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Since 2010, HPC has been leading a national Building Performance Institute, Inc. working group to develop and implement two open data standards, collectively known as the Home Performance Extensible Markup Language (HPXML). HPXML specifies a data dictionary that standardizes terminology used in the industry and provides a standard data transfer protocol that facilitates quicker and more automated transfer of information across a diverse set of market actors. HPC is also leading an industry road mapping process with members of the HPXML working group to drive data standardization in the residential energy efficiency industry. Data standards are crucial for reducing the costs of data collection and exchange between market actors. Data standards are crucial for ensuring that energy efficiency improvements in homes are properly valued in real estate transactions. Finally, data standards are crucial for supporting ongoing research into the best methods for making homes energy efficient because the aggregation of standardized data supports comparability and comprehensive analysis of program and contractor performance.
On January 24, 2018, HPC led sharing key findings from a national road mapping process with the U.S. Department of Energy and the HPXML working group to increase data standardization in the residential energy efficiency industry. Open data standards, like HPXML, are crucial for improving stakeholder access to low-cost, high-quality data in the home performance industry. Yet, despite the benefits of data standardization, utility and state programs have been slow to adopt HPXML, particularly outside a planned software upgrade or when the value of the data standard is unclear. If the industry is to fully realize the benefits of HPXML, it is crucial that more programs and other users adopt the data standard. A draft version of the Data Standards Roadmap has been released for industry comment. HPC is seeking feedback from industry stakeholders on the strategies outlined in the roadmap. A final document is expected to be published soon.
For more information on HPXML, visit www.hpxmlonline.com.