You can buy a pre-paid special delivery plastic envelope for up to 500 g from the post office on which you write your address for return of the passport. This is what we have used twice by mail for extra pages and then renewal and it has been fine both times. Keep a record of the tracking number on the envelope so that you can check when it is on its way back to you. You can either pay for next day service before 1 pm or before 9 am service. Before 1 pm is much cheaper and last time it was delivered at 7.30 am!!
These are the instructions from the US embassy website on renewals:- You don't need a 1kg envelope!! Unless you've got many passports!! 500 g was fine for one old and one new.
"To ensure the safe return of your passports, you should also enclose a pre-paid Special Delivery self-addressed return envelope that shows postage paid up to 500 grams. Inquiries regarding Special Delivery Mail should be directed to your local Post Office. As the Embassy does not keep track of Special Delivery numbers, you are advised to keep a record of your Special Delivery tracking number so you can track your passport's return to you. "