By: Joe Cullen, Director of Policy & State Outreach

As part of a coalition of residential energy efficiency organizations including the Association for Energy Affordability, Inc. (AEA), …

By Alisa Petersen and Michael Gartman

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 with this luxury perception, research shows these homes are often more comfortable and healthier than conventional homes for a variety…

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…

By Alisa Petersen

While much of RMI’s research and analysis on home energy performance has focused on real estate transactions to stimulate the market for home energy upgrades, existing rental housing upgrades remain a critical yet unaddressed issue in reducing the overall footprint of the residential sector in a particular city and nationally—given that …

Elevate Energy has helped hundreds of homeowners improve their buildings and reduce high utility bills through energy efficiency upgrades, with the important added benefits of strengthening communities and keeping housing affordable. One way that we do this is through the City of Chicago’s…

We went to the best house party—no, not an all-night blow-out, but a small get-together hosted by real estate broker Dan Razowsky. This particular house party was to help Dan, his parents, and their friends become more educated about energy use and energy efficiency in their homes, and we were thrilled to be a part of it.

At an Elevate Energy house…

In an effort to provide more comprehensive services to the people we serve, especially low-income populations, Elevate is working towards identifying and solving home-based health hazards that we discover while doing energy efficiency work. These home-base health hazards are often a barrier to weatherization for our low- to moderate-income homeowners. To support this work,…

Building owner Charles Beck needed to make improvements to the failing boiler of his 12-unit apartment building located on the West Side of Chicago. His building is one of a few viable housing developments in an area faced with foreclosures and disinvestment.

Beck approached the …

Do you live in an older home? Many of us here at Indow do and so we appreciate the charm but also understand persistent challenges like energy loss.  Fortunately, you make your home more comfortable when you take steps to save energy with things like air sealing gaps and cracks in your windows, doors…

After receiving a tip from a West Pullman neighbor, Diana Story enrolled in the energy efficiency program made available through the City of Chicago’s Micro Market Recovery Program (MMRP). Elevate Energy conducted an assessment of her 55 year-old home and found the typical efficiency needs—airsealing and insulation in the attic, basement, and perimeter walls. The assessment also…

In 2013, building owner Josh Miller worked with Elevate Energy to reduce the cost of utility bills in his two-story building in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, as well as improve the overall comfort of the units.

After suffering through a winter of cold drafts and high gas bills, Josh Miller decided to…

EnergyLogic has teamed up with Owens Corning as a flagship sponsor of Game of Homes, EnergyLogic’s new, free training platform for home performance professionals. In case you haven't heard about it yet... pros involved in making homes more energy efficient, safe and healthy can play Game of Homes to earn CEUs, which they can apply toward…

This blog post is guest written by former staff member Eric Keeley.

Great enthusiasm for home energy efficiency is often matched with misconceptions.  Let’s explore a bit and figure out the difference between what we perceive, believe, and what we know to be true.

Our Perception

Windows: We see through them every day and curse the drafts coming through and around them. We are certain that old windows are the main culprit behind why we spend so much…

It’s no surprise that household energy expenditures put a considerable burden on low- to middle-income families, and a study correlated this impact by measuring the correlation between income and morbidity due to extreme heat or cold.

The Centers for Disease Control and Protection published the results of the study that analyzed data between 2006 and 2010. The study analyzed morbidity rates due simply to extreme temperatures. They found that counties throughout the U.S. that…

Affordable apartment buildings are home to more than 10 million American households, making them a backbone of U.S. housing stock. They also waste a lot of energy.

In fact, energy efficiency measures are far less likely to be found in multifamily buildings than any other type of housing, according to a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Several hurdles have stalled upgrades: building owners lack access to capital, utility-run efficiency…

The Value of Energy Data

“Got Data? The Value of Energy Data…

A lot is happening at the intersection of residential energy efficiency and real estate.

First, let us set the scene. Elevate Energy and others have long recognized a specific challenge: When homeowners invest in improving the energy efficiency of their home and property, these measures are often invisible…

It’s really nice when hard work pays off.

As part of the collaborative efforts of the Value for High Performance Homes Campaign, we were able to get an energy efficiency measure – air sealing and insulation – added to Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost versus Value study. This matters because it legitimizes a valuable, low-cost, and manageable home improvement project which home…

If you haven’t heard, there’s a lot happening right now at the intersection of home energy performance and real estate.

Let’s set the scene first. As you may have experienced, when homeowners make improvements to an existing house, the most important aspects of home performance – including safety, comfort,…