A Meta-Analysis of Single-Family Deep Energy Retrofit Performance in the U.S.

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain S.

doi:10.2172/1220537

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…An aggressive energy retrofit program is adopted, whereby 60% of the building stock is upgraded between 2015 and 2050 (1.7% annual retrofit rate, compared to 1.1% in the Annual Energy Outlook), in line with similar deep retrofit scenarios in other building energy projections (e.g., BLUE Map, 3CSEP) (63,64). Retrofitted homes reduce baseline heating load by 49% and cooling load by 25%, half of the optimal achievable savings from eliminating infiltration, improved insulation, and new windows according to US Department of Energy estimates (65), similar to observed savings in "deep" energy retrofits in the United States (66). Improving insulation and windows does not necessarily happen in tandem with upgrades to heating and/or cooling equipment.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…Improving insulation and windows does not necessarily happen in tandem with upgrades to heating and/or cooling equipment. Performing deep energy retrofits in stages like this is less likely to meet owner resistance due to prolonged disruption, high upfront capital costs, and other challenges (66). Scenario 3: Grid Decarbonization with Aggressive Energy Retrofits.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States

Goldstein

Gounaridis

Newell

2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

252

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Residential energy use accounts for roughly 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. Using data on 93 million individual households, we estimate these GHGs across the contiguous United States and clarify the respective influence of climate, affluence, energy infrastructure, urban form, and building attributes (age, housing type, heating fuel) in driving these emissions. A ranking by state reveals that GHGs (per unit floor space) are lowest in Western US states and highest in Central states. Wealthier Americans have per capita footprints ∼25% higher than those of lower-income residents, primarily due to larger homes. In especially affluent suburbs, these emissions can be 15 times higher than nearby neighborhoods. If the electrical grid is decarbonized, then the residential housing sector can meet the 28% emission reduction target for 2025 under the Paris Agreement. However, grid decarbonization will be insufficient to meet the 80% emissions reduction target for 2050 due to a growing housing stock and continued use of fossil fuels (natural gas, propane, and fuel oil) in homes. Meeting this target will also require deep energy retrofits and transitioning to distributed low-carbon energy sources, as well as reducing per capita floor space and zoning denser settlement patterns.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States

Goldstein

Gounaridis

Newell

2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

252

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The variability in existing homes makes the path to achieving a DER difficult, as different home configurations and existing components, combined with economic considerations may optimize different sets of packages in order to achieve efficiency goals (Walker & Less 2013). Furthermore, it has been noted that while typical DERs achieve greater airtightness improvements compared to conventional retrofits, ventilation systems are often not installed consistently, raising concerns for impacts on IAQ (Less & Walker 2014). Additionally, simulated versus actual performance after DER's has been questioned, particularly due to differences between simulated and actual occupant behavior (Blanchard et al 2012).…”

Section: Deep Energy Retrofitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wall Upgrades for Residential Deep Energy Retrofits: A Literature Review

Antonopoulos

Metzger

Zhang

et al. 2019

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In the United States, 39% of total energy is consumed by the building sector, 20% of the total is attributed to residential buildings (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2018). New, highperformance homes incorporate a combination of tight building envelopes, mechanical ventilation, and efficient components to ensure comfort, adequate airflow, and moisture control. These systems work together to create energy efficient homes that use measures to manage moisture, comfort, energy efficiency, and the indoor environment. Older homes, built before 1992 when the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Energy Codes Program was established represent approximately 68% of residential building stock in the country and often have significant air leakage and inadequate insulation. Homes with little to no air sealing or insulation have heating and cooling losses that can represent a substantial portion of utility bills. Done correctly, deep energy retrofits can significantly improve the energy performance of a home's thermal envelope, and increase homeowner comfort and health. This literature review summarizes current practices for exterior wall retrofits for existing homes, provides an overview of techno-economic approaches to investigating residential wall systems, and discusses thermal and hygrothermal modeling strategies. This literature review is part of a larger effort to identify state-of-the-art technologies for energy efficient wall retrofit systems that are suitable for cold and very cold climate zones. Retrofit wall systems that can be applied over existing siding offer a possible approach to reducing installation costs.

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“…To address this challenge, the US DOE Building America program established a research agenda targeting market-relevant strategies to achieve 40% reductions in existing home energy use by 2030. Deep energy retrofits are part of the strategy to meet and exceed this goal (Less and Walker 2014;Brennan and Iain 2015). Another method for reducing energy consumption has been focused on closing the performance gap.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Installation Quality Framework: Investment Return Approach for Energy Savings on Building Product Installation

Hughes

Pallin

Aldykiewicz

et al. 2021

J. Constr. Eng. Manage.

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A case study was conducted on 44 residential homes using both traditional house wrap and ZIP System systems to measure the overall airtightness and compare estimated energy usages. The labor, material, and overhead and profit (O&P) costs were analyzed and used to determine the optimal choice for long-term benefits in terms of cost and performance. The impact of insulation installation is considered a key factor in improving the strategy of reducing energy consumption. Improved installation practices can affect the airtightness of common wall assemblies to reduce the building energy performance gaps and provide insight on how to allocate resources better. A framework was developed to analyze operational costs and building energy performance to address how installation quality is a factor in the return of investment in building construction for heating and cooling systems within the thermal envelope. With this methodology, aggressive energy performance goals will be met while balancing the tradeoff between installation techniques and building systems efficiency based on the introduced probabilistic investment return (PIR) metric.

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A Meta-Analysis of Single-Family Deep Energy Retrofit Performance in the U.S.

Cited by 6 publications

References 5 publications

The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States

The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States

Wall Upgrades for Residential Deep Energy Retrofits: A Literature Review

Installation Quality Framework: Investment Return Approach for Energy Savings on Building Product Installation

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