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ExpectMore.govExpectMore.gov home pageEXPECT FEDERAL PROGRAMS TO PERFORM WELL, AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
 
Program Assessment

Program

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Building Technologies

This program develops technologies, designs, codes, and standards for making residential and commercial buildings and equipment more energy efficient. The program funds research, training, and public education efforts carried out by national laboratories, universities, and private companies.

Rating

What This Rating Means

PERFORMING
Adequate

This rating describes a program that needs to set more ambitious goals, achieve better results, improve accountability or strengthen its management practices.
  • The program's performance measures do not reflect the full scope of program activities. Program funding supports diverse activities, from basic research in solid state lighting to economic analysis to justify proposed energy efficiency regulations for equipment, such as air conditioners and transformers.
  • The program has missed deadlines set by law to pass new energy efficiency regulations. Passing new regulations is a complicated process that involves detailed analysis, consultation with interested parties, and public comment. The program has prioritized which regulations it will propose based on potential energy savings, and developed a detailed plan in 2006 to eliminate the backlog.
  • This program and other applied research and development programs at the Department of Energy are working to improve their estimates of potential program benefits and use that information to guide budget decisions. The program has made significant progress, but estimates are not yet comparable between programs.

Improvement Plan

About Improvement Plans

We are taking the following actions to improve the performance of the program:

  • Refining performance measures to better capture the breadth of activities supported by the program.
  • Accelerating and improving management of analyses needed to support generation of new energy efficiency regulations prescribed by law.
  • Developing guidance that specifies a consistent framework for analyzing the costs and benefits of research and development investments, and using this information to guide budget decisions.

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