PATH Goal #2: Cut the environmental impact and energy use of new housing by 50 percent or more and reduce energy use in at least 15 million existing homes by 30 percent or more.

Planned Near Term Actions Milestone End Date Sponsoring
Agencies
Industry Partici- pation (footnote) Status of Progress in Completing Planned Actions
Objective #1: Develop an environmental baseline that will enable the measurement of progress toward achieving PATH environmental goals.
  • EPA’s ENERGY STAR Homes Program, in conjunction with other offices within EPA, will establish an environmental baseline by July, 2000.
6/30/00 EPA  
  • No action yet.
Objective #2: Develop approaches for incorporating energy efficiency improvements into the remodeling of existing residences.
  • Working with industry, identify at least 2 new technologies that could cost-effectively and significantly reduce energy consumption in existing housing.
6/30/00 HUD  
  • HUD has funded a cooperative research agreement with NAHB Research Center and Dow to develop new technologies for existing buildings.
12/31/99 HUD  
  • HUD planning to develop a Technology Roadmap for new and existing buildings.
  • Improve the energy efficiency of 67,000 low income homes in FY 99.
12/31/99 DOE  
  • Weatherization program in operation.
  • The ENERGY STAR Program will develop a marketing plan to promote energy efficiency in existing homes by September, 1999, identify metropolitan areas for pilot projects, and assess the best approach for achieving a 30 % reduction in energy efficiency in existing homes.
9/30/99 EPA  
  • EPA marketing plan under development.
Objective #3: Evaluate emerging technologies for their potential to reduce home energy use without raising costs or negatively impacting durability or indoor air quality.
  • Verify the performance of alternative home ventilation strategies.
9/30/99 EPA  
  • Initiated a study with NAHB Research Center to assess the effectiveness of alternative home ventilation strategies.
12/31/99 HUD/
DOC/NIST
 
  • Study underway with NIST on improving ventilation in manufactured homes.
  • Develop and disseminate computer software which enables simplified compliance with building codes.
4/30/99

DOE

 
  • Software entitled "MEC-CHECK" is available.
  • Develop improved computer tool to help building designers include energy efficiency options in multi-family buildings.
9/30/99

DOE

 
  • Work in progress.
  • Assess performance of housing insulation systems for energy efficiency, moisture movement and durability.
On-going USDA/FS

 
  • Work in progress with $45K of USDA/FS funding.
  • Continue evaluation of VOC emissions from particleboard and MDF.
  USDA/FS  
  • Work in progress with $40K of USDA/FS funding.
Objective #4: Deliver technical assistance to companies in making necessary improvements to their products so that they can gain code and market acceptance with their innovative products and systems.
  • Continue to develop and demonstrate new technologies such as residential fuel cells and advanced windows that have residential housing applications.
On-going HUD See note below.15
  • NAHB Research Center is conducting multiple demonstrations of ICFs, ACC, composite materials, and other technologies. Also, the Research Center is working with 3 companies on new product development and approval (ASC, Dow, Plug Power).
On-going DOE  
  • DOE supports extensive research and development through the National Laboratories.
  • Prepare a "white paper" on the role of home automation systems to address PATH goals relating to energy and environmental efficiency, cost, maintenance and repair.
9/30/99 DOE  
  • Not yet started.
Objective #5: Deliver technical assistance to builders and home systems providers on energy efficient construction practices that also do not diminish indoor air quality.
  • The ENERGY STAR Homes Program will have 15,000 ENERGY STAR Homes constructed during 1999.
12/31/99

EPA

See note below.16
  • Energy Star Homes program is on target to reach 15,000 homes during 1999.
  • EPA’s ENERGY STAR Home’s builder recruitment program will incorporate the PATH initiative in all builder presentations by July, 1999.
6/30/99

EPA

 
  • Underway.
  • Expand Building America to include over 100 industry members, indirectly transferring innovations to 150,000 production homes.
9/30/00

DOE

 
  • Over 70 industry members are participating in the program to date. There is no estimate yet on impact on housing production.
  • Develop and implement training programs for builders for delivery in twenty communities in FY99 enabling them to take maximum advantage of new energy efficient technologies.
6/30/99

DOE

 
  • Advanced technology builder training being conducted by NAHB Research Center for DOE.
  • Assist ten communities to institutionalize green building and energy efficient building technologies.
9/30/99

EPA/DOE

 
  • EPA working with communities interested in developing model green builder programs.
  • Work on the Green Builder Model Program and the National Green Builder Conference scheduled for April 1999.
12/31/99 EPA/DOE  
  • NAHB Research Center has developed a Model Green Builder Program and is producing an electronic model for easier use by builders/designers.
April, 1999 EPA  
  • National Green Builder Conference was held on April 8-10 in Denver.
  • Develop the preliminary plan for a Healthy Homes Initiative and submit to Congress.
4/9/99 HUD/EPA  
  • Plan submitted to Congress.
Objective #6: Coordinate activities with the EPA ENERGY STAR Homes program and DOE’s Building America program.
  • Provide technical documentation of Building America program results to include in the EPA ENERGY STAR Homes program.
6/30/99 EPA

 
  • NAHB Research Center is producing a guidebook based in part on Building America results showing successful ways to put ducts into conditioned space.
Objective #7: Provide technical assistance to identified PATH pilot projects.
  • Expand federal participation in the PATH pilot projects to include all participating federal agencies.
4/6/99 DOE (lead) See note below.17
  • April 6 meeting between five National Pilot project teams and nine participating federal agencies held to broaden pilot projects to address all PATH goals.
4/30/99 DOE/HUD  
  • HUD is issuing an Inter Agency Agreement with DOE to expand the federal role in each of the five National Pilot projects.
Objective #8: Conduct evaluations and document the costs and performance attributes of technologies that have been incorporated into recently completed housing projects with federal sponsorship.
  • Develop an OMB-approved study design by July 1999 for evaluating the cost and performance attributes of a statistical sampling of homes built under the Energy Star homes program and begin the evaluation process by September 1999.
7/31/99

EPA

 
  • Plan was submitted to OMB for approval.
  • Conduct an evaluation and document the cost and performance results of the projects funded under the Building America program.
9/30/99 DOE  
  • No action yet.
Objective #9: Evaluate and delineate the appropriate role of deconstruction as an approach to reducing waste and recycling building materials.
  • Evaluate differing approaches toward building deconstruction for optimal materials conservation.
9/30/99 EPA  
  • NAHB Research Center is providing technical assistance to multiple deconstruction projects for EPA.
9/30/00 HUD  
  • HUD is issuing a Task Order to study market potential of deconstructed materials. Work to begin in June 1999.
9/30/00 HUD/USDA  
  • HUD has issued an IAA to the Forest Products Laboratory to create a rating system for deconstructed lumber.
Objective #10: Work on the Green Builder Model Program and the Green Builder Conference scheduled for April 1999.
  • See item 5 above.
12/31/99 EPA
DOE
 
  • See item 5 above.


15 The technology demonstration work is jointly sponsored by private sector companies and HUD.

16 The Energy Efficient Building Association is reformatting and expanding on existing information and is developing new information.

17 The Building America program provides technical assistance to the PATH National Pilot Projects.