Comments on: Why Are Your New Homes Missing out on the $2000 Tax Credit?

By: Allison Bailes

Allison Bailes — Sat, 07 Sep 2013 01:42:41 +0000

Walt S.:
Walt S.: Heating and cooling aren't separated in the tax credit, so if you've done all you can with heating, then get more reduction in the cooling energy consumption.

Bob: That's a good idea, but the tax credit has specific requirements, and your recommendation doesn't really address them.

Barton: I didn't really get into the details of how you qualify for the tax credit, but you have to go through the performance path. The prescriptive path isn't allowed because you have to compare the house going for the tax credit to a "comparable dwelling unit," as defined in the tax credit regulations (pdf) and RESNET's calculation procedures.

By: Barton

Barton — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 05:46:05 +0000

In the '06 IECC, the language
In the '06 IECC, the language reads that the reference home has window area equal to:

Is the following true for the performance path AND the prescriptive path?

The proposed glazing area; where the proposed glazing area is less than 18% of the conditioned floor area

So now that home with 12% WFA is compared to a reference home with 12% WFA, and your tax credit just went out the window.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 15:55:42 +0000

A simple way to do this is
A simple way to do this is limit the size of HVAC equipment per climate zone. Allow so many BTU per sqft for each climate and if the system can keep up then it's a win. Southern climates might be limited to 10BTU per ft for AC and Northern climates limited to 20BTU per foot of heating.

By: Walt Stachowicz

Walt Stachowicz — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 01:54:58 +0000

I'm not having a problem with
I'm not having a problem with the shell - Having to reduce the heating load in Climate Zone 2 is my problem. Our heating load is so low that it's hard to reduce it by 50%. These homes use gas heat with a 95% efficiency, yet the credit will not apply to most of these homes. I regularly get them in the high 40's, but only a few just inch over 50. Any suggestions?