By far, the most common energy efficiency program for new home builders in the U.S. is Energy Star. In the next year and a half, that program is undergoing some changes that will make Energy Star certified homes even more efficient, comfortable and less costly to own and operate for the eventual homeowners. These improvements are going into effect in the next few months, and we thought it would be helpful to show builders a first-hand look at some of the key differences between the old and new Energy Star for new homes requirements.
Feel free to take a few minutes and watch this clip as we go through an insulation inspection on one of the first homes in the Carolinas being built to the new “Energy Star 2.5″ requirements:
The video is meant to give home builders a feel for some of the new inspection items, but it is not comprehensive (there’s only so much you can cover in 4 minutes!). For a more in-depth look at the program changes, take a look at one of our previous blog posts, which has a lot of helpful links and explains the timeline for all of the program changes in detail.
As always, please leave a comment with any questions, and we will try to answer as best we can. And of course, have a happy Thanksgiving!
Scott Hoover is a member of the Building Science team at Southern Energy Management and a nationally certified Resnet Quality Assurance Designee.
Rachel Della Valle contributed to this post. She is a Building Science Technician at Southern Energy Management. Read more about her here.
Tags: energy star, Energy Star 3.0
Is there an Energy Star system for existing homes? That might be an entirely new post, but I’m interested in how to get that certification for a home built in 2000.
Thanks,
Jason
Hi Jason,
Thanks for your comment! The Energy Star for New Homes program is for new construction only. There is a Home Performance with Energy Star program, but it typically only applies to homes that are going through major renovations or improvements. I don’t know the details of your home, but hopefully it was built to to control the flow of air, heat and moisture. These attributes, combined with efficient equipment, are the hallmarks of a high performance home.
If you feel that there are further improvements that can be made to your home, there are definitely steps you can take, even without earning the Energy Star label. After inspecting and testing the home, an analyst can make cost effective recommendations for improving the performance of the home. I can have one of our analysts contact you if you are interested.
Scott
Thanks for the answer Scott. One thing that sparked this was the Progress Energy discount for homes that are Energy Star rated. We’ve been doing certain things (based on an energy audit via SEM–Bill) but at that time, the goal wasn’t Energy Star, it was efficiency. Is there a difference?
Jason,
I’m glad you asked, because that’s a very good question: Is there a difference in Energy Star and energy efficiency? Yes.
Focus on efficiency alone, without considering the house as a system, can cause unintended problems such as mold and mildew. Both the Energy Star program for new homes and our Home Performance Analysis services for existing homes manage to improve efficiency without sacrificing building durability or homeowner health and safety.
That being said, the Energy Star for New Homes program has many requirements that are best met during the time of construction – things like blocking the floor area under kneewalls and sealing around windows and doors, for example. It is a verification program that results in a certificate. Existing homes in NC do not really have that verification option, so addressing all these items to get that certificate is very difficult unless the home is undergoing an extreme renovation.
Thanks,
Scott