It’s said that the most sustainable building is the one never built. Investing in the retrofit of existing buildings to make them more sustainable carries enormous potential for reducing energy use and protecting the environment – not to mention for creating well-paying jobs. For many building owners—from homeowners to businesses, not-for-profit institutions, local governments and others—energy  costs are an increasingly large portion of their budget. But for many owners, the initial first costs of energy efficiency retrofits can be a deterrent. 

Federal support to help finance energy efficiency retrofits can help owners get over that initial “hump” and spur a dramatic increase in employment.  

The U.S. housing sector presents significant opportunities to reduce energy consumption overall. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, energy efficient improvements could reduce electricity consumption in single family homes by as much as 21%.

Bipartisan legislation introduced in Congress in 2020 (The HOPE for HOMES Act)  would create rebates for homeowners to invest in energy efficiency improvements, including insulation, HVAC system upgrades and others; and would provide grants to train contractors in making energy efficiency improvements.

Tax incentives are another useful way for the federal government to help building owners finance the upfront costs of energy efficient upgrades. In recent years, Congress has enacted and extended a number of tax incentives for energy efficient buildings. Unfortunately, Congress has allowed many of these incentives to expire, or has extended them  for a very short periods of time; this lack of certainty has made them less effective than they could be.

Congress can provide an immediate boost to the sustainable building sector—and reduce energy consumption—by renewing these tax incentives. Just as critical as the incentives themselves is passing long-term or permanent extensions so that businesses, homeowners and consumers have the certainty they need. Congress also should ensure that nonprofit and state and local government building owners can access the incentives.