Lead Performer: Ecotope, Inc. – Seattle, WA
Partner: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory – Richland, Washington
Field Study States: Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and Illinois
DOE Total Funding: $1,345,736
Cost Share:  $336,510
Project Term: October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2019
Funding Type: Commercial Buildings and Energy Codes Field Studies funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001532)

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

Ecotope, Inc. will conduct energy code field studies in Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, and Illinois to measure the impact of energy codes on multifamily buildings, and identify opportunities for savings through increased compliance. Ecotope will collaborate with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to develop a methodology and collect data across a variety of climates and buildings. Ecotope will also review challenges and barriers to efficiency that are unique to multifamily construction, and provide recommendations as to how these buildings can be better represented through energy code training and other compliance-improvement programs. 

PROJECT IMPACT

Compliance with building energy codes is key to ensuring intended savings to U.S. home and business owners. The current project will help develop an approach to accurately and affordably assess compliance in multifamily buildings, as well as the savings available through increased code compliance. This information is vital to utilities and others supporting compliance-improvement programs, providing the certainty they need to invest in increased efficiency through building code compliance. By developing the business case for energy efficiency, state and local governments will also have tools to allocate their limited resources more wisely and effectively, thereby reducing energy bills and energy-related pollution.

CONTACTS

DOE Technology Manager: Jeremy Williams
Lead Performer: Ecotope, Inc.