Insulation Institute Blog

Energy Jobs Grew by 300,000 Last Year

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Jul 28, 2023 8:45:27 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

More Insulation Tied to Increased Habitability

How long would your home remain comfortable and habitable in the event of a power outage in this summer’s brutal heat? The answer might depend on how well insulated your home is, according to a new report released by the U.S. Department of Energy. Analysis from the report, Enhancing Resilience in Buildings Through Energy Efficiency, finds that...

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Jul 21, 2023 5:46:31 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

Report: Couple Envelope & Electrification Work

A new report just published by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) highlights that pairing residential heat pump heating and cooling systems with air sealing and insulation will reduce likely increases in customer costs and strain on the electric grid. The report’s message is timely as states prepare to implement two key...

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Jul 13, 2023 11:51:28 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

New Guide: Getting Your Home Heat Pump Ready

Heat pump technology is all the rage in the push for electrification and increased home energy efficiency, and with good reason: heat pumps are more efficient than electric resistance heating, reducing electricity needed for heating by up to 50 percent. However, there are several actions that homeowners should take before adding a heat pump so...

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Jun 23, 2023 8:59:04 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

North Carolina Builder: Energy Efficiency Isn't a Bad Word

If you follow building energy efficiency code development and implementation at all, then you know that builders in North Carolina oppose efforts to modernize the state’s outdated energy efficiency code. That code is largely unchanged from the 2009 IECC, and the North Carolina Home Builders Association is fighting to keep it that way.

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Jun 2, 2023 7:53:52 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

2021 IECC Mandate Proposed for FHA/USDA Mortgages

The White House today announced a proposal that new homes purchased using Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mortgages must be built to the standards of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Current FHA/USDA mortgage standards require compliance with the 2009 IECC. This proposed standard...

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May 13, 2023 11:57:43 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

Realtor Report Shows Energy Efficiency Gets Noticed

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has just released its 2023 REALTORS and Sustainability Report – Residentialwhich shows that the majority of these real estate professionals (63 percent) find promoting a home's energy efficiency very or somewhat valuable. More than 2,000 realtors participated in the survey, and their opinions of energy...

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May 5, 2023 7:46:53 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

Providence Homes Wins Sustained Excellence Award

Jacksonville area home builder Providence Homes was recently awarded the ENERGY STAR partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the seventh time.

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Apr 21, 2023 8:19:19 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

DOE Issues RFP for Community-Based Retrofit Teams

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building America Program, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) issued a request for proposal (RFP) for multi-disciplinary expert teams to address the technical challenges of decarbonizing the U.S. residential housing stock.

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Apr 7, 2023 6:17:08 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

Trading Efficiency for Lower Initial Costs

While the federal government is ramping up measures that increase building energy efficiency, home builders in a handful of states, including North Carolina, are pushing back against more stringent building energy efficiency measures. But what is in the best interest of homeowners?

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Mar 31, 2023 8:57:46 AM Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd

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