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Since 2000, more energy has been consumed in the buildings sector
than in either industry or transportation, and 36% of this energy
goes toward space conditioning. Americans spent over $95 billion
to heat and cool buildings in the year 2000, consuming 13.3 quads
(source) of energy in the process. A large fraction of this energy
is lost through walls, roofs, and floors, and advances in building
envelope technologies are key to reducing overall building energy
consumption and costs.
We've learned a lot in the last 20 years about how to save energy
in buildings. In fact, homes built now use about 30% less energy
per square foot than homes built before 1980. Research in building
envelopes contributes significantly, not only via system and material
developments, but also through improved building standards. In 2001,
the National Academy of Science wrote, "The importance of standards
pulling technological innovation in buildings and transportation
cannot be exaggerated. Often, DOE energy efficiency research has
been used to provide a proper basis for standards." Continued
R&D in building envelope materials and systems will bring even
greater energy and cost savings, in both new and renovated buildings.
Program Goals
The goal of DOE's research related to walls, roofs, and foundations
is to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient and sustainable
thermal insulation, building materials, and envelope systems. The
program interacts closely with the scientific community, the manufacturing
sector, and the users of thermal insulation and other building materials
and systems in pursuit of this goal. Specific objectives for roofs,
walls, and foundations are:
- Identify and develop new or improved insulation and other building
materials
- Search out and resolve technical issues of importance to consumers,
the construction industry, and the building materials industry
- Develop and standardize laboratory methods for characterizing
new and existing materials
- Develop a fundamental understanding of the physics of heat,
air, and moisture flow in advanced and conventional building materials
- Make recommendations on the effective use of building materials
- Develop the scientific and engineering tools for development,
demonstration, and production of more energy-efficient and sustainable
building envelope system technologies
- Develop and standardize field and laboratory whole envelope
system performance test protocols to stimulate development and
investment in energy-efficient envelope technologies
- Engage in partnerships with industry to attain DOE energy efficiency
goals
Strategy
Input from the building industry and consumers, along with a quest
for a more complete understanding of the fundamental physics of
energy use in buildings, guide the DOE's building envelope R&D activities.
In 2001, industry representatives and DOE completed the Building
Envelope Technology Roadmap (809 KB). This document helps to
align DOE research activities with industry-identified priorities.
Program activities include aggressive technology development, laboratory
tests, field performance demonstrations, and maintenance of the
DOE Buildings Technology Center.
The program focuses in two areas:
Testing methodology development is a key component in both of these
areas. Multiple avenues are then used to transfer the program's
results back into the building community. Partnerships with industry
are formed to accelerate development and introduction of new materials.
In addition, the program takes a leading role in developing national
standards, working with organizations such as ASTM International
(formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials)
and the American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE). The program also provides extensive consumer
education and works with trade organizations and manufacturers to
promote the effective use of insulation and other building materials.
An ongoing website, Envelope
& Windows Forum allows interested stakeholders to share their
views and stay updated on the latest R&D activities.
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