Davis firm receives funding for Building America program

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Oct. 19 that the Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) is one of four teams selected to receive $10 million in research funding over the next five years to continue work under the Building America program. Led by Steven Winter Associates of Norwalk, Connecticut, CARB has managed Building America program work for ten years. The Davis mechanical engineering firm, Davis Energy Group (DEG), will continue to serve as the western region lead for CARB.

The Building America program is a private/public partnership that conducts research to improve overall housing performance, increase housing durability and comfort, reduce energy use, and increase energy security for America’s homeowners. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop homes that will achieve net-zero energy use by the year 2020 by applying cost-effective energy efficiency measures and photovoltaics. Building America teams include consortia of academic, building industry, and manufacturing leaders. “These homes will be highly energy efficient – using 70 percent less energy than homes built to current building codes – and will incorporate solar or other onsite renewable systems to provide the balance of their energy needs,” stated Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman.

Established in 1981, DEG and its principals have been on the cutting edge of energy efficiency, working on such local projects as the Davis Energy Ordinance and Village Homes. Their other services include design of energy efficient building systems, energy analysis and evaluation, product development, and energy standards development. DEG also manages the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes program in California and Nevada.

David Springer, co-founder and president of DEG stated, “We are delighted to be able to continue our partnership with the building industry to develop homes that use far less energy than the standard home, while reducing the cost of owning the home. Attaining the zero energy goal is analogous to a moon shot, and the resources that DOE is applying to the program are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, deferring fossil fuel imports, and fostering a healthy, sustainable economy.”

CARB’s Building America builder partners have included Centex Homes, The Grupe Company, Monley-Cronin, Shastan Homes, Clarum Homes, Dale Homes/DSCI, Granite Bay Holdings, and Meritage Homes. Meritage’s Encore project in Vacaville and the Grupe Company’s Carsten Crossings in Rocklin have both achieved over 40% energy savings, and serve as an excellent examples of Building America accomplishments. Models at both projects are open for viewing. Among the specific projects planned by DEG in 2008 is a true net zero energy house that is to be built in Winters. CARB’s industry partners include SunPower Corporation, a leading global provider of both residential and large-scale solar power systems, who is working with Davis Energy Group to expand the market for homes that meet Building America goals.

In addition to CARB, other Building America teams that will receive funding include the Building Science Corporation (Boston), IBACOS (Pittsburgh), and the Building Industry Research Alliance (Stockton, CA).

For more information on Building America, visit www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america

For more information on Davis Energy Group, visit www.davisenergy.com