metric of success of undertaking an energy efficiency projects and identify the steps to calculating the cost effectiveness of energy efficiency equipment.
• Identify the skills needed to undertake an energy efficiency project, as well as several management models, which grantees can use to address the possible barriers that grantees may encounter.
• List and describe federal and nonfederal programs that support energy efficiency.
• Locate references to website and other sources for information on energy efficiency.

Who is likely to be interested in this module?

The primary audience for this module is CPD program staff/grant recipients who are interested in increasing the energy efficiency of their single and multi-family projects. You do not need prior training about energy efficiency to understand the material presented in this module.

For additional information on energy efficiency please visit HUD's Rehab Advisor on the Internet.

What topics will be covered in this module?

1. Energy Efficiency Contributes to Affordability
2. Key Benefits of Increasing Energy Efficiency in Rehabilitation Projects
3. Identifying Energy Efficiency Techniques in Rehabilitation Projects
4. Rehab-Energy Efficiency Integration Challenges and Issues
5. Assessing Cost-Effectiveness of Energy Efficiency
6. Identifying Skills Needed to Undertake Energy-Efficient Actions
7. Identifying Programs that Support Energy Efficiency
8. Where to Get Additional Help