U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm announced a new national initiative that EERE’s Building Technologies Office will lead to advance clean heating and cooling systems in buildings.
The Initiative for Better Energy, Emissions, and Equity (E3 Initiative) will focus on advancing the research, development and national deployment of clean heating and cooling systems that include heat pumps, advanced water heaters, low-to-no global warming potential refrigerants and smarter HVAC diagnostic tools in residential and commercial buildings.
Through the E3 Initiative, DOE will work with partners to develop regional solutions that support both technology innovations and accelerate deployment. The E3 Initiative also places a strong emphasis on activities that can deploy effective heating and cooling technologies that already exist on the marketplace today, including windows.
“Energy-efficient windows, doors, and skylights in homes and offices make buildings more comfortable for its inhabitants, save money on heating and cooling costs, and reduce carbon emissions for communities,” says Deb Callahan, National Fenestration Rating Council CEO.
The Building Technologies Office is supporting the new Partnership for Advanced Window Solutions (PAWS), led by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance in collaboration with multiple non-government organizations and manufacturers that will accelerate the national availability and adoption of highly efficient windows and window attachments that improve comfort and reduce building energy use.
NFRC is looking forward to being an early partner as part of the official launch of PAWS in the coming weeks. “We envision this PAWS initiative as building alliances to collectively leverage our organizations’ expertise, relationships and assets to meet the goals set out by this national campaign to modernize and update homes and commercial spaces,” says Callahan. “This combined effort has the potential to build loyal communities around high-performing, energy-efficient windows, doors and skylights that reduce carbon emissions, save energy, and contribute to the plan for a new American infrastructure.”
