Event Description

ACI Summit 6 PM Wednesday, July 11 - 4 PM Friday, July 13, 2007

MOVING EXISTING HOMES TOWARD CARBON NEUTRALITY

Given the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is time to re-examine our assumptions about the levels of energy reductions that are achievable in existing homes. As a pioneering leader in the building science approach to improving home performance, ACI (Affordable Comfort, Inc.) is undertaking the challenge of creating and clarifying the vision of deep energy savings (70 - 90% reduction in total energy use) in existing single family and multifamily dwellings. This vision will be achieved through a combination of technical interventions and behavioral choices.

To begin this process, ACI will host a two-day summit of leaders and stakeholders with the background, skills, and interests to collectively and creatively identify priorities, barriers, and opportunities. Only by pooling our resources can we begin to develop the strategies, implement the solutions, and generate the momentum needed to catalyze this transformation.

There are significant efforts addressing energy efficiency in the buildings sector with an emphasis on new construction or major renovation. They include Zero Energy Homes (DOE) and The 2030 Challenge (AIA/COTE, US Council of Mayors, ASHRAE, ICLEI, LEED). Sixty to seventy percent of homes that will exist in 2030 have already been built. ACI intends to support and complement these programs by mobilizing efforts focused on increasing the energy performance of existing homes.

In addition to concerns about home safety, comfort, durability, and efficiency, new strategies must account for changing climate, more severe weather events, and passive survivability. We must also expect rising energy costs driven by a combination of reduced supply, increasing demand, and the need to reduce carbon emissions.

Many efficiency improvements are driven by utility, government, and weatherization programs that are limited by traditional models of cost-effectiveness. Significantly reducing carbon emissions in our housing stock requires a fundamental re-evaluation of previous assumptions and economic models.

In addition to ACI’s extended community of building science, energy efficiency and housing professionals, we seek to engage others who are involved in climate change initiatives, home renovation, financing, community development, sustainable communities, and policy.

The Summit will be held July 11-13 at the Pacific Energy Center in San Francisco. Attendance is limited and by invitation. Registration is $750.

ACI SUMMIT GOAL

Create and clarify the vision of deep energy savings (70 - 90% reduction in total energy use) in existing single family and multifamily dwellings through a combination of technical interventions and behavioral choices.

ACI SUMMIT OBJECTIVES

1. Explore the opportunities, challenges, barriers, costs, and benefits of achieving deep energy savings in selected house types and diverse climatic regions of the United States and Canada by employing a combination of technical interventions and behavioral choices.

2. Propose simple, transparent, energy performance metrics that help to define and communicate residential energy use and its impact on the environment.

3. Identify the technical systems (products, applications, etc.) that can accelerate and lower the price for deep energy savings.

4. Develop strategies for achieving deep reductions in energy use incorporating both custom approaches and mass-produced systems.

5. Explore the potential for alignment of current programs, initiatives, incentives, and policies with the longer term goal of deep energy reduction.

6. Catalyze the key steps needed to move forward individually and collaboratively

ACI SUMMIT OUTCOMES

Produce a white paper summarizing the issues and options.

Draft recommendations for metric, technical, and lay nomenclature that help to define reductions in residential energy use.

Serve as a platform for participants to reflect and clarify their needs, risks, and responsibilities.

Enhance information sharing about and between existing and emerging initiatives.

Devise follow-up steps and events.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Contact Linda Wigington

lwigington@affordablecomfort.org

724-852-3085