Abstract |
Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light, and live in our homes. This energy represents about 21 percent of the national total and includes significant demands for electricity and natural gas. Without additional efforts to improve the efficiency of home energy use, our national home energy bill is expected to rise to $200 billion by 2015 and expend more of our natural resources. Three Agencies of the federal government are coordinating the Partnerships for Home Energy Efficiency to make U.S. homes more energy efficient and help households cost-effectively save 10 percent or more on their energy bills over the next decade. This cross-agency initiative will build on existing policies and programs that involve partnerships with manufacturers, retailers, home contractors and remodelers, utilities, states, financial organizations, and educational institutions, among others, to leverage the power and creativity of the marketplace. The initiative also will build new coalitions and undertake new programs. |