Residential Buildings

Lights, Camera Action!

For ideas on using clean energy for character roles and identities, for dramatic situations and plot development, or for visual effects, download the report or contact RMI via NewNormal@rmi.org. Watching the hit movie A Star Is Born the other night, I was struck by one scene in particular—not…

Zero-Energy Homes Are Ready for Mainstream Markets

Zero-energy (ZE) homes—efficient homes that produce or procure as much renewable energy as they consume over the course of a year—are often marketed as luxury homes, only available to the select few that are willing to pay a significant premium to do the right thing for the environment. In keeping…

The Consumer Connection: A Consumer-Centric Approach to Delivering Home Energy Services

Two-thirds of US homeowners consider home energy performance a top priority, but few actually take action to improve home energy use. And those who have implemented efficiency improvements seldom invest in whole-home energy upgrades. In sum, a large gap exists between intentions and actual investments, signifying a market failure to…

Energy and Affordability in Housing Finance

Utility costs place a significant financial burden on the 35 million very low- to moderate-income (LMI) single-family households in the United States. On average, low-income households spend three times as much to heat and cool their homes as the average household—from 20 percent to 50 percent of their…