The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced $46 million (£36m) in funding to boost energy efficiency and slash emissions in residential and commercial buildings.
The Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers and Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) scheme will support the development of advanced building technologies and retrofit practices that enable households and communities to save energy while reducing bills.
Residential and commercial buildings are the largest energy consuming sector of the US economy, responsible for around 40% of the nation’s energy consumption, 74% of its electricity use and 35% of its total carbon emissions, according to the DOE.
Estimates indicate roughly one-third or more of the energy used by buildings is wasted at a cost of $150 billion (£118bn) annually.
More than half of the selected projects will advance the improvement of space conditioning and water heating, which accounts for just above half of all energy use in US homes.
Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said: “Exploring new ways to build and operate America’s buildings is key to cutting harmful emissions and combatting the climate crisis.
“With this funding, the Department is providing critical new resources to teams from across the nation to transform game-changing ideas into innovative solutions, creating safer and healthier homes and buildings while cutting energy costs.”
