Federally funded R&D for energy savings in buildings must also be expanded in the short term so

that an attractive portfolio of new and improved technological solutions will be available in the mid and

long term. Achieving the goal of a cost competitive net zero energy home by 2020, for example, will

require scientific breakthroughs to be incorporated into new and improved photovoltaic systems, power

electronics, thermochemical devices, phase change insulation and roofing materials, and other compo 

nents. In addition, policies that promote higher density, spatially compact, and mixed use building devel 

opments must begin to counteract the fuel inefficient impact of urban sprawl.

In the 2025 timeframe, newly constructed net zero energy homes and climate friendly designs

for large commercial buildings and industrial facilities will need to begin to displace the GHG intensive

structures that embody today's standard practices. The emerging technologies described in this report

could help significantly reduce GHG emissions from the building sector including

  sealing methods that address unseen air leaks, 

  electrochromic windows offering the dynamic control of infrared energy, 

  unconventional water heaters (solar, heat pump, gas condensing, and tankless), 

  inexpensive highly efficient nanocomposite materials for solar energy conversion, 

  thermoelectric materials that can transform heat directly into electrical energy, 

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  solid state lighting that uses the emission of semi conductor diodes to directly produce light at

a fraction of the energy of current fluorescent lighting, 

  selective water sorbent technologies that offer the performance of ground coupled heat pumps

at the cost of traditional systems, 

  abundant sensors dispersed through buildings with continuously optimizing control devices, and 

  80 90 percent efficient integrated energy systems that provide on site power as well as

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heating, cooling, and dehumidification.

Market transformation policies are expected to continue to improve the existing building stock

and play an essential role in ensuring the market uptake of new technologies. In addition, land use

policies could begin to have measurable benefits. 

63

Towards a Climate Friendly  

Built Environment

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