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 |
|
|
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
|
|
|
- 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 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
- 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 |
|
|
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. |
|
12/31/99 |
EPA
DOE |
|
|