Insulation Institute Blog

Posts Categorized: Decarbonization

IEA: Much Faster Progress on Energy Efficiency Needed

Yesterday, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Energy Efficiency 2024 report, concluding that much faster progress on global energy efficiency is needed to meet the climate pledges of COP28 held last year. Nearly 200 countries, including the United States, pledged to double the global annual average rate of energy efficiency during the event. One year later, a weak improvement of just 1 percent has been achieved. However, the report includes critical takeaways for the building industry and buildings.

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New Guide: Building Decarbonization Using Fiberglass and Mineral Wool

NAIMA has released a new guide that details how builders can use fiberglass and mineral wool insulation to aid in whole building decarbonization activities. “Building Decarbonization Using Fiberglass and Mineral Wool” reviews the two principal objectives of whole building decarbonization — reducing operational and embodied carbon in building materials. It also defines key terms, including:

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New Guide: Building Decarbonization Using Fiberglass and Mineral Wool

Report: Couple Envelope & Electrification Work

A new report just published by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) highlights that pairing residential heat pump heating and cooling systems with air sealing and insulation will reduce likely increases in customer costs and strain on the electric grid. The report’s message is timely as states prepare to implement two key programs of the Inflation Reduction Act and offer more than $9 billion in rebates for residential energy efficiency and electrification improvements.

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Report: Couple Envelope & Electrification Work

DOE Updates ZERH Specs, Provides 45L Details

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) last month released the latest version of the Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) requirements for single-family homes. Version 2 of the ZERH requirements included an update of the thermal envelope insulation levels to those required by the 2021 Residential IECC, whereas the previous version (V1 Rev 8) stipulated 2015 IECC thermal insulation requirements. DOE also highlighted the new tax credits available to builders through the 45L builder energy efficiency tax incentive.

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DOE Updates ZERH Specs, Provides 45L Details

Home Building’s Inflection Point

With much of the globe witnessing unprecedented heat waves and wildfires, the realities of climate change are undeniable. But how will this impact residential construction? How might builders consider the impacts of climate change on building resilience moving forward? This week we talked to NAIMA Canada Senior Technical Advisor Gary Sharp, a civil engineer with more than 30 years of experience in the building industry. We spoke about why residential construction may have reached an inflection point based on climate change and what that could mean for the future of home building.

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Home Building’s Inflection Point

Insulation Industry Releases Decarbonization Policy Principles

U.S. and global policymakers are increasingly focused on decarbonization efforts to address climate change. In response, trade associations representing the major U.S. insulation industry organizations recently released a statement of policy principles on building decarbonization. The principles advocate maximizing energy efficiency in buildings and pursuing whole-building embodied carbon reductions in building materials and components. 

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Insulation Industry Releases Decarbonization Policy Principles

The $32M DOE Effort to Boost EE

Long-needed energy efficiency improvements in much of America’s public housing means that low-income tenants spend a significant portion of their income on energy costs. Moreover, buildings are the second-largest carbon dioxide emissions source. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) seeks to address this by launching an experiment with architects and public housing agencies to retrofit these homes with heat pumps and insulation upgrades to improve their efficiency.

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The $32M DOE Effort to Boost EE

Decarbonizing Buildings Starts with Energy Efficiency

Responsible for nearly 40 percent of global climate emissions, buildings are critical to the government’s response to climate change. As lawmakers and climate advocates look for new policies that will curb greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment, the old rallying cry for energy efficiency is being replaced by calls for policies that drive building decarbonization. This leads to the question, just where does energy efficiency fit in this broader goal of decarbonization?

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Decarbonizing Buildings Starts with Energy Efficiency