US DOE Spotlights MEEA Research Team

PARR logo

Since 2009, MEEA has participated in the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building America research program as a member of the Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR). Alongside team lead Gas Technology Institute and other members such as Elevate Energy, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and Future Energy Enterprises, MEEA has been spotlighted by the Building America program in their latest newsletter.

PARR’s central goal is to increase the quality and uptake of residential retrofits by demonstrating innovative, scalable and cost-effective solutions that enable market transformation. By bringing together regional leaders in building science research and energy efficiency program design and implementation, PARR leverages over 100 years of combined experience in residential building energy efficiency, encompassing critical roles in weatherization training, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program coordination, multifamily building research and heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems research.

Some of PARR’s major accomplishments that MEEA led or contributed to include:

  • An innovative study on the impact of installation practices and equipment degradation on the performance of natural gas furnaces
  • The development of a novel methodology for assessing the cost effectiveness of retrofit measure packages and determining an optimal measure mix
  • A comprehensive survey of whole-home programs in Midwestern climates