Dr. Kathleen Hogan
US State Department of Energy
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy announced new partnerships and resources that will bring the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy to more states and communities. As a part of this announcement, the Energy Department is releasing updated guidelines for residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs. Residential PACE is an innovative financing mechanism that allows homeowners to make affordable clean energy investments in their homes.
Residential PACE programs allow state and local governments, where permitted by state law, to offer this financing option for homeowners to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements to their homes. Homeowners are able to benefit from energy improvements immediately and pay back the costs over time through their property taxes. If the property is sold, including through foreclosure, the remaining PACE assessment will stay with the property, meaning the next owner is responsible for the outstanding PACE assessment and will benefit from the lower energy bills.
The Energy Department is now seeking stakeholder input on the draft revised Best Practice Guidelines for Residential PACE Financing Programs. Visit the State and Local Solution Center to learn more and submit comments.
Making the value of energy efficiency visible to homeowners, purchasers and sellers is an important component of PACE financing programs. The Energy Department is working in partnership with appraisal organizations and the real estate industry to help ensure homeowners realize the investment value and benefits of energy efficiency.
These activities and partnerships are highlighted below:
- Launched last year, the Better Buildings Home Energy Information Accelerator brings together 28 national and local partners who are making home energy information, such as a home’s efficiency certification or its estimated energy usage, readily available at relevant points in residential real estate transactions. Through this program, the Energy Department is developing replicable, sustainable approaches that make energy-related information – important data for the home buying process – easily available to home buyers and sellers through multiple listing service (MLS) and other reports. These partners are also improving how energy efficiency is captured in appraisals and real estate
In coordination with The Appraisal Foundation, the Energy Department is sponsoring the development of appraisal resources focused on valuation of energy efficiency and high performance features in residential and commercial buildings. The Appraisal Practices Board has adopted two Valuation Advisories that identify areas where high-performance building features and market conditions impact the valuation assignment process, including scope of work, information gathering and analysis techniques, and core competencies for appraisers.
- The Energy Department is also working in partnership with the Appraisal Institute which delivers training and education to appraisers and real estate The Appraisal Institute developed training resources, valuation tools, including the residential green and energy efficient addendum.
The Energy Department is also developing tools and resources and hosts webinars and peer exchanges focused on the topic of capturing energy efficiency in real estate transactions and appraisals, including the following:
- The Energy Department’s Home Energy Score is similar to a vehicle’s miles-per-gallon It helps homeowners and homebuyers understand how much energy a home is expected to use and provides suggestions for improving its energy efficiency. It also allows an energy performance comparison to other homes nationwide.
- The Energy Department’s Better Buildings Residential Program Solution Centerprovides informational resources, step-by-step guidance, case studies, and descriptions of programs that have integrated energy efficiency into appraisals and real estate
We look forward to continue working closely with states and communities, PACE program administrators, and the residential real estate and home improvement industries to continue advancements in methods for incorporating energy efficiency into appraisals and real estate transactions.
Founded in 1958, Novec is now a key player in engineering in Africa. As a subsidiary of the group “Caisse de Depôt et de Gestion”, Novec offers first-class engineering services to support the Kingdom in the development of territorial projects and provides assistance in growth-generating projects in Africa and the Middle East.
Novec is currently undertaking several projects in different fields ranging from urban planning, building, energy, industry, water, agriculture and environment- to roads and railways infrastructure…
In addition to its classic business lines, Novec has set up two subsidiaries, Ingeplan and TME (Tanger Med Engineering), the first specialized in the production and export of plans and drawings for large civil engineering works, and the second dedicated to maritime engineering.
Backed with its affiliation to the Group “Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion”, one the most important players of sustainable territorial development, NOVEC have assisted the group in a set of structuring projects with growth-generating value for the national economy.
There are several large scale projects, in which NOVEC plays a leading role. Among these, we can refer to the design study of the project of use of surpluses of the northern watersheds, the supervision of the high speed train line (Tangier – Larache section), used waters pre-treatment plant with a sea outlet in Casablanca, the Euro- Mediterranean University of Fez, the Tennis stadium and the Olympic swimming pool of Tangier, the implementation studies of Dar Khrofa, Tamalout and Kherroub dams, etc…Considering the fact that respecting the environment, health and human development are inseparable and integral elements of Novec’s work ethics, a sustainable development charter was adopted by the company in 2010. This Charter is the outcome of a long process that was first initiated in the year 2000 and which consists of the integration of a global approach to sustainable development in its projects.
In the building’s sector, Novec has its own principles of energy efficiency so that the criteria and methodologies in the field can be applied. As an illustration, a few projects can be named:
Taghazout: The villas are equipped with energy class A air conditioning units and solar roofs for water heating,
Vichy Thermalia 4* Hotel Spa: transformation of heat of thermal water to energy for hot water production (geothermics),
University hospital of Tangier : photovoltaic / thermal hybrid solar panels for electricity and hot water production, which downsizes the surface of the reduced installation and also a significant optimization of the embodied energy used in production and logistics
Euro-Mediteranean University of Fez: Air Handling Units (AHU) decentralized for heat recovery: the supply of fresh air will be through the patios where the air is “pre-refreshed” by vegetation and fountains, a modern conception of ancient Persian BADGIR (wind towers).
Furthermore, all the conventional technical installations are designed while integrating the energy efficiency component. In this respect, the following systems have been implemented in the majority of building projects:
- Cooling units, heat pumps and air handler recovery with high performance energy class A;
- Fresh air flow modulation system based on actual occupancy requirements;;
- Use of refrigerant fluid R410-a with low emission of greenhouse gases, with very low potential for the depletion of the ozone layer;
- Use of high performance spot lights with a modulation system which adapts the illumination depending on the natural light;.
- Managing by command control systems that adjust energy consumption specifically to a building consumption;
Novec’s expertise extends beyond the borders of the kingdom. Its know-how has been exported for more than 20 years, particularly in Africa where it is one the key players in engineering and consulting.
Projects such as the preliminary study of roads and other networks of the project of the “Cité des Affaires de l’Afrique de l’Ouest de Dakar”, on the current site of the Dakar International Airport Léopold Sédar Senghor, the Agricultural Development study of 17 000 ha along the channel Aftout Essahili Trarza Mauritania, the construction of a business center and a hotel of 100 keys in Libreville and the design of a road development plan for the republic of Ivory Coast… are the confirmation of a strong dynamic in the continent.
Dr. Kathleen Hogan, US State Department of Energy
