ENERGY STAR Version 3 vs. the HERS Index
I'm not on the board or staff of RESNET or the EPA's ENERGY STAR new homes program, so I'm not privy to the discussions they've been having. It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at the…
ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR Version 3 – A Tool for Transformation in HVAC
I'm torn. Since I first dived into the ENERGY STAR Version 3 guidelines, the new HVAC requirements have pulled me in two directions. On the one hand, as someone who's been calling for change in the HVAC industry, I see…
Confusion & Complexity – Can Green Building Programs Be Simplified?
If you've ever had to dive into the details of the green building and energy efficiency programs for homes, you've experienced the operational definition of the word 'complexity,' along with a bit of 'confusion,' too, I'm sure. I know I…
Oversized AC, Screwed-up Manual J, ENERGY STAR HVAC Tirade!
I was checking some REM/Rate files for our HERS raters yesterday, mostly submitted for ENERGY STAR homes. I've come to expect Manual J heating and cooling load calculations submitted along with the files to be less than perfect. Mostly, I…
Are Freedom and Building Science Incompatible?
Recently I got a short email from someone that read: Recently I got a short email from someone that read: “Just like you to know I'm glad you aren't in charge. If you stood between me and my freedoms of…
Keep Out! – One Place NEVER to Put HVAC System Ducts
I had lunch yesterday with a friend who's an HVAC designer and home energy rater in North Carolina, and he mentioned the idea of separating HVAC design from HVAC contractors. For that to happen, though, HVAC contractors first have to…
A Green Home – It’s Just Good Design
What makes a Green Home green? Is it the bamboo floors? Maybe it’s the low-e windows or the extra insulation in the walls? What about a high efficiency heating and cooling system? Or maybe it's a plaque by your front…
The McMansion Penalty in ENERGY STAR Version 3
When I first became a HERS rater and went to the RESNET conference in 2004, I got to talk with David Lee, who was the head of the ENERGY STAR homes program at the time. Because I was puzzled by…
Builders at Nashville ENERGY STAR Workshop Receptive to Version 3
A room full of builders, contractors, developers, and designers recently participated in a workshop on ENERGY STAR Version 3 for homes. Sponsored by E3 Innovate of Nashville and presented by Allison Bailes of Energy Vanguard, the class covered the basics…
3 Problems with Fiberglass Batt Insulation in Floors
I've been in a lot of crawl spaces and basements that have floors insulated with fiberglass batts. I've seen a lot of new homes that have fiberglass batts installed in bonus room floors, cantilevers, and floors over basements or crawl…