Over the past decade, the nearly 40 million Americans living in multifamily buildings have seen their energy costs rise by 20 percent. A new report from MacArthur grantee Institute for Market Transformation analyzes energy transparency in the multifamily housing sector and finds that the nation’s multifamily housing stock holds potential for major energy efficiency gains, which would improve housing affordability by keeping renters’ utility bills down.
IMT states that greater transparency and tracking of energy use can drive these gains, and recommends that cities work with local utilities to ensure that building owners can access energy data and that energy-performance information be integrated into real-estate listings.
