Implement government policies and programs that quickly improve efficiency in all sectors of our economy. There are clear examples of the enormous financial and technical benefits of investing in efficiency. What%u2019s needed now is a systematic approach to achieve such savings across the board, so that ALL businesses and homeowners can start realizing savings.
- Home and building upgrades: Set up a action plan for neighborhood and town assessment of energy efficiency. All buildings eligible for an efficiency upgrade can helped to achieve this upgrade so that they can immediately save energy and lower utility bills.
- New building standards: Set up national efficiency standards for new homes and commercial buildings so people pay less to stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
- Updated appliance and equipment standards: Revisit our national standards and Energy Star program to ensure that everything people buy is more efficient.
- Regulatory reforms: Enact efficiency targets or other regulatory schemes so utilities have an incentive to sell less electricity, rather than more.
- Commercial and industrial programs: Create incentive programs that encourage businesses of all sizes to become more efficient and productive.
- Retrofit and replacement programs: Provide incentives to scrap inefficient appliances like old refrigerators or industrial motors that waste energy and money and replace them with the most efficient machinery.
- Owner-renter incentives: Establish policies that align the interests of owners and renters, so both benefit from the lower utility bills.
- Buyer-seller incentives: Mandate policies to ensure that homes are upgraded when they change hands, so they become more efficient through energy inspections, efficiency ratings, or other programs.
- Universal installation of existing technologies: Allow greater access to tools and technologies, like smart meters and programmable thermostats, which allow for better control of energy use.
The information above regarding the creation of an energy-efficient American comes from Repower America @ this url: http://www.repoweramerica.org/plan/energy-efficiency/
