Insulation Institute Blog

Posts Categorized: Energy Efficiency

2021 Record Year for Clean Energy

Despite the ongoing pandemic, 2021 was a record-breaking year for investment in the energy transition and renewable power, battery storage, and sustainable transportation, according to the 2022 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, published by BloombergNEF (BNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). This tenth annual edition of the Factbook concludes that unprecedented injection of new capital into companies, technologies, and projects, as well as a wave of supportive new policies, drove the growth in clean energy transition and energy efficiency.

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2021 Record Year for Clean Energy

HERS-Rated Homes Top 300K in 2021

This week, Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) reported that 313,153 homes received a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Score in 2021. The number of HERS homes continues to break records, having eclipsed the 299,775 in 2020. More than 3 million homes have been rated since the inception in 1995 of HERS scores, which are a home’s equivalent of a miles-per-gallon rating for cars.

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HERS-Rated Homes Top 300K in 2021

5 Ways Climate is Reshaping Home Building

According to a report issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this week, 2021 was the sixth warmest year on record.[1] Further, the hottest decade ever recorded occurred between 2009 and 2019.[2] The planet’s warming trend is forcing home builders globally to get creative to address the challenges we’re confronting. Here are five ways the climate is reshaping housing.

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5 Ways Climate is Reshaping Home Building

Getting Granular on Clean Energy Jobs

E2 has published new, interesting data on clean energy jobs by congressional districts. Clean energy employment[1] (jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency) accounts for 3 million U.S. jobs, and the sector will likely grow following the passage of the massive infrastructure bill. E2’s searchable database allows users a closer look at where those jobs are.

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Getting Granular on Clean Energy Jobs

Award-Winning Construction with Fiberglass

Each year since 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Housing Innovation Awards recognize forward-thinking builders who construct homes that are Zero Energy Ready (with net zero achievable with the addition of solar panels). Among the winners of the 2021 Housing Innovation Awards is Milwaukee-area builder Tim O’Brien Homes, which took a top prize for a 3,000 square foot high-performance custom home insulated with blown-in fiberglass insulation.

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Award-Winning Construction with Fiberglass

The Most and Least Efficient States

While some states have aggressive stretch energy code requirements, other states lag in their efforts. A new report from WalletHub, a personal finance company, analyzes data from various government agencies in 48 states and ranks each in their building, auto, and transportation efficiency. The report finds that Utah is the most energy-efficient state while South Carolina is the least. So how does your state rank?

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The Most and Least Efficient States

October 6 is EEDay 2021 – Help Spread the Word

Next Wednesday, October 6, marks the sixth celebration of Energy Efficiency (EE) Day 2021 (EEDay2021). EE Day is a collaborative effort including dozens of energy efficiency advocacy groups in the U.S., including the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Alliance to Save Energy, National Resources Defense Council, and regional energy efficiency organizations. The goal is to encourage consumers and organizations to save money, cut pollution, and create jobs by focusing on energy efficiency.

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October 6 is EEDay 2021 – Help Spread the Word

Great Insulation and Air Sealing at Lower Costs

In home construction, getting great air sealing and insulation are the Holy Grail in delivering a high-performance home with an effective thermal envelope. The prevailing belief among many in the building industry is that only spray foam insulation can deliver the thermal performance and airtightness that is required but that simply isn’t true. Moreover, installed costs are a top consideration for most builders, thus finding products that can help builders meet thermal performance and airtightness targets for less is important. Insulation Institute looks this week at new case studies for residential construction that show even the most aggressive airtightness targets can be met cost-effectively without using spray foam.

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Great Insulation and Air Sealing at Lower Costs