PUBLICATIONS

Market Profiles & Product Snapshots
D&R's market profiles and product snapshots provide a detailed look at the market for ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and lighting.

Articles
Learn about the green building technologies that are improving the energy efficiency, durability, and safety of U.S. homes.

Case Studies
Meet the builders and remodelers who are using sustainable technologies in their homes. Learn about the obstacles they faced and how they were overcome.

MARKET PROFILES & PRODUCT SNAPSHOTS

The following profiles and snapshots examine the market for ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and lighting. D&R prepared these documents on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy for the ENERGY STAR utility, manufacturer, and retail partners.

Compact Fluorescent Light Market Profile (PDF 2.9 MB), March 2009

While the commercial and industrial sectors were early adopters of CFLs, vast potential remains in the residential sector. It contains 90 percent of CFL-appropriate sockets, but has only 11 percent CFL saturation. Thirty percent of households still own no CFLs, and 64 percent of households that own CFLs have five or fewer. Overall, there is still plenty of room for the CFL market to grow.

Refrigerator Market Profile, December 2009

National and State appliance standards have dramatically improved the overall performance of refrigerators over the last two decades, cutting refrigerators' annual energy consumption in half. Nevertheless, efficiency program sponsors can capture substantial additional energy savings from programs that increase ENERGY STAR market share, increase the rate at which discarded and displaced refrigerators are permanently retired, increase the rate at which pre-1993 refrigerators are removed from the grid, and reduce the number of second refrigerators and/or their annual energy consumption.

To request a copy of this market profile, please contact Stephen Bickel, Director of Market Research, at marketprofile@drintl.com.

Water Heater Market Profile, September 2009

Revolutionary changes in water heater technology coupled with the yearly replacement of roughly one out of every 13 water heaters create a tremendous opportunity to increase energy efficiency in the residential sector. With most American households using conventional water heaters barely more efficient than the ones sold 20 years ago, energy efficiency program sponsors can achieve significant, cost-effective savings by adding ENERGY STAR qualified water heaters to their program portfolios.

To request a copy of this market profile, please contact Stephen Bickel, Director of Market Research, at marketprofile@drintl.com.

Clothes Washer Product Snapshot, May 2008

When it comes to saving energy and water, ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers are the power hitters of home appliances, using an average of 31 percent less energy and 55 percent less water than standard clothes washers. Despite these tremendous savings, the market potential for ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers is not nearly tapped, as only 11 percent of households own an ENERGY STAR qualified unit.

To request a copy of this snapshot, please contact Stephen Bickel, Director of Market Research, at marketprofile@drintl.com.

Room Air Conditioners Product Snapshot, 2007

While the energy and dollar savings from room air conditioners may not rival those of ENERGY STAR qualified lighting or clothes washers, the peak demand savings can be compelling for Energy Efficiency Program Sponsors in many regions of the country. Decommissioning and replacing an old unit also yields the greatest savings.

To request a copy of this snapshot, please contact Stephen Bickel, Director of Market Research, at marketprofile@drintl.com.

Reaching Hispanics: 5 Things to Know, 2007

Hispanic consumers are a large and growing segment of the U.S., presenting a tremendous opportunity for expanding market penetration of ENERGY STAR qualified home appliances. Keeping five key points in mind when designing programs can help energy efficiency program sponsors reach Hispanic consumers.

To request a copy of this report, please contact Stephen Bickel, Director of Market Research, at marketprofile@drintl.com.

ARTICLES

The following articles focus on innovative technologies that offer superior efficiency, durability, and safety for U.S. homes. D&R prepared these articles on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

LEDs

The LED Revolution, Green Builder , November 2009.

LEDs: DOE Programs Add Credibility to Developing Technology, Facilities Manager , March/April 2009.

Water Heaters

Water Heaters: New Choices, New Savings, Plumbing & Mechanical , October 27, 2009.

Getting into Hot Water, Green Builder , August 2009.

Energy Star, Tax Credits Create Opportunities, Contractor , June 1, 2009.

Energy Star Qualified Water Heaters: Serious New Energy Savings, Housing Zone , January 28, 2009.

Green Building: For Builders and Remodelers

So, You Think You Know Building?, Sustainable Home , May 1, 2008.

'Lean' Factory Home Building Boosts Market Share, Nation's Building News , March 17, 2008.

Green Scene: The PATH Guide to Green Building, Virginia Builder , March 2008.

Building to Weather the Storm, Ecological Home Ideas , Spring 2008.

What Homebuilders Can Get from "PATH's Residential Structural Design Guide," Professional Builder , February 2008.

Quality, Not Speed, Important to Modular Home Buyers, Nations Building News , January 21, 2008.

5 Common Construction Mistakes, Professional Builder , January 2008.

The Real Deal: Remodeler Grows Business by Packaging, Professional Remodeler , January 2008.

Green Building: For Realtors

Agents of Change: Promoting Green in Real Estate, Realtor , November 2009.

Enhancing Listing Data with MLS Green Fields, Summer 2008.

CASE STUDIES

Learn how builders and remodelers are putting innovation into practice. The following stories highlight the use of advanced technologies in projects across the nation. D&R prepared these case studies on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Energy Efficiency

ENERGY STAR Clothes Washers Save Money, Please Residents (PDF 1.2 MB), May 2009
Colesville Towers, a high-end apartment building in Silver Spring, Maryland, chose to install 14 new energy-efficient LG washing machines three years before the route operating contract came up for renewal. What motivated the building owner? This case study describes how a forward-thinking route operator worked with a property manager and a building owner to save water, energy, and money. The project had an added bonus: it appealed to residents, who liked the more efficient machines and living in a greener building.

Energy-Efficient Remodeling: Traditional Builders Find a Niche Beyond Energy Code, August 2006
Knowing Able Homebuilders' expertise in energy efficiency, Don and Susie Townley approached owners Willie and Jeff Delfs about replacing the windows and siding in their 1970s Sioux City home, and expanding the kitchen by 400 square feet. Using optimum-value framing for the exterior kitchen walls, stabilized cellulose insulation, high performance glazing, insulative vinyl siding, and whole-house building envelope air sealing, the Delfs achieved 20-percent energy savings from one December to the next.

Ducts in Conditioned Space: Insulating the Attic Roofline for Comfort & Energy Savings, July 2006
Builder/remodeler Bob Black puts ducts in conditioned space and insulates his attic rooflines. "You can't control taxes, but you can control a building's energy use, so I put ducts in conditioned space. This makes for happy clients because they know their energy costs are going to be much lower over the lifespan of the building."

Building Performance Testing: Delivering Measurable Gains, June 2006
Remodeler Michael Lotesto's project includes the renovation of a 2,500-sq-ft., four-bedroom, single-family home built in the 1960s. Building Performance Testing was used to diagnose the home's performance issues.

HVAC Systems: Size Matters, May 2006
Remodeler Carl Seville's Historic Home Renovation project includes a 1918 home in the historic district in Atlanta. Expanded by 2,400 square feet, proper HVAC practices were used to reduce the home's energy use and improve the indoor air quality. This project won the 2006 NAHB Green Project of the Year award.

Renewable Energy

In the Loop: Rising Fuel Costs Power Geothermal Heat Pumps, September 2006
Green started installing geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) for clients who wanted a more efficient alternative. With the increasing cost of energy, geothermal has become his primary source of business.

Harnessing the Sun: Passive and Active Solar Systems Offer Growing Niche Market, August 2006
The builder's 3,300 square-foot home in Rogers, Arkansas, won the EnergyValue Housing Award in 1999 on the strength of its energy-efficient features, solar water heater, and passive solar design. Eight years later, the enactment of new state legislation paved the way for Stitt to add the three kWh solar system that was always part of the plan.

Photovoltaic Solar Electric Systems: A Veteran Builder Finds Something New Under the Sun, August 2006
Builder Bruce Wolfe's project in Fallbrook, California, combines solar technology and energy-efficient design in 73 single-family homes ranging from 2,870 to 3,640 square feet. The homes exceed California's Title 24 energy requirements by over 40 percent.

Pumping Up Efficiency: Builder Grounds Business on Geothermal Heat Pumps, July 2006
Builder David Ritchie, Chisholm Creek Development, built 16 duplexes and 13 single-family homes in Enid between 2003 and 2006 using energy-efficient geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). "I was looking for something to differentiate my subdivision and the homes that I was building from the other builders in town," says Ritchie. "So, I sat down with the estimated costs of GHPs, and determined that I could absorb the initial costs and gain a market advantage."

Storm Resistance

Looking for Shelter from the Storm: Transplanted Floridians Find Greater Storm Resistance and Energy Efficiency, Winter 2008
When they moved into their first home in Florida in December 2003, Randy and Karen Wiles discovered Florida sunshine can come at a price when Hurricane Charley hit the Gulf Coast a few months later. "Hurricane Charley made me think about storm-resistant building. I started to research the technologies and techniques available to build a more durable and efficient home." Wiles's research led him to precast concrete panels.

High Wind-Resistant Shingles: Achieving Strength and Affordability with Top-of-the-Line Technology, September 2006
After witnessing the devastation caused by three major hurricanes in central Florida in 2004, builder Kristin Beall began to investigate ways to build homes that could withstand the effects of high winds and heavy rain. The home features high wind-resistant shingles, a safe room, doors that swing out, impact-resistant windows, and emergency backup power.

Storm Sellers: Hurricane-Resistant Building Package Speeds Construction, Attracts Homebuyers, September 2006
Builder Mike Romig built a $240,000 2,200-square-foot home with a more storm-resistant structure by request of the homebuyers. Starting with this home, every home Tarpon Coast Development builds will be designated as Fortified. . . for Safer Living , a program operated by the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) to specify construction, design, and landscaping guidelines to increase a home's resistance to natural disaster.