Leaders at HUD, the DOE, and the EPA join forces to seek data that will facilitate green upgrades to the nation’s housing stock
Today, the leaders of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a joint letter asking for the nation’s leading utility companies to make energy and water use data freely available to the owners of multifamily properties to eliminate barriers to energy efficiency improvements for families who live in multifamily assisted housing.
“Thanks to the President’s Inflation Reduction Act, we are investing billions in much-needed energy efficiency upgrades at the properties where many of our most vulnerable populations call home,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “In order to do that, we need to provide the properties we serve with accurate data. Today, we join the DOE and EPA to ask utility companies to help us by making information available on energy and water usage for all.”
“Through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, DOE’s Home Energy Rebates will help American households save nearly a billion dollars annually on their energy bills by making it easier to install upgrades like insulation or new electric Energy Star appliances,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “We are proud to join HUD and EPA to call for utility companies to provide accurate usage data and maximize the ability for all households – including renters – to live in more comfortable, energy efficient homes.”
“Under President Biden’s leadership, we’re seeing a historic transition to clean energy across the entire economy. Thanks to leaders like Secretary Fudge and Secretary Granholm, this transition includes our nation’s housing, leading to a reduction in household pollution and resulting in significant cost savings for families,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “There’s more work to be done, especially for the communities that have been left behind for far too long. This joint effort will provide improved critical energy data, creating brighter, more efficient homes, and further reducing costs, ensuring we can build a sustainable future for all.”
Multifamily properties are home to more than 19 million low-income households – over 15 percent of all U.S. households. Upgrades to these properties targeting utility conservation could significantly reduce energy and water costs. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden-Harris Administration delivered more than $6.6 billion in funding for U.S. multifamily properties to improve energy and water efficiency and lower costs. This includes programs like HUD’s Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) and DOE’s Home Efficiency Rebate Program.
To maximize the impact of these investments, owners of multifamily properties need access to complete energy use data for their buildings – data that many utility companies currently fail to share. EPA offers Guidance for Utilities on Providing Whole-Building Energy Data, as well as one-on-one support to utilities interested in making this data available to owners.
By championing the availability of whole-building utility data access, utility companies will facilitate cost-effective investments in the communities they serve. See the full letter sent to major utility companies, linked here.