By: Kamy Goldfarb
(2009-07-03)...
Whenever someone speaks about energy efficiency, most automatically think about commercial and single-family residential buildings. But one of the biggest sectors of buildings and construction are multi-family homes. Often times, these buildings are not addressed due to the fact that most are rentals or are considered affordable housing; where most people don't have the funds to improve their unit or investors/owners do not see the payback for the investment.
Energy efficiency is an important factor in any new development or redevelopment project. Energy consumption comprises approximately 30% of costs associated with the maintenance and management of a building. The relationship between energy efficiency and affordability of multi-family housing in the United States has become increasingly important as energy prices continue
to rise much faster when compared to other goods and services.
The overall trend is that energy efficiency for both single- and multi-family housing has been increasing. Housing built in the1990s is 8.5 percent more efficient than housing built in the 1980s, approximately 17 percent more Efficient than housing built in the 1970s and 1960s, and 23 percent more efficient than housing built before 1960. (Harvard University, State of the Nation's Housing, and "Housing Markets" (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University, 2006) This is due in part to more efficient building technologies and appliances and also in part to stronger building codes.
Energy efficiency measures to retrofit multi-family housing can yield substantial reductions in energy use; retrofits often show energy efficiency
improvements of 30 percent to as high as 75 percent, depending on the initial
state of the building.
The energy savings potential is important not only because it implies potential to reduce carbon and other emissions, but also because energy savings produce better quality, more affordable homes, which is of particular importance for low-to moderate-income Americans who commonly reside in these buildings.
Buildings that are in poor condition typically have the greatest energy
efficiency potential. This is partly because they were so inefficient to
begin with, and partly because they often require a "gut rehab"-tearing out and replacing much of the existing drywall, replacing heating and air conditioning systems, replacing fixtures and wiring, and replacing roof and window systems. Despite the incremental costs associated with this scope of work, the energy efficiency potential of these gut rehabs can be impressive.
Energy efficiency measures can offer significant cost-effective energy savings in both rehabilitated and new construction multi-family housing. These savings reduce the operating cost for families to maintain their home and make housing more affordable.
When assessing the site and its various components, energy efficiency can be
reviewed on 2 levels; overall site and individual units.
Typical energy-efficient measures that should be included in projects like this include:
- R-30 Attic insulation or injection foam
- R-11 or better wall insulation or injection foam
- Dual-glazed windows with or without tint
- Tank-less, instant, or solar-assist hot water heaters
- Programmable thermostats
- Fluorescent or CFL lighting
- Efficient kitchen ranges
- Energy Star refrigerators
- Air sealing/Weather stripping
- Low-flow water fixtures
These are only a few opportunities to improve energy efficiency. There are
many other options that are viable and could be considered.
