Public housing consumes significantly more energy per square foot than private housing. Waste in this sector not only is detrimental to the environment, but also places an unfair burden on the millions of low-income households that sacrifice necessities, such as food and medical care, simply to meet monthly energy and rent payments.
A concerted, coordinated, and transformative effort to curb energy consumption and cut costs in affordable housing is urgently needed.
Led by the Rocky Mountain Institute, the Residential Energy Efficiency Leaders (REEL) Working Group consists of North America’s leading green public housing authorities (PHAs) and seeks to catalyze large-scale positive change in the way America’s affordable housing is designed, is constructed, and uses energy. Promoting and mainstreaming “superefficiency” – energy efficiency designs and interventions that can deliver housing that is at least 60% more efficient than today’s code at comparable costs – is key to this effort.
The REEL Working Group abides by a number of principles that guide and shape its activities. Working group members commit to:
- Collecting and exchanging data concerning the energy performance of their properties.
- Regularly attending and contributing to working group meetings, sessions, and reports.
- Identifying the most pressing impediments to energy efficiency in public housing.
- Exploring innovative and cost-effective solutions to address these impediments.
- Establishing a feasible yet ambitious energy efficiency target for affordable housing, and striving to meet this stretch goal in their own properties.
REEL Members
To learn more about the REEL working group, contact:
Stephanie Hodgin
Analyst, Superefficient Housing Initiative
303-567-8621
shodgin@rmi.org