Solar Energy, Conservation, and Rental Housing
Renters must pay the majority of energy costs either directly or in their rents. They have limited financial and legal abilities to make improvements necessary to increase substantially the energy efficiency of rental housing. This report discusses the problem of how to increase investments in energy conservation and solar energy devices for rental housing, which constitutes over one-third of US housing. As background, this report characterizes the rental-housing market, including owners' decision-making criteria. Federal, state, and local policies that affect energy-related investments in rental housing are described. Programs are divided into five major categories: (1) programs for tenants, (2) financial incentives for owners, (3) leasing of solar energy equipment, (4) mediation between tenants and landlords, and (5) regulation. The report concludes that energy and conservation programs aimed at the residential sector must disaggregate owner-occupied housing from rental housing for maximum effect. No one program is advocated since local rental-housing markets differ substantially. For improvements greater than no-cost or low-cost items, programs must be directed at rental-housing owners and not only at tenants.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 6611309
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/RR-744-901
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140901 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
291000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Conservation
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
320101* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Residential Buildings-- (-1987)
BUILDINGS
DECISION MAKING
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
HOUSES
IMPLEMENTATION
INVESTMENT
LEASING
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MANAGEMENT
OCCUPANTS
OWNERSHIP
REGULATIONS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
REPAIR
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RETROFITTING
SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STATE GOVERNMENT
decision making
energy conservation
energy conservation, consumption, and utilization
energy efficiency
energy management
energy planning
policy and economy
federal assistance programs
financial incentives
government policies
investment
residential buildings
solar energy
solar equipment