Delivering Energy Efficiency to Middle Income Single Family Households

Abstract

Delivering Energy Efficiency to Middle Income Single Family Households 1 Mark Zimring, Merrian Goggio Borgeson, Ian Hoffman, Charles Goldman, Elizabeth Stuart, Annika Todd, and Megan Billingsley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) ABSTRACT Middle-income households account for one-third of total U.S. residential energy use and figure prominently in meeting energy savings targets that now exist in most states, as well as reducing air pollution emissions and managing demands on the grid. Energy upgrades have the potential to provide significant benefits to middle income households—by lowering bills, increasing the integrity of their homes, improving their health and comfort, and reducing their exposure to rising energy prices. This study describes innovative program designs, financing tools, and outreach strategies that show promise in increasing the attractiveness and accessibility of energy efficiency for these households group. The strategies described in this report need robust and supportive policies, to capture the entire energy savings opportunity. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work described in this report was funded by the Permitting, Siting and Analysis Division of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability under Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. Introduction Many middle income households – defined here as the middle third of U.S. households by income – are under significant financial strain, and rising energy bills are a contributor to this stress. Energy improvements can provide significant benefits to middle income households – by lowering bills, increasing the integrity of their homes, improving their health and comfort, and reducing their exposure to volatile, and rising, energy prices. Middle income households are also responsible for a third of U.S. residential energy use, suggesting that increasing the energy efficiency of their homes is important to deliver public benefits such as reducing power system costs, easing congestion on the grid, and reducing environmental impacts. To achieve deeper savings goals, utilities and governments are beginning to look beyond typical residential energy efficiency programs that discount compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) or provide rebates for high-efficiency appliances and equipment. Increasingly, they are turning to programs that improve the energy efficiency of the entire house – by sealing up leaks, adding insulation, repairing ducts, and replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems. These more comprehensive programs typically offer the same incentives for The work described in this report was funded by the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOE EERE), Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231. For the full report this paper is drawn from and other resources visit: http://drivingdemand.lbl.gov/