There’s no shortage of news stories proliferating within building and energy efficiency circles. It can be overwhelming to keep up with developments, so this week, we focus on three stories that we think should be on your radar.
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Insulation Institute Blog
According to new data released by the U.S. Treasury Department, for the 2023 tax year, more than 3.34 million U.S. taxpayers claimed at least one of the home energy efficiency tax credits made available in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). In all, more than $8 billion in residential clean energy and home energy efficiency credits were claimed against 2023 federal income taxes.
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NAIMA recently announced the result of its annual recycled content survey, which reports its members’ use of recycled materials. In 2023, NAIMA members in the United States and Canada used more than 3 billion pounds of recycled glass and slag in the production of residential, commercial, industrial, and air-handling thermal and acoustical insulation.
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Insulation is one of the best ways to reduce home energy costs, with a national opportunity to save 15 to 45 percent on costs, according to ICF’s Insulation Opportunity Study. With the unprecedented heat making energy costs increasingly unaffordable for all Americans but particularly low-income Americans, this cannot be overstated. A new report from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA) and the Center for Energy Poverty and Climate (CEPC) underscores the need to rapidly expand energy assistance programs and weatherization activities to reduce the cost burden to these communities.
NAIMA has released a new report detailing the thermal conductivity of fiberglass, mineral wool, and aerogel pipe insulation products under high process temperatures. A specific test, the ASTM C335, is prescribed for conducting such testing, which must be completed by an accredited testing facility.
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The Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) at Harvard University recently released The State of the Nation’s Housing 2024 report. This year’s report details some significant challenges confronting the U.S. residential housing market. These include increasing housing costs, record cost burdens for homeowners and low for-sale inventory, which has prompted buyers to seek new construction homes, however unaffordable.
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Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a final rule updating the energy code requirements for HUD and USDA new home mortgages. All new construction homes purchased with these federal mortgages must now comply with the 2021 or the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). While the final rule was announced today, enforcement of the rule will not come for 18 months. Currently, the rules require compliance with the 2009 IECC. This new requirement will increase the energy efficiency of new homes by more than 30 percent.
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With the cost of homeownership skyrocketing and extreme weather on the rise, it’s increasingly important to know if your home is financially and physically resilient.
Housing affordability is a nationwide concern for homeowners. Rising costs across insurance, taxes, and utilities are creating serious financial strain. These rising costs are alarming enough, but when combined with the increasing threat of severe weather events, like the recent snowstorm in Portland, Oregon, that left 132,000 people without power for over a week, risks are leading homeowners to question if they’re properly prepared.
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Shawn Nienhouse is a Certified Green Home Professional (CGHP) and Construction Project Manager for Habitat for Humanity of Kent County in Grand Rapids, MI. He oversees the construction of LEED-certified housing for families in need. His background also includes a stint as an estimator for a production builder that built close to code minimum homes. He’s spent significant time recently learning building science principles and high-performance, green construction details, and he shared his thoughts with us recently on why home builders must evolve from code-built to high-performance.
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The U.S. Department of Energy opened applications Wednesday for the 2024 Renew America’s Schools prize, which will award $180 million in funds to school districts nationwide to implement energy upgrades.
The prize, funded by the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure law, represents a significant opportunity for K-12 schools to improve infrastructure. Research has shown that improving school infrastructure through such activities as adding insulation reduces costs, improves student health, and contributes to better learning.
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