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Featured Blog Posts - Home Energy Pros 2017-02-25T15:53:52Z http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/blog/feed?promoted=1&xn_auth=no Art Rosenfeld's Legacy tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-21:6069565:BlogPost:215220 2017-02-21T17:15:33.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Art Rosenfeld, the father of modern energy efficiency, recently passed away. You may not have heard of Art, but he transformed the way you save energy.

So you want to design an energy-efficient home? You'll need to simulate the home's energy use with a model. Art pioneered the computer-based building simulation model and the procedures for estimating energy savings. These same…

Art Rosenfeld, the father of modern energy efficiency, recently passed away. You may not have heard of Art, but he transformed the way you save energy.

So you want to design an energy-efficient home? You'll need to simulate the home's energy use with a model. Art pioneered the computer-based building simulation model and the procedures for estimating energy savings. These same models enabled states and regions to enact performance-based building codes, which are now used worldwide. Without these models you couldn't be sure that the home would coast through the coldest night, and you couldn't accurately size an air conditioner. Virtually every building simulation tool in existence can ultimately be traced back to Art and his research team at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

That efficient home will need efficient appliances. Art proposed the first minimum-efficiency standards for refrigerators and other major appliances. He tirelessly expounded their virtues in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., Beijing, Moscow, and other capitals around the world. You can credit Art for pushing manufacturers to build refrigerators that now use less than a quarter of the electricity that they used at the beginning of his career, despite being larger and having more-versatile features.

Art was early to recognize the importance of reducing air infiltration to save heating energy. But how do you know whether a house is leaky or tight? Enter the blower door. Art's research program standardized the techniques for measuring air infiltration. But he quickly realized that overtight homes made for unhealthy indoor air quality. So he advocated a linked strategy of house tightening and controlled ventilation. He established an entire research program to ensure that tight homes could be healthy homes, too

Finally, efficient buildings need efficient lighting. Art recruited physicists and engineers to develop a new generation of energy-efficient lights. He's one of the reasons that bulbs nowadays draw one-fifth the power of those old incandescent heaters. As for natural lighting, Art's window research program helped develop superwindows that offer as much insulating value as opaque walls. Innovations like these allow us to have new, zero energy homes that don't look like thermos bottles.

Art was a master at evoking unexpected and unforgettable perspectives on energy policy. How leaky were America's windows? So leaky, he told us, that offsetting the heat lost through those windows required the entire output of the Alaskan oil pipeline. The electricity savings from shifting to more-efficient refrigerators he often expressed in units of avoided nuclear power plants (much to the consternation of utility executives).

Art took notice of early research showing that urban heat islands caused higher temperatures, more smog, and created the need for more power-guzzling air conditioners. In response, he and his collaborators developed new materials to reflect solar radiation. Now when you buy an Energy Star roof, it's cooler—and your home uses less AC—because of Art.

Home Energy were grateful to Art for one of our silent founders and supporters. He embedded our editorial offices in his research program on energy-efficient buildings. This enabled Home Energy staff to easily access the best building scientists (including Art).

I am personally grateful to Art because he shaped my career. Art was a professor, but more important, he was a mentor to legions of students, colleagues, and even strangers. He demonstrated that one can be both great and decent, treating everybody with respect while eagerly sharing his curiosity for all things. These are important lessons for all of us.

Will Art Rosenfeld's legacy persist? Pessimists fear that little of it will endure. I disagree. Yes, there will be hiccups, but Art's contributions will outlive temporary political shifts. And in the meantime, Americans everywhere will be saving energy and dollars, and enjoying healthier indoor and outdoor environments, all thanks to Art Rosenfeld.

- Alan Meier is Senior Executive Editor of Home Energy magazine. This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Demand Response Programs Can Reduce Utilities' Peak Demand by an Average of 10%, Complementing Savings From Energy Efficiency Programs tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-14:6069565:BlogPost:214885 2017-02-14T23:37:39.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Demand response and energy efficiency programs are complementary: energy efficiency reduces both energy use and peak demand while demand response provides additional peak demand reductions. In this blog, we use data to illustrate the importance of each, including some new data on actual savings from demand response programs.

For more than 20 years, ACEEE has been taking a close look at the energy…

Demand response and energy efficiency programs are complementary: energy efficiency reduces both energy use and peak demand while demand response provides additional peak demand reductions. In this blog, we use data to illustrate the importance of each, including some new data on actual savings from demand response programs.

For more than 20 years, ACEEE has been taking a close look at the energy savings from utility-sector energy efficiency programs. In 2015, we estimate that these programs saved about 200 billion kWh, more than 5% of retail electric sales in the United States that year (based on an analysis of data through 2014 and updated to include 2015 savings). In some leading states, the savings from these programs exceed 10% of retail electric sales already and could reach more than 20% by 2020.

These energy efficiency savings also substantially reduce peak energy demand---the time of the day and year when the demand for electricity is highest. For example, we recently reviewed data reported to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) on energy and peak demand savings for 25 program administrators (those reporting the highest total energy savings in 2015 and that together account for more than half of incremental energy savings in 2015). We found that for each 1% reduction in electric sales for a utility, on a median basis, peak demand reductions from efficiency programs are 0.66% of peak demand for that utility. If these trends hold for additional utilities and future years, it would mean that for a utility that reduces retail sales by 15%, the peak demand savings will be around 10%.

These energy savings and peak demand reductions from energy efficiency programs help reduce system costs and avoid outages. Still, many regions face challenges meeting peak demand. This is where demand response comes in. Demand response refers to the various strategies used to reduce loads during peak periods, and shift these loads to periods with lower power demand. Demand response includes a wide variety of strategies including interruptible rates, air conditioner and water heater cycling programs, and pricing programs such as peak time rebates. In a variety of prior studies, ACEEE has estimated that demand response programs can be used to reduce peak demand by 10% or more (for example see our studies on Ohio and South Carolina). These savings are above and beyond the peak savings from energy efficiency programs that we discuss above.

Now that utilities have been running demand response programs for a decade or more, we can assess how much these programs actually save. We looked at energy efficiency and demand response savings data for 2015 (the most recent year available) collected by the EIA, a branch of the US Department of Energy. For demand response, EIA collects two types of numbers – potential and actual reductions measured in megawatts (MW). Potential peak demand savings refers to the total demand savings that could occur at the time of the system peak hour assuming all of an individual utility's in-place demand response strategies are used. Actual peak demand savings are demand reductions achieved by demand response activities, measured at the time of the company's annual system peak hour. Actual savings address the fact that many utilities did not activate all demand response capability in 2015. We looked at all utilities that reported potential demand response savings of 200 MW or more – a total of 28 utilities. These 28 utilities represent 64% of the potential demand response savings reported to EIA, and 58% of the actual reductions reported to EIA.

For these 28 utilities, we found that potential demand response savings ranged from 2-27% of the utility's peak demand, with 10% peak demand savings being the average. Of the 28 utilities, 59% reported potential peak demand savings of 10% or more. Data on the top dozen utilities are reported in the figure below. Actual demand response savings ranged from 0%-24% of utility peak demand, with an average of 4%. Four utilities reported actual demand response savings of more than 10% of their peak demand. Only two utilities reported actual reductions equal to 100% of their potential demand reductions while eight of these utilities either reported zero actual savings or did not provide actual savings data. Of the 25 utilities providing actual savings data, 10 used at least half of their available potential reductions.

These data are reported by each utility to EIA and may contain errors. We did delete a few utilities for which there were obvious errors (a few utilities reported demand response savings in excess of their peak demand!). Further exploration of these data would be useful, such as a better understanding of why some utilities used most of their demand response resources and others very little. For example, utilities that are long on capacity are probably less likely to call much of their available demand response resource. Still, this initial analysis does illustrate that utilities with extensive demand response programs can achieve reductions of more than 10% of system peak if they choose to use these resources.

You can find the data on the 28 utilities with potential demand reductions of 200 MW or more here.

Steven Nadel is the executive director of ACEEE.

This blog was reprinted with permission. You can find the original post here.
 Energy Solutions for a Resilient Future: Q&A with Josh Notes of greeNEWit tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-08:6069565:BlogPost:214658 2017-02-08T21:36:54.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Home Energy publisher Tom White recently spoke with Josh Notes, co-founder and managing partner of greeNEWit. Among many other accomplishments, greeNEWit was recognized by the EPA with a 2016 ENERGY STAR Contractor of the Year Award for its outstanding efforts to increase the adoption of energy-efficient products in homes.

greeNEWit, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2009, was honored for helping…

Home Energy publisher Tom White recently spoke with Josh Notes, co-founder and managing partner of greeNEWit. Among many other accomplishments, greeNEWit was recognized by the EPA with a 2016 ENERGY STAR Contractor of the Year Award for its outstanding efforts to increase the adoption of energy-efficient products in homes.

greeNEWit, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2009, was honored for helping improve home comfort, energy efficiency, and safety while lowering residential energy bills.

Q&A with Josh Notes

Tom White: Tell me about your motivations for forming greeNEWit in 2008. A lot has changed in both the housing industry and home performance.

Josh Notes: I was a young, hungry entrepreneur in a couple of different business fields. Once I went to business school at University of Maryland, I really started focusing in on real estate. Specifically real estate that was primed for adaptive reuse or improvements of neighborhoods.

I spent many days driving to the city of Baltimore and really learning about poverty and neglected populations that were only 15 minutes from where I grew up. That experience really helped shape our entry point for greeNEWit because we were acquiring houses that were projected to be worth $30 to $50,000. But when the market tumbled, it ended up being more like single-digit thousands of dollars. We had legal bills that were in excess of the equity in the building. It really was a life lesson in a bubble and it affected all parts of a community. Fast forwarding, I owned a bunch of real estate that was dilapidated in a city that would be hardest hit because it has some of the most at-risk members of our society. Out of that, myself and few business partners formulated the idea that there was money locked in buildings through energy waste. That's where the birth child of greeNEWit came from. As we drove through the cities of Baltimore and Columbia, there was value locked in people's attics and basements. Then we went out and got educated as building science experts and really allowed our vision to turn into a reality.

We didn't quite understand how complex the industry would be even for a small industry, but also how important.

TW: Where do you see the growth for your company?

JN: We see growth in two business models: residential and commercial. All the multifamily is included in that. We have taken a comprehensive approach to the energy solution that starts with the existing building shell. Once that is upgraded, stabilized, and maintained, we shift towards renewables and resiliency, which is really the topic that we're hoping to focus on. How sustainable is the community without resilience? Solar plus storage provides, from a power perspective, a resilient shield. Critical systems can be kept up and maintained in case of an emergency, which is when you would usually need it the most.

Resilient homes is where greeNEWit is heading but we're still getting there the old-fashioned way of one house, one building at a time. We're looking at the entire profile and now painting the picture of what that could look like, while getting a gauge from the customer on how far they are looking to go, from an efficient and sustainable home to a resilient one.

TW: What is the learning process moving from single family into multifamily and commercial?

JN: It's effectively created a second business. We operate all of our overhead under one roof. The time for cash conversion is different, the financing options are different. The way the buildings are collateralized and value is different. The root of it is the asset of real estate. We've tried to really become experts in not just the energy of commercial buildings but understanding what it's like to own them and how that could affect the changes from owner to manager to tenant.

TW:  Part of the Home Performance ENERGY STAR award was for your expertise in working with air-conditioning professionals to connect them to the program, and partnering with subcontractors to support their completing more than 100 home performance projects.

JN: We've found there are quality HVAC partners out there, but only a small percentage of HVAC contractors that were aware, engaged, or have attempted home performance but they are not focused on it. And from their own regard, not successful at it being worth their time, but they believed in it. We have tried to remove that burden of operational success, in exchange for marketing, and sharing profits downstream in an equitable way. So, effectively, every town, city, smallville, has an HVAC partner that's hopefully approaching that market with a sustainable mindset that they're reducing energy and they're helping people in the hottest times, the coldest times of the year to be more comfortable.

TW: How are you finding interest in the market on going from home performance to smart homes? How are you seeing people engage with home automation devices?

JN: I've seen that emerge more as a Fitbit for the home gadget-driven kind of techie. It hasn't aligned with the "My kid is cold and that's why I'm doing this," person who spends $5,000 or $10,000 on a retrofit, as opposed to $300 to monitor the temperature in that room, but doesn't do anything to fix it. We're kind of jumping past tech gadgets for the purpose of just knowing, and really getting more into the ones that people are willing to pay more for that provide an extra shield around the home.

Learn more:

www.greenewit.com

www.energystar.gov/campaign/improvements

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Five Former Solar Decathletes Who Became Entrepreneurs tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-30:6069565:BlogPost:214194 2017-01-30T17:41:27.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

[This blog was reprinted with permission from the Solar Decathlon Blog.]

It's no surprise that many of the top-notch students who have participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon go on to have successful careers in architecture and engineering. Some become…

[This blog was reprinted with permission from the Solar Decathlon Blog.]

It's no surprise that many of the top-notch students who have participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon go on to have successful careers in architecture and engineering. Some become collegiate professors, software engineers, analysts, energy consultants, and much more. We even have a newly elected official among our ranks—Chris Kennedy of the University of Colorado Boulder 2002's first-place team—who won Colorado's 23rd District State House race last month.

Given that more than 30,000 students have participated in the Solar Decathlon around the globe, it would be impossible to highlight all of the incredible things former decathletes have gone on to do in their careers. Still, it would be a shame not to mention several of the innovative entrepreneurs that have grown out of the competition. That's why we chose a handful of individuals who are founders, co-founders, or CEOs of their own companies to feature in this blog post.

Addison Godine, Founder and CEO of livelight

Once a key team member of the Middlebury College 2011 Solar Decathlon team, Addison went on to become the founder and CEO of livelight in Boston, Massachusetts. This company is working to develop a construction system that combines efficient prefabricated housing modules with a site-built "exoskeleton" to create a new model for urban housing that working people can afford.

Allison Kopf, Founder and CEO of Agrilyst

The project manager for Team California's Solar Decathlon 2009 entry is the founder and CEO of Agrilyst, a farm management and analytics platform for indoor farms. The company's SaaS platform tracks and analyzes all farm data in one place, enabling growers to optimize plant performance and reduce operating expenses. Agrilyst won the highly coveted Disrupt Cup at TechCrunch Disrupt SF in 2015 and was named one of FastCompany's Most Innovative Companies in 2016. Allison was recently named the Association for Vertical Farming's 2016 Changemaker of the Year.

Cole Hershkowitz, Founder and CEO at Chai Energy

Before launching Chai Energy, Cole led California Institute of Technology's Solar Decathlon 2013 team to a second-place finish in the Engineering Contest. Caltech's house featured a first-of-its-kind, gestural home control system equipped with Machine Vision and 3D maps to allow homeowners to turn off appliances with a simple point of the finger. His latest venture gives homeowners the ability to reduce their utility bill by leveraging smart meter data, analytics, and a great user experience.

David G. Schieren, CEO SunPower by EmPower

As the CEO of EmPower, David leads a company that installs high-performance solar energy and battery systems for homeowners and businesses. David and EmPower co-founder Gregory Sachs engineered, installed, and operated a solar hydrogen fuel cell and battery power plant for the New York Institute of Technology's Solar Decathlon 2005 team. Since then, their company has gone on to install more than 1,500 solar PV systems for New Yorkers. EmPower also hosts an annual Solar Student Competition for local high school students. To date, this student competition has awarded more than $8,000 in scholarships.

Derek Ouyang, Lecturer at Stanford University and the Nueva Upper School, Founder at Cloud Arch Studio

Derek was part of Stanford University's effort to compete in Solar Decathlon 2013 (check out his impressive TEDx talk here). After earning a dual bachelor's in civil engineering and architectural design and a master's in structural engineering, Derek began working on sustainable solutions for the built environment through teaching and practice. He teaches a project-based learning course at the core of a new Sustainable Urban Systems graduate program at Stanford, as well as an Introduction to Architecture class at a local high school. Derek also started his own design company, which engages a global network of designers and engineers in community-focused projects such as sustainable resources, affordable housing, and creative placemaking.

These past decathletes turned entrepreneurs—and their peers—are worth knowing about, connecting with, and being inspired by. You can browse more than 500 professional profiles associated with the competition by searching LinkedIn for Solar Decathlon. Also follow us on Facebook or Twitter to continue hearing about the great things solar decathletes are sure to accomplish in the future.

- Alexis Powers

Alexis Powers is a senior web project manager and social media strategist with Confluence Communications.

 Energy Star Contractor of the Year Award Q&A: AZ Energy Efficient Home tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-20:6069565:BlogPost:214149 2017-01-20T21:25:34.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Each year, EPA honors a select group of organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Contractor of the Year is awarded to Home Performance with Energy Star participating contractors who exhibit outstanding professionalism, build strong customer relationships, and apply building science solutions to improve homes.

We were…

Each year, EPA honors a select group of organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Contractor of the Year is awarded to Home Performance with Energy Star participating contractors who exhibit outstanding professionalism, build strong customer relationships, and apply building science solutions to improve homes.

We were able to speak to one of the winners of this award from AZ Energy Efficient Home whose company boasts the following accomplishments:

Developed partnerships with HVAC and solar companies to widen the service offerings available to customers while maintaining focus on the fundamental objective to make homes more efficient.

Were on the forefront of technological advances, including adapting the Home Performance XML data standard (HPXML) and participating in multiple user acceptance testing initiatives for Arizona Public Service including; EnergySavvy software, third-party energy audit modeling, building characterization, and a static pressure study.

Achieved exceptional customer satisfaction and quality of work. They report zero failures within the program.

Average approximately 28 million British thermal units for Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.

Business Profile

Years in business: 7
Nonprofit or for-profit? For profit
Average number of home energy audits completed per year: 270
Average number of home performance jobs completed per year: 90
Average home performance job size: $9,000
Required staff certifications: BPI Building Analyst, Healthy Home Evaluator, Manufactured Housing & LEED

Q&A

We spoke with AZ Energy Efficient Home's president Jonathan Waterworth, who started the company in 2009 after learning about the Building Performance Institute (BPI) while achieving his LEED accreditation. AZ Energy Efficient Home was one of the first companies in Arizona to provide home performance services, and is now the longest participating company in the state.

Macie Melendez (MM): Is this the company's first industry award?

Jonathan Waterworth (JW): Yes, the 2016 Energy Star Contractor of the Year Award is our first award and it is very special to us for the fact that it's validation for all the great work we have provided our customers and the hard work our employees performed for the past six years.

MM: What do you think makes your company stand out?

JW: I feel what makes us stand out is our customer service and delivery of performance. We ask our employees to treat our customer's home like it is their own and to leave it cleaner than we found it. Our customers are always complimentary of our employees and that is an indication of success.

MM: What advice do you have for other companies in our industry?

JW: Give your personnel the ability to achieve their best and put the customer first.

MM: What one thing do you think is crucial to the home performance industry's success?

JW: We have to have the participation from sponsors with strict quality control and high expectations so that we as contractors can continue to push the envelope while maintaining a high standard of performance.

MM: What does success look like for your company in 10 years?

JW: Success for us will be providing the continued level of customer satisfaction and performance while providing more services for our customers as the knowledge and technology in our industry expands.

- Macie Melendez

Macie Melendez is Home Energy's managing editor.

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Rock Wool Insulation for Floor of High Performance Tiny House tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-12:6069565:BlogPost:213470 2017-01-12T10:30:00.000Z Chris Laumer-Giddens http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/ChrisLaumerGiddens

VIDEO: Foundation and Floor Framing for High Performance Tiny House, Florida

In August of 2016, we posted a video describing the design and construction of the foundation and floor framing of our High Performance Tiny…

VIDEO: Foundation and Floor Framing for High Performance Tiny House, Florida

In August of 2016, we posted a video describing the design and construction of the foundation and floor framing of our High Performance Tiny House in Florida. Since then, we have made a lot of progress. We've also prioritized the design and construction of an off-grid, "zombie proof" homestead, and its permaculture farm, in the mountains of North Carolina, which kept us from sharing our experiences and shedding our knowledge on the blog! Alas, here is an update. Welcome to today's post!

WHERE WE LEFT OFF AT THE TINY HOUSE...

Whether you're seeing the video for the first time, or not, you heard me talk about insulating both the cavities and continuously on the outside of the sheathing. What I hope you picked up on, in the video, is that to achieve that continuity with the sheathing, we built the floor in sections, and upside down.

If we had set the floor joists on the masonry foundation wall, first, the sheathing would have been interrupted by the double sill plates on top of the masonry. This detail would have been much more complicated to deal with, but still doable.

By keeping the sheathing continuous, on the outside of the structure, we maintain continuity of our control layers, which gives us a "perfect" enclosure. And, by having continuous insulation, that has the appropriate hygrothermic (drying potential) and thermal properties, on the outside of the sheathing, we've protected the structure from exposure to the elements. This helps prevent LOTS of things that cause building failure (e.g. Rot, Mold, Freeze, Thaw, etc.), not to mention keeps us comfortable inside the house (This is a very good thing).

Image 1: Perfect Building Enclosure - Continuity is an absolute necessity to maintain a perfect enclosure.

ROCK WOOL INSULATION WORKS FOR FRAMED FLOOR, WALL AND ROOF/CEILING.

I've mentioned before why I like building with rocks. While it's not practical to use rocks for everything in the structure of the home, rocks could be the best ways to insulate. From the drying potential, as illustrated in the video below, and described in this blog post from July 2016, to the R-Value that increases as the temperature drops, to the fact that rocks don't burn, there are fewer and fewer reasons to NOT insulate with rocks.

VIDEO: ROXUL Comfortboard Drying Potential

After finishing the floor framing, we were ready for insulation. We started by insulating the cavities with 6" Batts (R-26.4 max at colder temperatures), and then installed the continuous 2" rigid (R-8.8 max at colder temperatures) rock wool insulation on the outside of the sheathing. As I mention in the "perfect enclosure" blog post, the walls and the roof were insulated the exact same way. Four (4") to six (6") inches of cavity insulation, with two (2) inches of continuous rigid insulation on the outside.

In a later post, I will explain the many reasons why using ONLY continuous exterior rigid insulation, with absolutely NO batt insulation in the cavities, is absolutely the most effective and simple way to insulate a building. HANDS DOWN. For now, we'll talk about using rock wool insulation batts in the cavities, too.

Here are pics from the installing the rock wool insulation batts and rigid board, before, during and after, at the High Performance Tiny House (Florida).

Image 2: 6" (TH) x 16" (W) x 48" (L) batts, with R-Value of 26.4 (at colder temperatures) were used in the floor and roof/ceiling cavities. We installed 4" batts, with R-Value of 17.6 (at colder temperatures), in the wall cavities.

Image 3: Rock wool insulation batts are unfaced, and maintain rigidity well when not handled more than necessary.

Image 4: Making sure there are absolutely no gaps or compression when installing insulation batts must be done, without exception, to achieve the maximum thermal resistance potential, and to maintain durability of the assembly. Gaps between the insulation and framing, or between individual batts, can lead to trapping or passage of unwanted moisture, as well as decreased thermal performance. Where the batt meets the sheathing is one of the most challenging, because you can't see it. But, that doesn't mean it can't be done right. Follow instructions!

Image 5: Carefully setting each batt in each cavity.

Image 6: Installing the batts vertically against the rim joist, will maintain continuity of the thermal layer with the exterior wall that will be built directly above. Continuity is KING! Trimming the insulation is done easily with an insulation knife, or in this case, a hacksaw.

Image 7: Leaving 1/4" to 3/8" of insulation above the top of the joist will ensure that the insulation will remain in contact with the subfloor sheathing, without reducing R-Value through compression.

Image 8: Looking down at the cantilevered corner of the framed floor. The vertical insulation continues around the perimeter of the structure.

Image 9: The batts are friction fit in to each cavity, and make a nice "blanket" of woven rocks.

Image 10: Because the joists are 2x10, there will be a gap between the top of the insulation and the bottom of the sub-floor. This works because continuous air, vapor and thermal control layers (sheathing and insulation) are outside of the bottom of the joists, instead of on top. This gap was not allowed in earlier building codes, but is now acceptable because it's understood to perform very well. This gap is within the thermal envelope, and part of the conditioned space.

Image 11: Continuous two-inch (2") rigid rock wool insulation on the outside of the continuous sheathing that's attached to the bottom of the floor joists, which is an all-in-one air, vapor and water control layer (ZIP System Sheathing). The insulation completes the assembly's critical control layers, by controlling heat (thermal). On the other side (top) of the continuous sheathing is where the rock wool insulation batts are installed (see Images 2 - 10).

For more on designing and building high performance homes, whether they're tiny or "zombie proof", be sure to read more of this blog, and follow along.

Thank you,

Chris Laumer-Giddens
 New Case Study: Arizona Leverages Industry Standards to Improve Home Performance Program tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-10:6069565:BlogPost:213671 2017-01-10T23:30:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 For most American households, a 5-30% savings on energy bills is possible by making home energy upgrades typically identified in a home energy assessment. State and local governments, utilities, and nonprofits across the nation offer programs that allow home owners to upgrade their home to reduce energy use. Through the Better Buildings Home Upgrade Program Accelerator, DOE is working with partners that offer…

For most American households, a 5-30% savings on energy bills is possible by making home energy upgrades typically identified in a home energy assessment. State and local governments, utilities, and nonprofits across the nation offer programs that allow home owners to upgrade their home to reduce energy use. Through the Better Buildings Home Upgrade Program Accelerator, DOE is working with partners that offer these programs to help increase the number of services offered to homes across the country while minimizing costs associated with managing and operating home upgrade programs.

Accelerator partners Arizona Public Service (APS), an electric utility, and FSL Home Energy Solutions, a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program sponsor, have successfully demonstrated that more customers can be served, while decreasing the cost of program management by improving two key areas:

Contractor satisfaction & support – Participating contractors are required to submit paperwork demonstrating that they successfully completed a home upgrade. To make this task easier on contractors, APS and FSL allowed contractors to choose the energy assessment software that worked best for their businesses. To create a seamless data collection and transfer process from individual contractors and their various software to the program's IT platform, the program leveraged industry standards BPI-2200 and 2100 - the home performance extensible mark-up language (HPXML) data dictionary and data transfer standards.

Quality of energy upgrades – To reduce variability in contractor work quality, APS and FSL turned to the Standard Work Specifications, developed by DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These specifications define the minimum acceptable outcomes for any weatherization or home performance task to be effective, durable, and safe. Building on these standards, the program streamlined technical field guidance on individual upgrade improvements for contractors and for the program's quality assurance process.

By using these two industry standards, Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR improved their program for contractors and customers, while also improving their cost-effectiveness and freeing up resources to allocate elsewhere.

Read this case study for more on how the Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program's lowered administrative labor costs for quality assurance by 50% while increasing contractor satisfaction with the program by 50%. Click here for more information if you are interested in joining the Home Upgrade Program Accelerator.

- Amanda Chiu

Amanda Chiu is a senior analyst at SRA International Inc., a CSRA Company.

This blog originally appeared on the Better Buildings Solution Center website and is reprinted with permission.
 Asbestos Shingle Nailpoint Debris tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-05:6069565:BlogPost:213527 2017-01-05T15:30:00.000Z Joseph Burley http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/JosephBurley
A recent study (I have a copy, trying to find a link to full report) found that installation of asbestos shingles on the outside of the home caused the nailpoints to drive asbestos debris inside the wall cavities of homes. Blowing insulation into the walls caused a release of fibers into the air of the home exceeding safe levels.…

A recent study (I have a copy, trying to find a link to full report) found that installation of asbestos shingles on the outside of the home caused the nailpoints to drive asbestos debris inside the wall cavities of homes. Blowing insulation into the walls caused a release of fibers into the air of the home exceeding safe levels.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/project_weather_0.pdf

Do home energy pros check for asbestos hazards before beginning a project?

asbestos shingles in an attached sunroom
 Ohio's Most Efficient Rental tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-22:6069565:BlogPost:213108 2016-12-22T18:00:00.000Z Luke Langhals http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/LukeLanghals

Image 1: The 100K project was designed to have a widely open concept. The home includes 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The 850 sq ft floor area allows for an open interior feel with maximum utilization of every inch.

Ohio's Most Efficient Rental…

Image 1: The 100K project was designed to have a widely open concept. The home includes 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The 850 sq ft floor area allows for an open interior feel with maximum utilization of every inch.

Ohio's Most Efficient Rental

By: Luke Langhals

When Athens, Ohio based environmental building advocate Jason Morosko and his business partner Jeremy Morosko, set out to rebuild a simple double wide rental property; they began with the idea of combining energy efficiency with affordability. Jason wanted to replace the outdated structure with an upgraded home - combining energy efficiency benefits alongside profitable rental investment. Jason's groundbreaking career in the field of energy efficient ventilation has given him many opportunities to work with North America's most progressive builders. However, the overlying question has always held true; Can super insulated construction be achieved below $100 per square foot? Can these healthy, durable, and nearly zero energy homes be built with affordability in mind and how can we prove that Passive style construction is meant for everyone. MANY people argue that super-efficient construction is really meant for the rich….it is not designed for the lower class and it cannot be achieved by homeowners with construction budgets below $100 per square foot.

Every new home must factor in many parameters when beginning construction. Site layout, budget, design, etc. However, what if we factor in a 75% reduction in energy use – but WITHOUT changing the budget? Most people would call this impossible -- but the simple addition of building science can make any home energy efficient. Jason chose to follow the Passive House methodology for his newest project. He had previously built his own Passive House and worked on many others during his 15 plus years as UltimateAir's chief engineer (who manufactures ventilation systems for energy efficient projects). The Passive House design involves super insulated walls, roof, and floor. Creating a thermos like building envelope which increases resident comfort and lowers the structures heating/cooling needs. Next step is adding triple pane windows rather than the "flimsy" code required windows. These superior windows prevent cold drafts from reaching occupants and rarely feel cold to the touch (even when the outside temperature is far below freezing). After the home is significantly air tight, a quality ventilation system is installed. Installing an Energy Recovery Ventilation system allows Jason to insure fresh air is pumped into all bedrooms in every SEASON! Dirty air is also continuously removed from the kitchen and bathroom locations. The addition of an ERV unit produces an interior condition which is fresh, healthy, and comfortable. The combination of super insulation, quality windows, and recovery ventilation leads to a heating/cooling load which is 90% lower than standard construction.

Image 2: The exterior of the home includes 4" of rigid foam insulation underneath the exterior metal siding. This is paired with 6" interior wall studs which are filled with Blown in cellulose. 10" of total wall insulation!

In the end, we are now lucky enough to be able to see a shining example of affordability combined with energy efficiency. Every new home in North America COULD be constructed to this standard…. if only homeowners would become more educated in the construction methods that are readily available. Here we can view a real example of an affordable net zero ready home; with total energy bills averaging below $50.00 per month!

Image 3: The interior is designed to be open and freely customizable. The project used many windows connecting occupants to the natural environment and wood finishes to provide a natural feel.

Project Website Link: http://sustainablepath.us/modular/
 Charting a Course to Healthier, High-Performance Homes tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-20:6069565:BlogPost:212801 2016-12-20T23:00:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

A home is intimately tied to the health and wellbeing of its residents. It is where people go to take care of themselves and seek comfort. People in the United States spend approximately 70% of their time at home, which means that ensuring homes are a healthy refuge is vitally important.…

A home is intimately tied to the health and wellbeing of its residents. It is where people go to take care of themselves and seek comfort. People in the United States spend approximately 70% of their time at home, which means that ensuring homes are a healthy refuge is vitally important. Evidence in a new, groundbreaking DOE report, Home RX: The Health Benefits of Home Performance, shows that home performance upgrades can improve the quality of a home's indoor environment by reducing the prevalence of harmful indoor air pollutants and contaminants.

Until recently, however, no systematic review of this evidence had been conducted, limiting full understanding of the link between home performance and health. New research by the Energy Department sought to close this gap by documenting the full array of health benefits for homeowners and their families stemming from home performance improvements and green renovation practices. Ranging from general health improvements to measurable reductions in asthma symptoms and other respiratory illnesses, these benefits complement the energy cost savings and comfort improvements frequently produced by home performance upgrades. In some instances, the health benefits associated with home performance were shown to reduce both healthcare utilization and costs.

Home Performance and Health

Some of the home performance improvements considered in the report include those provided as part of the Energy Department's Weatherization Assistance Program, such as air sealing, insulation, lighting, and adequate ventilation. Also considered were common green renovations as well as additional home performance upgrades supported by the Energy Department's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program, including ventilation upgrades, moisture control, window replacements, and allergen-reduction repairs. It was presumed that measures installed for the purpose of achieving verified health benefits would be compliant with industry standards and subject to third party quality assurance. Therefore, the potential health consequences of improper design, inadequate installation, insufficient maintenance, or equipment failure were not investigated.

Research into the overlap of home performance and health is still nascent, and more research is necessary to build on and reinforce existing findings, but there is substantial evidence to support that well-designed and implemented home performance projects can result in real and valuable improvements to the indoor environment of a home, potentially yielding positive health benefits for homeowners and their families.

Moving Forward

This paper is just one part of the Energy Department's broader Health and Home Performance Initiative. This paper will serve to advance about the market for the health benefits of home performance, including how these benefits can be better articulated both within the home performance industry and in policy. The purpose of the Initiative is to support the energy efficiency industry's engagement with the healthcare sector to find ways to account for the benefits of home performance work and to make it more accessible to populations of people who want and need these services. The next step for the Initiative will be to engage with stakeholders to develop a roadmap to facilitate industry's incorporation of health benefits of home performance into their work. Workshops are slated for conferences in January, March, and May. To learn more about the Health and Home Performance Initiative, and to be involved in development of the roadmap, email firstname.lastname@example.com.

This blog originally appeared on the ENERGY STAR website and is reprinted with permission.
 Portland, Oregon Passes Landmark Policy to Disclose Energy Performance to Homebuyers tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-20:6069565:BlogPost:212804 2016-12-20T23:00:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

On December 14, 2016, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance requiring home energy scores for single family homes listed for sale. This innovative new policy will help Portland create jobs for its…

On December 14, 2016, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance requiring home energy scores for single family homes listed for sale. This innovative new policy will help Portland create jobs for its home performance contractors and assessors, reduce carbon emissions, and help the city's consumers save money on energy. The Home Performance Coalition (HPC) collaborated with the Home Performance Guild of Oregon (HP Guild), Earth Advantage, and other stakeholders to support the Ordinance's passage.

HPC is an alliance of like-minded organizations working together to ensure all homes are healthy, comfortable and energy efficient. HPC's project research strengthens the residential energy efficiency industry. Portland's new Home Energy Score Ordinance (HESO) will provide information to home buyers on the home's energy performance so that they can make more knowledgeable decisions about the full costs of operating homes prior to purchase. HESO will help drive consumers toward local residential energy efficiency programs, such as Energy Trust of Oregon and Enhabit, which incentivizes investments in home improvements that lower utility bills, reduce carbon emissions, and increase comfort, safety, and health for home owners.

Buying a home is the largest investment many of us will ever make, but "most houses are sold without consideration of the home's energy performance," said David Heslam, the Executive Director of Earth Advantage, a Portland-based nonprofit organization that participated in the city's policy development process. "The scale of this policy represents a great opportunity for local real estate and lending professionals to consider it every time a home is put on the market, make it part of their daily activities, and allow home buyers and sellers to make the most out of home performance."

"Home energy use ratings provide visibility into the amount of energy a home uses and the monthly costs of that energy," said Don MacOdrum, Executive Director of the HP Guild. "We believe it is a consumers right to know who much energy a potential new home will consume. We also believe it is essential that new home owners understand their home's energy performance when they move in, just as they are getting ready to make major upgrades in their new investment".

Historically, information on a home's energy performance has not been available to home buyers. However, over the last several years, as consumer interest in energy efficiency as a valued feature of residential properties has grown, HPC, Earth Advantage, the HP Guild of Oregon, as well as other organizations, have been working with realtors and appraisers to make information about home energy efficiency readily available for property listings. This includes the development of labels and scores as well as standards and information technology (IT) solutions that allow for quicker and more automated transfer of home energy data to the real estate community. HESO marks a major step forward on providing consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions on home purchases.

For more information on HPC's efforts on home energy labeling research please visit: www.homeperformance.org. HPC's current activities include:

As part of the Department of Energy's Home Energy Information Accelerator (HEIA), HPC is working with leaders in the energy efficiency, real estate, and appraisal industries to update and expand the use of BPI-2101-S-2013 Standard Requirements for a Certificate of Completion for Residential Energy Efficiency Upgrades, commonly referred to as the "Home Performance Certificate."

 The Home Performance Certificate is a Building Performance Institute standard, managed by HPC, which provides a clear, easy-to-understand description of the home energy upgrade, including predicted energy savings or other performance indicators, such as Home Energy Score. The Certificate is designed to be used as a reference document by real estate agents, appraisers, and other professionals during the home sale process. It is also aligned with the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Data Dictionary and the Appraisal Institute's Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum to allow energy efficiency programs or other third parties to quickly and more cost-effectively share reliable information with the real estate and appraisal industries.

HPC has also collaborated with the Appraisal Institute and the Building Codes Assistance Project to adapt the two-page handout, Appraised Value and Energy Efficiency: Getting it Right, to the resale market. The new version, which will be released to the public shortly after the new year, features information for homeowners on the value of documenting the energy efficiency features and performance of a home for appraisers and lenders. The handbook also provides links to a number of resources for contractors, including links to Home Performance Certificate and the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum, to help them document efficiency upgrades for appraisers.

The new year promises to be an exciting time for HPC as we continue to work with our partners to make home energy efficiency visible in the real estate transaction.

- Julie Carcino and Joe Cullen

Julie Caracino is the Home Performance Coalition (HPC)'s Director of Research & Standards and Joe Cullen is HPC's Director of Policy & State Outreach.
 Addison Homes Wins Pinnacle Award for Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-07:6069565:BlogPost:212303 2016-12-07T16:30:00.000Z Michelle Usher http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DianeJackson

Addison Homes was amongst the home building industry's best and brightest honored with a 2016 Pinnacle Award during the 13th annual Celebration of Excellence. Presented by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina, Pinnacle Awards recognize the state's builders and remodelers who have achieved the hi

ghest standard of quality craftsmanship, innovative problem-solving and customer satisfaction.…

Addison Homes was amongst the home building industry's best and brightest honored with a 2016 Pinnacle Award during the 13th annual Celebration of Excellence. Presented by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina, Pinnacle Awards recognize the state's builders and remodelers who have achieved the hi

ghest standard of quality craftsmanship, innovative problem-solving and customer satisfaction.

Greenville SC builder Addison Homes won the 2016 Pinnacle Award for Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency for the net zero energy model home in Trailside.

HBASC handed out 17 awards in five categories – New Home Construction, Remodel Projects, Energy Efficiency, Subdivision/Community and Sales & Marketing. Addison Homes was awarded the Pinnacle Award for Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency.

"We are committed to pushing the envelope when it comes to high-performance building," says Addison Homes President Todd Usher. "We built the first mainstream Zero Energy home in Greenville – a home capable of producing as much electricity as it consumes – and it's gratifying to see this project recognized amongst our peers."

Addison's award-winning project is the model home in Trailside, Greenville's first all-solar community where every home is certified to the U.S. Department of Energy's Zero Energy Ready Home standard for energy savings, comfort, health and durability. The model home is also the first in the Southeast to qualify for Active House – a European designation of optimal daylighting, indoor air quality and resource efficiency.

This project also earned HBA of Greenville's Southern Home & Garden Bridge Award for Green Building and the U.S. Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award.

The Home Builders Association of South Carolina will feature Pinnacle Award winners in an upcoming issue of S.C. Builder Journal. In addition, the projects will be highlighted on the S.C. Department of Commerce and the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism websites to emphasize the craftsmanship of South Carolina's residential builders.

Here is the complete list of 2016 Pinnacle Award winners:

Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency — Addison Homes, HBA of Greenville

Best Achievement in Green Building — Central Signature Homes, HBA of Oconee

Best Subdivision/Community — Saluda River Club, BIA of Central SC

Best Website Design — Brighton Builders, Hilton Head Area HBA

Best Website Design — Group 46

New Home Construction ($200,000 to $499,999) — Avery Construction, HBA of Greater Spartanburg

New Home Construction ($500,000 to $749,999) — CVS Builders, HBA of Greater Spartanburg

New Home Construction ($500,000 to $749,999) — Arcon Architect & Builders, HBA of Oconee

New Home Construction ($750,000 to $999,999) — Brighton Builders, Hilton Head Area HBA

New Home Construction ($1,000,000 to $1,499,999) — Fairview Builders, HBA of Greenville

New Home Construction ($1,500,000 to $1,999,999) — Ridgeline Construction Group, HBA of Greenville

New Home Construction ($2,000,000 to $4,999,999) — Gabriel Builders, HBA of Greenville

New Home Construction ($2,000,000 to $4,999,999) — The Berry Group, HBA of Oconee

New Home Construction ($2,000,000 to $4,999,999) — Stoneledge Properties, HBA of Greenville

Remodeling Project ($149,999 and less) — Stein Renovation & Design Group, Charleston HBA

Remodeling Project ($150,000 to $249,999) — Remodeling Services Unlimited, Member of the BIA of Central SC

Remodeling Project ($150,000 to $249,999) — Stein Renovation & Design Group, Charleston HBA

Remodeling Project ($500,000 and more) — Brighton Builders, Hilton Head Area HBA

Remodeling Project ($500,000 and more) — Ellis Construction Company, Hilton Head Area HBA
 Emergency Heating Situation Leads to Further Efficiency Upgrades in Morgan Park tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-09:6069565:BlogPost:212081 2016-12-09T15:16:21.000Z Amber Vignieri http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AmberVignieri
 In early November 2015, the boiler failed in building manager Chiaka Patterson's 12-unit multifamily building in the Morgan Park area of Chicago. As winter was quickly approaching, Mrs. Patterson worried about her tenant's comfort and safety. She reached out to Community Investment Corporation (CIC) to assist her with…

In early November 2015, the boiler failed in building manager Chiaka Patterson's 12-unit multifamily building in the Morgan Park area of Chicago. As winter was quickly approaching, Mrs. Patterson worried about her tenant's comfort and safety. She reached out to Community Investment Corporation (CIC) to assist her with financing the replacement. CIC approved her for an Energy Savers Loan and referred Mrs. Patterson to us to perform an energy assessment.

Our energy analysts promptly performed the inspection as the project involved an emergency heating situation. Elevate Energy provided recommendations for cost-effective improvements to reduce utility bills and property maintenance costs, and connected Mrs. Patterson with qualified contractors to complete the improvements. Mrs. Patterson reviewed bids from these contractors and selected Fewer Boiler, Inc. to perform the replacement. Within a matter of days, tenants had heat again and no longer needed to rely on electric space heaters.

As a result of the assessment, Mrs. Patterson decided to move forward with other recommended measures including roof cavity insulation and attic air sealing performed by Minnich Insulation. During this process, a roof leak was discovered that was also addressed.

"I am very pleased that Elevate Energy has been so instrumental in evaluating my energy consumption at all my buildings and helping me figure out how to best conserve energy through different conservation methods," said Mrs. Patterson. "The staff was great to work with."

The improvements to the building are expected to save Mrs. Patterson 29% percent annually on natural gas costs.

Read a full case study here.

Interested in reducing operations and maintenance costs for your multifamily building? Learn more about our multifamily program and apply here.
 DOE Completes New Consensus-Based Air Conditioner Standards tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-14:6069565:BlogPost:212298 2016-12-14T17:38:46.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published new minimum energy efficiency standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps today. The new standards, which are based on a negotiated agreement, will reduce air conditioner and heat pump energy use by about 7%, translating into hundreds of dollars in electricity bill savings for consumers over the life of their equipment.

A federal…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published new minimum energy efficiency standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps today. The new standards, which are based on a negotiated agreement, will reduce air conditioner and heat pump energy use by about 7%, translating into hundreds of dollars in electricity bill savings for consumers over the life of their equipment.

A federal advisory committee working group concluded the negotiations and signed the term sheet on which the new standards are based last January. The working group included representatives of manufacturers, contractors, distributors, state government, utilities, and energy efficiency advocates.

The standards' compliance date, 2023, was a key element of the negotiations because manufacturers wanted to align changes to the minimum standards with the expected phase-down of current refrigerants. Today's most common refrigerant used in central air conditioners and heat pumps – R410A – will be phased out under the terms of the recently concluded Kigali agreement, a global agreement supported by both manufacturers and environmentalists designed to eliminate the most environmentally-harmful refrigerants. Likely replacements for R410a include R32 and R452B.

A new test method for measuring the energy efficiency of central air conditioners will take effect at the same time as the new standards. The new test method will yield efficiency ratings that are more representative of field performance.

On a national basis, the standards will save 3.2 quads of energy, or about 340 billion kWh cumulatively from products sold over thirty years. DOE estimates consumers will save between $2.5 billion and $12.2 billion in total.

The new standards will supersede those currently in effect, which also were negotiated among stakeholders. The existing standards vary by region for air conditioners, and the new standards maintain the regional approach. Heat pumps will continue to have a single, national standard.

Based on DOE's analysis, manufacturers can meet the new standards with improved heat exchangers, better outdoor fan motors, and other design improvements. Switching to new refrigerants will also boost efficiency, helping manufacturers to comply with the new standards. Products with efficiency performance significantly above the new standard are already on the market today, providing additional savings opportunities for consumers and programs such as those run by utilities designed to save even more.

Many of the largest energy-saving DOE standards completed in the last year have been based on similar consensus agreements, including the recent standards for roof-top air conditioners (which will save more energy than any other standard in DOE history) and pending standards for swimming pool pumps which are expected to be published soon.

- Andrew deLaski

Andrew deLaski is the Executive Director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. At ASAP, he coordinates national advocacy efforts related to federal efficiency standards and advises state policymakers and advocates interested in state level energy efficiency standards policy.

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 A Healthy Home and a Healthy Bottom Line tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-05:6069565:BlogPost:211887 2016-12-05T17:00:00.000Z Jim Gunshinan http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/JimGunshinan
There has been a lot of interest of late in the weatherization and broader home performance community in putting a value on the health benefits of weatherization. We've come a long way in the last several years and have reached, I think, some strong consensus that the health benefits of weatherization and home performance retrofits are real and valuable. This means that making healthy housing a part of your business plan makes good sense.

E4TheFuture is a nonprofit organization…

There has been a lot of interest of late in the weatherization and broader home performance community in putting a value on the health benefits of weatherization. We've come a long way in the last several years and have reached, I think, some strong consensus that the health benefits of weatherization and home performance retrofits are real and valuable. This means that making healthy housing a part of your business plan makes good sense.

E4TheFuture is a nonprofit organization working to advance safe, efficient energy solutions with a focus on residential customers. The organization published a white paper in November that summarizes scientific study and makes a solid argument for adding increased occupant health to weatherization and home retrofit work scopes. Key findings in the white paper include the following.

Occupants can experience fewer asthma symptoms and respiratory related ED visits after EE.

Occupants report better physical and mental health after EE.

Programs delivering EE with added home repairs and client education can produce more significant improvements in asthma symptoms and indoor environmental conditions.

Improvements in occupant health are strongest among vulnerable groups: lower income households and residents with pre-existing health conditions linked to housing risks.

Whole house ventilation strategies using heat or energy recovery ventilators (HRVs or ERVs) can reduce asthma and respiratory symptoms in children with pre-existing risks. Such strategies are increasingly being considered in EE programs.

Homes receiving EE can experience increases in radon or formaldehyde; ventilation systems may offer the potential to reduce radon in such homes.

The full white paper, "Occupant Health Benefits of Residential Energy Efficiency" is available in PDF for download here.
 Natural Gas is Becoming Less Attractive tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-05:6069565:BlogPost:212034 2016-12-05T17:30:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

The United States and Canada have been fortunate to have access to natural gas for space heating, water heating, and other applications. Over the decades, gas supplies have been both reliable and affordable. We also believed that natural gas was clean and environmentally friendly, and was therefore reasonable as the fuel of choice. Sadly, this situation is changing; natural gas is becoming less attractive.

What has changed? First, research has shown that natural gas…

The United States and Canada have been fortunate to have access to natural gas for space heating, water heating, and other applications. Over the decades, gas supplies have been both reliable and affordable. We also believed that natural gas was clean and environmentally friendly, and was therefore reasonable as the fuel of choice. Sadly, this situation is changing; natural gas is becoming less attractive.

What has changed? First, research has shown that natural gas is not as environmentally friendly as we thought. Direct combustion of natural gas in homes generates CO2 (a lot of CO2), and there's no way the United States can meet its climate goals without reducing its use. That's almost old news (even if we haven't yet begun to deal with it), but the latest research has found that leakage during extraction, transmission, and storage of natural gas is much greater than was once believed. New monitoring techniques suggest that 25% more methane is lost through leaks than estimates made only a few years ago. Methane—the primary constituent of natural gas—has a global warming potential about 25 times that of CO2, so this upward revision is significant on a national (and global) scale. Last year's catastrophic blowout at the gas storage facility in Aliso Canyon, California, resulted in emissions equal to 20% of the state's total 2015 CO2emissions (including those from cars and power plants)! That accident also created immediate local health problems, well ahead of future healthproblems caused by climate change. Deferred maintenance and aging infrastructure of the gas networks are likely to create more such accidents, ranging from the nearly invisible to the spectacular.

Another strike against natural gas is that it is easier to achieve healthy, efficient homes when no combustion takes place indoors. This makes the home easier to seal and balance. Once it is no longer necessary to remove combustion products, ventilation systems only need to cope with the relatively simpler tasks of dehumidification and providing fresh air.

The catastrophic Aliso Canyon methane leak resulted in 20% of California's total CO2emissions in 2015. (Earthworks)

Natural gas is also becoming less of a winner on the consumption side, especially compared to electricity from renewable sources. The best electric alternatives to natural gas, while still more expensive, are becoming more efficient and technically appealing. Heat pumps, the principal method of supplying heat from electricity, continue to improve and supply heat at ever-colder outside temperatures. The latest generation of electric stoves—once disdained by chefs—now offer controllability and other features that make them competitive with gas units. The laggard has been the electric clothes dryer, heat pump versions of which are only now appearing on the market.

In global climate negotiations, natural gas is sometimes called a transition fuel—that is, a transition from coal to carbon-free alternatives. That may still be true, but the numbers are not as overwhelmingly favorable as we once thought. But even as we realize the downsides of natural gas, it is becoming cheaper and therefore more attractive economically. These contradictory signals are bound to confuse consumers. Policy makers, building scientists, utilities, and regulators will need to develop clear recommendations to the building community as natural gas ceases to become the obvious fuel of choice.

- Alan Meier

Alan Meier is the senior executive editor of Home Energy magazine. This editorial was originally printed in the Winter 2016 issue.
 Setting the PACE for Consumer Protection tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-23:6069565:BlogPost:211350 2016-11-23T14:00:00.000Z Kelly Vaughn http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/KellyVaughn

Residential PACE (property assessed clean energy), an innovative solution for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, is being led by a set of industry mavens seeking to realize the promise of this public–private partnership. Specifically, industry stakeholders have come…

Residential PACE (property assessed clean energy), an innovative solution for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, is being led by a set of industry mavens seeking to realize the promise of this public–private partnership. Specifically, industry stakeholders have come together to create a set of consumer protection standards that ensure homeowners reap the full benefits of PACE while safeguarding against predatory behavior in this nascent market.

 Just last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published new program guidelines that further codify such standards. The path to these policies, and the risks they mitigate, are outlined in Rocky Mountain Institute's new insight brief, Driving Growth and Mitigating Risk: Standards for Residential PACE Programs.

 WHY PACE?

PACE helps homeowners overcome two major barriers to financing home energy performance improvement: first, the availability of up-front capital to pay for efficiency measures (such as lighting, HVAC upgrades, or the installation of solar photovoltaics), and second, the uncertainty of payback on such measures (given that the average U.S. homeowner owns their home for 15 years, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve).

 In states with active residential PACE programs, homeowners can finance 100 percent of project costs. Loans are repaid for up to 20 years by means of an assessment added to the property's tax bill, meaning that PACE financing stays with the building upon sale and can be transferred from one owner to the next. Some PACE providers offer financing up to 30 years, constrained by the expectant life span of financed projects.

 Since the DOE's issuance of the "Guidelines for Pilot PACE Financing Programs" in 2010, 31 states have passed PACE-enabling legislation, and the number of states with active PACE programs (commercial and residential) has grown to sixteen (as of July 2016).

 PACE AND THE NEED FOR CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

As the market for PACE financing grows, the local governments that authorize it and the private companies that typically provide it are focused on protecting consumers, who most often learn about PACE from an HVAC, roofing, window, solar, or other installer of PACE-eligible measures.

 "We continue to hear concerns about whether or not homeowners will get in over their heads with PACE loans—similar to how they can with a credit card," said Martha Campbell, a manager with RMI's Buildings program. "What consumer protections do is prevent homeowners from over-leveraging their property, and help ensure that the homeowner will be able to make the additional payments without putting their commitments to their other financial obligations at risk."

 Because PACE projects can be such a substantial commitment for homeowners, it's incumbent on all parties involved in a PACE-funded project to follow to the highest standards of consumer protection to ensure the best outcomes, because PACE impacts local governments that sponsor programs, homeowners, and—in most cases—an existing mortgage lender.

PUTTING PROTECTIONS IN PLACE

With the continued momentum and expansion of PACE, parties at the state and national levels have taken the initiative to set and implement best-in-class consumer protection guidelines. The DOE's "Guidelines for Pilot PACE Financing Programs" served as the basis for early best practices established in 2014 by PACENation, an organization focused on promoting PACE by providing leadership and support to a growing member base (then operating as PACENow).

 In August 2015, President Obama committed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration (HUD/FHA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide guidance on critical design elements for residential PACE programs. The FHA released its Mortgagee Letter in July 2016, which sent a strong message that helps solidify the nature of PACE liens in relation to first mortgages—a contentious issue that had impeded broader adoption and scaling of residential PACE across the country.

 PACENation—in collaboration with industry leaders—developed and released Consumer Protection Policies Version 1.0 earlier this year. The policies were adopted by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority and the Western Riverside Council of Governments—both of which heavily informed California's PACE policies—and now serve as an industry standard.

 "The industry needs to be aware that consumer protection standards that work already exist," said Campbell. "More and more states will consider residential PACE thanks to increased DOE support and new Federal Housing Finance Agency guidelines, which can benefit from clarity around what risks these standards can mitigate in the market. Driving consensus on best-in-class guidelines can improve confidence and inject more capital into programs."

 Today, more consistent consumer protection standards upheld across local communities and states will help ensure the successful growth and scaling of residential PACE programs, while protecting the integrity of PACE as a public–private partnership. Standardization of operations across jurisdictional boundaries will reduce the need for customization and enable consistency, which will allow PACE programs to continue to streamline their operations, and thus provide lower costs to participating homeowners.

 RMI and PACENation's newly published insight brief, Driving Growth and Mitigating Risk: Standards for Residential PACE Programs, builds on past successes to detail a set of perceived risks around PACE, and how they can be managed through consumer protection policies.

 "We applaud the efforts of PACE industry stakeholders in developing robust program guidelines and independent audit processes, and support the industry's goal for these guidelines to be the standard across state and local governments," said Campbell. "Thanks to early leaders, we have a toolkit that can enable the standardization and coordination necessary to enable PACE financing to gain traction nationally."

 Download the insight brief here.

Image courtesy of iStock.
 Moving Forward with Home Performance tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-21:6069565:BlogPost:211536 2016-11-21T23:52:02.000Z Tom White http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/TomWhite
There is still much uncertainty about how the new Trump administration will effect home performance businesses and the energy efficiency of U.S homes. But over the last eight years many states, local governments, and utilities have begun major initiatives that will continue to support professionals who are working to create high-performance homes.

Home Energy will continue to highlight the proven business-building…

There is still much uncertainty about how the new Trump administration will effect home performance businesses and the energy efficiency of U.S homes. But over the last eight years many states, local governments, and utilities have begun major initiatives that will continue to support professionals who are working to create high-performance homes.

Home Energy will continue to highlight the proven business-building practices that are moving home performance forward. Because when it comes to creating skilled jobs, contributing to your community, and creating thriving businesses—investing in upgrading existing homes—or building high performance new homes—is always a winner.

By making homes more energy efficient, we are helping all U.S. citizens stay healthier, more comfortable, and keep more of their hard-earned wages. Since 1984, Home Energy has provided our readers with reliable data and building science that show which home performance techniques and technologies really work in actual homes, and why.

We at Home Energy look forward to serving you, and working with the new federal administration, to create healthier, more energy efficient homes.

Thanks for your readership and continuing support,

Tom White

Publisher

[Ed.-cross-posted from the Home Energy magazine blog.]

 California's Home Performance Data Drought tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-16:6069565:BlogPost:211313 2016-11-16T16:07:31.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Every energy upgraded home has data. But it's the story behind the data that gives it meaning.

Stories like Mark and Jane's who sold their home in Carmel, California fixer upper with a couple acres in Grass Valley so they could pursue their micro-farm dream in their retirement. With extensive energy upgrades in the attic and to their crawl and mechanical systems, they reduced consumption by…

Every energy upgraded home has data. But it's the story behind the data that gives it meaning.

Stories like Mark and Jane's who sold their home in Carmel, California fixer upper with a couple acres in Grass Valley so they could pursue their micro-farm dream in their retirement. With extensive energy upgrades in the attic and to their crawl and mechanical systems, they reduced consumption by 56%.

Then, a year later, they added enough solar to make the home net zero. But to them, the most remarkable benefits of the upgrades are Mark's health improvements. For 75 years, Mark suffered from asthma but he's been off medication for over two years now for the first time in his life.

Data Driven

Data is vital to every industry. Home performance has started to collect data and its reservoirs are filling but many stakeholders like real estate agents and appraisers are still in a data drought.

Real estate professionals are an essential group that could help drive demand if they had access to home performance data. Thousands of homeowners and builders have invested in energy upgrades but have been frustrated by agents, appraisers, and lenders because too often, they have not recognized added value for the upgrades. This has been a detriment to market uptake. Consumers need the certainty that these investments will pay off.

In this case, who is hearing Mark and Jane's story? What's working in their house that other homes don't have? What specific upgrades were installed?

Home performance experts often track and analyze their own data in pursuit of excellence—as a way to learn from successes and mistakes. But many more could track their data if they had a tool to make it fast and easy.

Enter AjO.

A New Mobile Data Tool

AjO is a new mobile data tool that equips contractors with the ability to quickly and easily manage their project data while on site. Its hallmark product is a one-page report for homeowners. Unlike a rating or label, AjO's One Page Report (pictured below) is a concise list of the installed energy upgrades. This condensed summary of the work scope is helpful for homeowners, and informs real estate agents and appraisers in their value estimates. AjO is designed to help contractors first, but facilitates data accessibility to real estate professionals and data exchanges who need it to drive demand—much like two more California projects currently being developed.

Industry Connections

Soon to be launched, the Home Energy Propensity Map, a Center for Sustainable Energy project, is an interactive map of homes with energy upgrades and/or solar. Not only does it illustrate market activity, but will also connect viewers, via hyperlinks, to project data such as AjO reports, which will raise visibility of these home performance experts and their stories.

Another resource soon to be introduced to the California real estate market is the Green Home Registry. This registry will connect data on energy upgraded homes to the MLS, increasing accessibility and utility to real estate professionals.

These, together with AjO, address home performance data accessibility and value. They are part of the new home performance data network infrastructure we've needed for so long.

AjO's pilot is currently underway as part of Energy Upgrade CA's outreach to contractors. You can participate here.

-Debra Little

Debra Little is a home performance and valuation specialist. You can contact her at email@example.com.

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Four Addison Homes Projects Featured on Tour of Zero tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-16:6069565:BlogPost:211502 2016-11-16T20:30:00.000Z Michelle Usher http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DianeJackson
Tour of Zero: Take a Virtual Walk Through Homes of the Future … Today

 Are you ready for a home that lives better, works better and lasts better?

The home of the future – a better home – is available today! See for yourself at the U.S. Department of Energy's…

Tour of Zero: Take a Virtual Walk Through Homes of the Future … Today

Are you ready for a home that lives better, works better and lasts better?

The home of the future – a better home – is available today! See for yourself at the U.S. Department of Energy's Tour of Zero, a virtual walk through homes that are so efficient a renewable energy system can offset all or most of their annual energy consumption.

These featured homes — constructed by a select group of the nation's top builders — are independently certified to meet the DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standard for energy savings, comfort, health and durability.

Four Addison Homes projects are spotlighted on the Tour of Zero:

Willow Creek Home – a brick traditional designed for energy-efficiency, comfort and durability. Located in a popular golf course community, this beautiful home offers built-in benefits including healthier indoor air, significantly lower utility bills and fewer maintenance expenses for years to come.

Cobblestone Home – a brick-and-stone beauty that's a balance of form and function. The owners requested an elegant design in keeping with the neighborhood's upscale aesthetics, but that's not all – they wanted their beautiful home to be beautifully sustainable, too. So we blended traditional style with all the smarts of a high performance home. It won a 2015 Housing Innovation Award.

InVision Zero SC – Trailside's model home and winner of a 2016 Housing Innovation Award. As the first mainstream Zero Energy home in Greenville, it models a vision of sustainable construction that's attractive, affordable and attainable. Built for maximized efficiency – achieved via the Zero Energy Ready Home program – this home incorporates solar shingles as a renewable energy system capable of generating as much electricity as its residents consume.

Trailside Emery Home – a light-filled home based on our popular Emery plan. This 2016 Housing Innovation Award-winner is located in Trailside, Greenville's first all-solar community where every new home qualifies for the ZERH label. It's only the second project in the Southeast to achieve Active House certification – a European designation of optimal daylighting, indoor air quality and resource efficiency. (Trailside's model home was the first.)
 Healthy Homes, Healthy Families: Elevator Chris Steinhoff is Leading the Way tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-10-28:6069565:BlogPost:210727 2016-10-28T15:19:09.000Z Amber Vignieri http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AmberVignieri
 In an effort to provide more comprehensive services to the people we serve, especially low-income populations, Elevate is working towards identifying and solving home-based health hazards that we discover while doing energy efficiency work. These home-base health hazards are often a barrier to weatherization for our low- to moderate-income homeowners. To support this work,…

In an effort to provide more comprehensive services to the people we serve, especially low-income populations, Elevate is working towards identifying and solving home-based health hazards that we discover while doing energy efficiency work. These home-base health hazards are often a barrier to weatherization for our low- to moderate-income homeowners. To support this work, Elevate Construction Manager Chris Steinhoff became one of the first 260 Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified professionals to receive the Healthy Home Evaluator (HHE) certification from BPI and the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI).

The HHE certification is intended to help the nation's healthy housing, weatherization, and home performance workforce conduct assessments in homes to determine conditions that may adversely affect occupant health and safety. "I see health and safety issues in almost all the homes we assess, particularly those in low-income areas. Many of the issues are a result of deferred maintenance, and oftentimes you can't begin energy efficiency work if you don't address those issues first," said Chris. "Now we're able to identify these issues easily, and establish programs that address them in addition to reducing energy costs."

"The HHE certification is a good addition to our construction teams' expertise and allows us to deliver a more comprehensive service. When we communicate with our partner contractors as well as building owners, it gives us more credibility and leverage when addressing health and safety issues," said Chris.

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, "Healthy Homes" is a century-old concept that promotes safe, decent, and sanitary housing as a means for preventing disease and injury. Emerging scientific evidence links health outcomes such as asthma, lead poisoning, and unintentional injuries to substandard housing.

Some common home-based health hazards include:

Lead-based paint

Asthma triggers

Moisture and mold

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Asbestos

Radon

Carbon monoxide leaks

Potential fire hazards

Trip and fall hazards

Pest management

Home Hazard Spotlight: Lead

Decades after ending lead in paint, gasoline, and other sources, lead poisoning remains one of the nation's most devastating environmental health threats. Nearly half a million children living in the United States have elevated blood lead levels that may cause significant damage to their health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To increase awareness of childhood lead poisoning prevention, we're participating in National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week from October 23rd-29th. Check out our Facebook and Twitter for posts on steps you can take, big and small, to prevent lead poisoning.

Chris's certification is an important step to ramping up our healthy homes work to identify possible hazards like lead when we do energy efficiency upgrades. Chris took a rigorous exam as part of the pilot phase of the HHE certification and now is one of a handful of professionals in North America to hold this certification. We are so lucky to have his expertise on our team as we work to take a more holistic approach to creating energy efficient, healthy and safe homes for families everywhere.

 How to Use Peer Diffusion to Make Better Homes a "Must Have" tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-03:6069565:BlogPost:210897 2016-11-03T15:00:00.000Z Douglas Miller http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DouglasMiller

Peer Diffusion: A form of communication within and between networks of people that (1) occurs through varying forms of social comparison and social interaction around an innovation (i.e., a new behavior, idea, or technology) and (2) ultimately promotes the broader adoption of that…

Peer Diffusion: A form of communication within and between networks of people that (1) occurs through varying forms of social comparison and social interaction around an innovation (i.e., a new behavior, idea, or technology) and (2) ultimately promotes the broader adoption of that innovation—in order to amplify the adoption of these investments.

Download Rocky Mountain Institute & Building Performance Institute's new report, Peer Diffusion: A Promising Way for Service Providers to Unlock Investments in Home Energy Upgrades.

In homes across the United States, growing numbers of homeowners are installing solar panels on their rooftops, LED light bulbs in their lighting fixtures, and programmable thermostats on their walls. Homeowners continue to report that they want energy-efficient homes and the suite of benefits these homes provide, including increased property value and improved comfort, health, safety, and peace of mind. The overall U.S. residential renovation market also expects continued growth as homeowners keep spending on general home improvements.

 Nevertheless, the overall rate of U.S. residential energy performance improvements decreasedover recent years—with almost half of homeowners reporting that they have done nothing to improve the energy performance of their homes.

This juxtaposition between homeowner surveys and actual investments reveals an opportunity for the home performance industry—from residential energy service providers to utility/third-party program administrators—to enhance how home performance contractors engage with homeowners around quality whole-home energy upgrades to help unlock the U.S. energy upgrades market.

 Informed by leading research and real-world examples, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and Building Performance Institute (BPI) outline in a new report the key elements of a "peer diffusion" strategy for contractors to promote social interaction and social comparison among homeowners around these home improvements. By deploying a robust strategy using online and in-person tactics to enable peer diffusion before, during, and after projects, contractors can help make energy upgrades a "must have" in homes and encourage increased investments.

 PROMOTING SOCIAL INTERACTION AND SOCIAL COMPARISON

Homeowners make home improvement investment decisions based on financial, social, and emotional factors. Consider, for example, how half of homeowners report that their families and friends influenced their previous homebuying decisions. Furthermore, research suggests that the strength and frequency of peer-to-peer communication shape the broader adoption or "diffusion" of a given innovation (i.e., a new behavior, idea, or technology).

Home performance contractors tend to rely on the financial motivations—namely, energy cost savings—when promoting their services. While financial motivations are important, they are often overemphasized as a driver of choice and insufficient on their own to motivate homeowner investment decisions. Home performance contractors may therefore be underselling energy upgrades by underplaying the role of social and emotional motivations for home improvement decisions.

Contractors can leverage the influence of peers on decision making to broaden the appeal of energy upgrade investments. By promoting greater social interaction and social comparison around home energy upgrades, contractors can empower homeowners to share and show off their own home energy upgrade projects among their family, friends, and neighbors. This will help make these investments more visible, conversational, and experiential. As more homeowners see their peers investing in energy upgrades, the more likely they will want to "keep up with the Joneses" and make similar investments.

 STRATEGIC ONLINE AND IN-PERSON TACTICS

Contractors can use online and in-person tactics to promote greater social interaction and social comparison around home energy upgrades within and between customers' peer networks. They may find it helpful to use a framework that is organized by project phase and platform along the lines of the figure provided below when they develop their own peer diffusion strategy.

Contractors have numerous opportunities to better engage with homeowners online and in-person during different project phases, including:

Before: Contractors can use various tactics to encourage more homeowners to get an energy audit, increase follow-through with recommended investments, and inspire homeowners to find ideas and interact with others about options for their own energy upgrade. For example, contractors can organize group energy assessments where attendees watch contractors use thermal cameras and blower doors to pinpoint specific opportunities to reduce energy costs and improve comfort and health. It turns out that after homeowners see the money and energy wasted in a house similar to and nearby their own, they become more likely to get an energy upgrade in their own home.

During: Contractors can use tactics to demystify and celebrate home energy upgrades, increase the know-how of current and future homeowners, and bolster interest in residential energy industry employment. For example, contractors can encourage customers to post project updates on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or assemble photo galleries on platforms such as Dropbox or Google Drive and share them with family members and friends—increasing the visibility of energy upgrade projects underway within peer networks.

After: Contractors can use tactics to encourage homeowners to show off their energy upgrades and provide word-of-mouth referrals. Contractors can set aside marketing budget funds for post-renovation events to generate new business leads among the customer's peer networks, or partner with modern and historic home tour organizations to capture the attention of large audiences who attend these tours in cities nationwide. In addition, contractors may want to help show customers how to showcase their completed energy upgrade projects on property listings to help increase property value.

You can read more about these recommendations and others in the full report.

Home performance contractors will likely make a number of strategic considerations when assessing the potential of online and in-person tactics based on financial costs to operationalize and maintain a given tactic, ease and timing of implementation, the depth of social interaction and social comparison each tactic creates, and resulting impacts on business development. Contractors will also likely modify their strategy over time depending on what works well in a given market.

 SHOWCASING IMPACTFUL HOMEOWNER ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES

RMI and BPI would like to support and showcase home performance contractor companies who are interested in (or already) deploying peer diffusion tactics that make quality whole-home energy upgrades more social and their uptake more visible. Those who are interested in collaborating with RMI and BPI to develop bold demonstrations of peer diffusion strategies to unlock the U.S. energy upgrades market should contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com.

Download Peer Diffusion: A promising way for service providers to unlock investments in home energy upgrades.
 The Real Women of Home Performance: Lauren Salz tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-01:6069565:BlogPost:210667 2016-11-01T17:30:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Lauren Salz is the co-founder and COO of Sealed, a company with a simple purpose: to make home comfort improvements a no-brainer. Lauren manages the Sealed's software and patent-pending analytics, as well as the recently announced Sealed HomeAdvance fund.

Julie Caracino (Home Performance Coalition): How did you get started in the home…

Lauren Salz is the co-founder and COO of Sealed, a company with a simple purpose: to make home comfort improvements a no-brainer. Lauren manages the Sealed's software and patent-pending analytics, as well as the recently announced Sealed HomeAdvance fund.

Julie Caracino (Home Performance Coalition): How did you get started in the home performance industry?

Lauren Salz: By accident! I have a background in finance, but I was looking to work at an early stage company and learn something new. I met with around 20 startup founders in various industries, and I was lucky enough to meet Andy Frank (Founder and President of Sealed). I knew next to nothing about the industry, but I had a feeling that this was the right idea with the right person behind it.

JC: What has been your greatest accomplishment so far? What are you most proud of?

LS: My biggest accomplishment so far is bringing to market a product that makes it possible for homeowners to pay for efficiency improvements with their savings. It's a concept that people in the industry have been talking about and trying to do for years, and we've finally made it a reality. I'm especially proud of the incredible team we've built at Sealed that has made this possible.

JC: When you started out, what were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome these?

LS: It was a very daunting task to build the software, analytics, and financing capabilities to launch our product, basically from scratch. It's one thing to have a big idea. It's quite another thing to bring that big idea to fruition. I've found the best way to tackle big challenges like that is to make small improvements in short time frames, test out what you have, and iterate quickly based on feedback.

JC: What is the most rewarding thing about your job?

LS: Making a big difference in our customers' quality of life. Our customers have severe drafts and are uncomfortable in their own homes, especially during the winter. Many of them would be unable or unwilling to pay large out-of-pocket sums to improve their homes, and our product makes it possible for them.

JC: In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges for women in this industry?

LS: There are very few women in the industry, so sometimes it can be intimidating to deal with mainly men, many who have been around the industry for a long time.

JC: What advice would you give to a woman starting out in the home performance industry?

LS: Don't be intimidated! When I first started out in home performance, I was a 25 year old with no industry-specific experience. It took a while for me to feel confident when meeting with important partners, but I definitely took a 'fake it 'til you make it' approach. It works!

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Forty Years of WAP—A Family Celebration tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-10-28:6069565:BlogPost:210633 2016-10-28T18:30:00.000Z Jim Gunshinan http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/JimGunshinan

Sometimes it feels like Home Energy and the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) grew up together, along with what was formerly known as ACI and is now the Home Performance Coalition (HPC) and some other energy efficiency advocates. The WAP program is celebrating four decades of air sealing, insulating, health home making and family supporting on National Weatherization Day on Sunday, October 30th.

That would make Home Energy WAP's little brother or sister. We…

Sometimes it feels like Home Energy and the DOE Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) grew up together, along with what was formerly known as ACI and is now the Home Performance Coalition (HPC) and some other energy efficiency advocates. The WAP program is celebrating four decades of air sealing, insulating, health home making and family supporting on National Weatherization Day on Sunday, October 30th.

That would make Home Energy WAP's little brother or sister. We are proud to be part of a family that goes the extra mile to serve the low-income households in this country. Not only that, but WAP is responsible for the growth of its cousin, the home performance contractor community, as well as for innovations in diagnostics and retrofitting existing homes everywhere (such as the blower door—see above).

To find our more about WAP history and accomplishments, see a nifty video, and to find our how to be a part of National Weatherization Day celebrations in 13 states, click here.
 4 Traps to Avoid in Selling Home Performance tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-10-25:6069565:BlogPost:210341 2016-10-25T21:58:38.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 You want the sale. We all want the sale! Maybe you're very hungry to post some numbers or push to hit the plan. That's OK. But don't let that get in the way of good approaches. It's easier to stick with a good process when you've got ample leads, a solid pipeline, and you're been hitting the numbers. So, try to stay ahead and…use effective lead generation, maintain your pipeline, and stay on top of your plan…

You want the sale. We all want the sale! Maybe you're very hungry to post some numbers or push to hit the plan. That's OK. But don't let that get in the way of good approaches. It's easier to stick with a good process when you've got ample leads, a solid pipeline, and you're been hitting the numbers. So, try to stay ahead and…use effective lead generation, maintain your pipeline, and stay on top of your plan and what you need to deliver it! (All subjects discussed frequentlyon OmStout's Energy Matters blog.)

When all isn't going as well as you hoped, though, there is a tendency to fall back on approaches that seem like they'd drive you forward faster, but that actually work against you. Try to avoid the following.

1. Ready, fire, aim!

Jumping into a pitch or presentation without fully understanding the problem is dead wrong. You'll sell less—and you won't make customers as happy. The oft-repeated mantra in home performance is "prescription without diagnosis is malpractice." One of the beauties of home performance is the emphasis on diagnosis. Using the blower door and infrared camera, doing CAZ testing, and using your understanding of how a home is performing to figure out what's going on before presenting "solutions" (because they're not really solutions if you don't know the problem). Remember, though, it's not just physics. You also have to understand the home's performance in the context of what the customer wants. They may be more interested in fixing the daughter's bedroom that is too cold, the home office that is unusable in July and August, and getting rid of the stinky odors from the crawlspace than they are in shooting for 80% energy savings with a deep energy retrofit, or even than they in energy savings at all. You've got to find that out, too.

2. Talking more than the customer.

Yep, you're smart. You can measure CFM50. You can figure out the source of the ice dam problem (or the damn ice problem). You can give a lecture. But trying to show your expertise this way is annoying. It also doesn't help them customer understand. Yes, it's a whole lot simpler to just start preaching the science, explaining the logic, and moving on. Logic and financing make sense, right? As mentioned frequently on this blog, however, logic is not how people decide. It's also not how you learn what's important to the customer, that is, what they want and what they're willing to pay for. It's not how most people learn, either. If you're giving a building science lecture to a homeowner, and his or her eyes are glazed over, you're wasting your breath and everyone's time. You've got to ask questions and engage in a dialog.

3. Asking to manipulate rather than asking to learn and to educate.

Questions are a great way to help you figure out what the homeowner values. And good questions can help the homeowner understand not just how solutions match problems but also help them understand what they value. (See this example!) Questions should be one of your greatest tools. That said, good questions don't come automatically to most. You've got to practice to get good at asking questions. And leading questions, closed-ended questions designed to trick people into saying "yes" five times, and statements disguised as questions are all tools that homeowners can usually see through, and that turns most people off. Don't try that stuff on me!

4. Closing to sell.

The pressure is on. You NEED the sale or the crew doesn't have work next week. Don't blow it. This is exactly the time to remember that building the right solutions, and as hinted at above, that's not just the technical solution, it's also the solution that the customer wants and values, it the way to help you today and tomorrow. Rushing the process of getting a signed contract won't build satisfaction. It separates you from the customer. That's bad because the sale today is less important that the customer for life who can keep coming back to you over and over and over. The sale today isn't likely to be the $80,000 deep energy retrofit. But the components of the DER live on as opportunities that you can revisit over time, IF you deliver the right solution the first time and IF you maintain the relationship over time. It's a lot easier to succeed with the long-game time than with the short game.

It's easy to fall back on the approaches that don't work. It's even easier when you're stressed and panicked and need that sale today. Good practices don't come easy. They come with…practice! But practicing good approaches, and practicing them some more, helps you stick with what works even with things get hard.

Mike Rogers is the President of OmStout Consulting. A nationally recognized expert in residential energy-efficiency, he works with contractors and programs to scale sustainable market approaches to improving homes. More on Google+

This blog originally appeared on OmStout's Energy Matters blog and is reprinted with permission.
 Increasing Energy Savings for Less in West Humboldt Park tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-10-14:6069565:BlogPost:209958 2016-10-14T16:39:57.000Z Amber Vignieri http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AmberVignieri
 Building owner Charles Beck needed to make improvements to the failing boiler of his 12-unit apartment building located on the West Side of Chicago. His building is one of a few viable housing developments in an area faced with foreclosures and disinvestment.

Beck approached the …

Building owner Charles Beck needed to make improvements to the failing boiler of his 12-unit apartment building located on the West Side of Chicago. His building is one of a few viable housing developments in an area faced with foreclosures and disinvestment.

Beck approached the Community Investment Corporation (CIC) about resources for repairing his boiler. CIC referred him to Elevate Energy for an energy assessment and recommendations for cost-effective energy improvements that could further cut operating expenses in the building.

Elevate Energy conducted the assessment at no cost and connected Beck with a qualified contractor to look at the boiler. It turned out he could completely forego installing a costly new boiler, and instead implement a few efficiency upgrades at a lower cost.

Beck worked with qualified contractors to air seal the building, insulate the roof cavity and steam heating pipes, install a high-efficiency hot water heater, and balance the heat throughout the building for maximum tenant comfort and optimal efficiency.

These upgrades are expected to save Beck $810 annually on natural gas costs, and his tenants reap the benefits of a more comfortable building year-round. Additionally, by keeping operating costs low, Beck can keep rents stable and preserve affordable housing for his tenants.

Joe Minnich of Minnich Insulation is a contractor who worked on Beck's property. As a result of his work with Elevate Energy, he has grown his family-owned business and added an additional crew.

Read a full case study here.
 Game of Homes has added a New Scenario! Check it out tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-10-13:6069565:BlogPost:210075 2016-10-13T16:37:24.000Z Sarah Holloway http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/SarahHolloway
Play Newest Scenario!…

Play Newest Scenario!

 Insulation Institute's Blog Features Addison Project tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-10-03:6069565:BlogPost:209608 2016-10-03T19:00:00.000Z Michelle Usher http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DianeJackson
We love talking high-performance — with clients AND colleagues — so it's cool to be featured on North American Insulation Manufacturers Association/Insulation Institute's blog on using fiberglass insulation, along with other products and processes, to build Zero Energy Ready Homes.

Following is a copy of NAIMA's blog post:…

We love talking high-performance — with clients AND colleagues — so it's cool to be featured on North American Insulation Manufacturers Association/Insulation Institute's blog on using fiberglass insulation, along with other products and processes, to build Zero Energy Ready Homes.

Following is a copy of NAIMA's blog post:

"Trades may grumble but customers are lining up"

Addison Homes, a green builder in Greenville, South Carolina, certainly didn't set out to cause trade partners to grumble, murmur or gripe. They set out to build DOE certified Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) to provide their customers with the energy savings, comfort and indoor air quality such homes deliver. To do that, Addison Homes had to get local trades on board by doing things a bit differently. In doing so, they provided award-winning homes that customers rave about. They even show off the energy-efficient features included in the home (the homeowners in their winning Cobbler Lane project show their guests the pristine conditioned crawlspace…seriously).

What they achieved

The list of achievements in the Cobbler Lane home is lengthy, but here is a shortlist:

HERS Score of 41

1.65 ACH 50

Homeowners said they have much lower bills in the new house, despite going from a 2,500-ft2 home to a 4,500-ft2 one

Doing all this at a cost of $135-$160 per square foot including land costs

How they did it (which helps explain the grumbling)

Todd Usher, owner and founder of Addison Homes, says it begins by educating trade partners on the way the builder wants things done. This starts with framing and flashing. They used advanced framing including insulated headers and drywall clips at two stud corners and wall intersections. The framing and seams were carefully air sealed. Particular attention was paid to the ceiling plane, as it was a vented attic. As part of this, Usher had the drywallers glue the drywall to the top plates.

The insulation was a combination of unfaced fiberglass batts combined with continuous exterior insulation for the walls, along with loosefill fiberglass insulation in the attic (which incorporated a raised heel truss). It is worth noting the walls were 2×4, 16'' on center, R-13+5 and the attic was R-38. In other words, they simply met the prescriptive levels of the 2012 IECC. They combined this with attention to detail and a team mentality towards air sealing that allowed use of cost-effective fiberglass insulation to meet the aggressive home performance target.

"Fiberglass performs as well or better than any other type of insulation when installed correctly and in air-sealed cavities," Usher says. "We have found that good air sealing combined with the excellent performance and cost-effectiveness of fiberglass allows us to build some of the highest-performing homes in our region."

Key Takeaways

There are really two that merit particular attention:

Ambitious home performance targets are achievable with a variety of products, including fiberglass insulation, when employed as part of a whole house systems approach and delivered through diligence and teamwork on the part of the builder and the trades.

Highly energy-efficient homes turn your customers into your strongest promoters. In an industry where word of mouth is so critical to success, delivering homes that prompt people to talk about you, and the homes you build, can be invaluable.

Read more NAIMA blog posts AT THIS LINK.
 Even with Polar Vortex, Hourly Pricing Participants Saved tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-09-30:6069565:BlogPost:209423 2016-09-30T18:00:00.000Z Amber Vignieri http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AmberVignieri
ComEd's Hourly Pricing program allows participants to pay the hourly, wholesale market price for electricity. By conserving electricity usage when prices are high through simple behavior changes, customers can increase their savings. Elevate Energy administers the program and provides customer services to approximately 11,000 participants to help them manage costs, including high price alerts by email, phone or text, an online…

ComEd's Hourly Pricing program allows participants to pay the hourly, wholesale market price for electricity. By conserving electricity usage when prices are high through simple behavior changes, customers can increase their savings. Elevate Energy administers the program and provides customer services to approximately 11,000 participants to help them manage costs, including high price alerts by email, phone or text, an online bill comparison tool, a mobile app, and education to help drive behavior change and maximize program benefits.

Elevate Energy conducts ongoing research to assess savings on ComEd's Hourly Pricing program and encourage continuous improvement. Our Research team compared fixed-price and hourly rates by calculating how many fixed-price customers would have saved money in 2014 if they had been enrolled in Hourly Pricing. After crunching the numbers, the results are in and they're still pretty good.

In 2014, 23% of ComEd's fixed-price customers who have a smart meter would have paid less for electricity if they had been enrolled in Hourly Pricing without shifting any of their usage. This is much lower than the findings of previous research for 2011-2013 (in 2013, 97% of ComEd customers with smart meters would have saved money, with mean annual savings of $123.52). This can be attributed to two factors that created very high market prices for electricity: extreme cold weather during the polar vortex weather event, and large increases in the capacity charge paid by Hourly Pricing customers.

In Chicago, the winter of 2014 was the coldest in over a century. January 6 and 7 broke temperature records with a low of -16ᴼF (-41ᴼF with wind chill). Electricity generators experienced unplanned outages for 22% of generation capacity. Combined with high demand, this drove hourly prices to extreme levels, peaking at $1.81 per kWh (typical hourly prices in winter are around $0.04 per kWh). Customers enrolled in Hourly Pricing responded to these extreme prices by reducing electricity use by over 10%, which allowed them to break even with average savings of $1 for the year.

Since fixed-price customers were not exposed to extreme high prices and therefore did not conserve in response to those prices, they would have experienced large mean losses of 21% during January-March had they been on Hourly Pricing. Almost none of the fixed-price customers would have saved money during the polar vortex without adjusting their usage, but in April-December the savings rate was higher and 44% would have saved on Hourly Pricing.

These extremes are not likely to occur again. PJM, the regional transmission organization that coordinates the electricity market and grid in 13 states including Illinois, has changed grid operations to prevent extreme prices in future winters, including helping generators with cold weather resiliency and creating a market to guarantee capacity during the winter as well as the summer.

In addition, 29% of customers enrolled in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) would have saved money on Hourly Pricing. This indicates that even during a difficult year, hourly pricing programs are less likely to harm low-income customers.

To see a full discussion of these findings, read the Hourly Pricing Performance vs. Fixed Price Rate During 2014 fact sheet.

Looking to the future, we know extreme weather events that rendered Chicago an immobile winter not-so-wonderful-land in 2014 are likely to happen again. Programs such as Hourly Pricing save participants money while reducing stress on the grid and lowering carbon emissions. These programs work, and with the changes made after the polar vortex, we think a lot more utility customers can warm up to the idea of saving every month on their utility bill.

Want to learn more? Visit http://hourlypricing.comed.com/ or call 888-202-7787.
 What Happens When Home Performance is Made Visible? tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-09-22:6069565:BlogPost:208896 2016-09-22T15:00:00.000Z Keith Burrows http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/KeithBurrows

"I don't know" or "probably not" are the most common responses I hear to the question, "is your home efficient?" As Chris Mooney…

"I don't know" or "probably not" are the most common responses I hear to the question, "is your home efficient?" As Chris Mooney recently wrote in the Washington Post, "few of us have a clue how much electricity we're using in our homes." Most of us don't know if our energy use is high or low, and as a result, we have little motivation to invest in efficiency or to take actions that reduce energy consumption. I believe one way we can encourage action is to help people understand how their energy use compares to other homes through operational assessments like our OPEN (operational energy) rating system.

I'm interested in understanding how increased awareness of home efficiency affects behavior. I had a theory—based on research from MIT—that sharing an operational energy rating during a home energy assessment would influence a homeowner's decision to invest in energy efficiency improvements. In order to test this theory, I conducted an online randomized control trial based on self-reported intention.

You can read the details of our research process and findings here. In summary, our experiment consisted of walking 385 participants (from 47 states) through a virtual home energy assessment where randomly selected respondents (48% of the total sample population) received an operational score of 64 out of 100 (where 100 is most efficient), as seen in the graphic below. The other participants (52% of population) did not receive a score and were not aware that other participants had received one. All 385 respondents were then asked the same set of questions about their willingness to invest in air sealing and insulation work, followed by questions about energy concern and demographics.

OPEN rating comparison graphic shared with participants

What did we find?

Within the overall population, homeowners were 4.2% more likely to say they would invest in efficiency upgrades when they received the OPEN score of 64. This result was not statistically significant, due at least in part to the inverse relationship described below.

Among homeowners who indicated they pay close attention to their utility bills each month (65% of our total sample population), those who received the operational score for their home were 11.8% more likely to say they would invest in air sealing or insulation work than those who did not receive a score.

Surprisingly, among the minority of participants who indicated they do not pay much attention to their utility bills, those who received a score were 10.9% less likely to say they would invest in efficiency than those who did not. However, this relationship was not statistically significant.

Although we could only measure intention and not action, these findings support the idea that sharing an operational rating with a homeowner—especially if they pay attention to their energy consumption to begin with—may encourage investment in energy efficiency. They also suggest that efficiency scores may not have the same meaning for all people. An above-average 64 may be seen as a positive by some, and a negative by others.

Additional findings of interest:

72% of respondents wanted to know how their energy use compared to other homes. This suggests that people are interested in knowing, and do not currently know, how their energy use compares to others.

82% of respondents indicated they were completely comfortable (57%) or somewhat comfortable (25%) sharing utility information with an energy auditor.

90% of respondents that received a score indicated they would take action to improve their rating if they received a score of 25 or less. Lower scores likely provide a stronger incentive for homeowners to reduce consumption and invest in energy efficiency.

Our initial research results were promising, and we plan to continue our study by providing a randomized set of homeowners their actual operational score, based on their own energy use, during home energy assessments. We expect to find that homeowners receiving an unsatisfactory energy rating will be more likely to spend real money on efficiency improvements to their home, and that the determination of unsatisfactory is subjective.

You can read full details of the experiment here. Comments and questions welcome!