Learn the basics of what makes a home ENERGY STAR qualified under the Version 3 specifications, how to tell your energy efficiency story to potential customers, and how to implement tried-and-true sales strategies employed by successful ENERGY STAR homebuilders. » Read more: EPA to host webinar on how to sell Energy Star v3 – Jan. 17.
Archive for the ‘Industry News: Outside Sources’ category
EPA to host webinar on how to sell Energy Star v3 – Jan. 17.
January 10th, 2012Clock Running Out on Extending Energy Tax Credits Expiring at Year’s End
December 20th, 2011
Congress is unlikely to extend by the end of this year several tax incentives used by developers and remodelers that expire on Jan. 1.
The clock is running down on the New Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit (45L), the only federal incentive available for efficiency in new home construction. It provides a $2,000 tax credit to builders and developers for the construction and sale of homes that achieve a 50% improvement in energy efficiency over the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code. » Read more: Clock Running Out on Extending Energy Tax Credits Expiring at Year’s End
Are you eligible to work with Energy Star in 2012?
December 12th, 2011Builders, home energy raters and HVAC contractors who are working with the Energy Star program need to make sure they are in compliance with the requirements listed below by the end of the month or else they risk being ineligible to participate in the EPA program. » Read more: Are you eligible to work with Energy Star in 2012?
Texas Continues to Lead the Way in Energy Efficient Home Building – and it’s not even close
October 5th, 2011
According to numbers recently released by the EPA, more than 29,000 ENERGY STAR homes were built in Texas in 2010. This represents almost a quarter of all homes constructed to the popular EPA standard across the nation.
These numbers, which include an increase in ENERGY STAR’s total market share are not a surprise; either is Texas’s continued domination of the market. It will be interesting to see if the trend continues into 2012 as the program moves towards its controversial Version 3.0 specifications. Continue this article to read the NAHB press release and see what other states are popular for ENERGY STAR builders.
Dallas Unveils Revised Green Building Ordinance
August 2nd, 2011
With a new Mayor and new faces on the City Council, it is not surprising if Dallas takes a new direction on many fronts. Green building will be one of them.
Four years ago, newly-elected Mayor Tom Leppert made it clear to our Dallas Division that his goal was to make Dallas “the greenest city in America” and that “green building was going to be a big part of the city’s sustainable portfolio.”
» Read more: Dallas Unveils Revised Green Building Ordinance
The Importance of Air Sealing in Remodeling
July 19th, 2011(Editorial Note: This is a very interesting perspective about the ongoing discussion in the market about the divergance between the Energy Star brand and the HERS Index. The story is someone else’s observation of the subject and, as such, is not necessarily the opinion or policy stand point of Green Built Texas and/or the HBA of Greater Dallas)
Whenever I see an older home being remodeled, especially if it’s an extensive renovation, I always wonder if the homeowners and the contractor know what a great opportunity they have to make the house tighter. Whether they’re opening up walls or adding new ones, working in the attic, the basement, or the crawl space, air-sealing should be part of the scope of work. (read the full article at energyvanguard.com)
Interesting Observation on ENERGY STAR Version 3 vs. the HERS Index
July 19th, 2011(Editorial Note: This is a very interesting perspective about the ongoing discussion in the market about the divergance between the Energy Star brand and the HERS Index. The story is someone else’s observation of the subject and, as such, is not necessarily the opinion or policy stand point of Green Built Texas and/or the HBA of Greater Dallas)
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 meetings where those two groups discuss what’s happening during the rollout of and transition to ENERGY STAR Version 3. I’ve noticed an interesting jockeying for position between the two organizations lately. (read the full article at energyvanguard.com)
Industry Groups Challenge EPA Greenhouse Gas Regulations
June 28th, 2011On June 20, a coalition of 20 business organizations including NAHB and led by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) filed the fourth in a series of briefs challenging the regulation of greenhouse gases by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“The EPA has consistently pursued an aggressive regulatory agenda that has burdened industry with unrealistic mandates and costly regulations,” said Chip Yost, NAM’s vice president of energy and natural resources. » Read more: Industry Groups Challenge EPA Greenhouse Gas Regulations
Case Study Focuses on Duct Performance in Unconditioned Space
June 21st, 2011Remember that article I wrote about ducts installed against the roof deck and how I said it was probably the absolute worst single location for installing ducts? Well, in the comments, Dave Roberts, a senior engineer at the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), wrote about a paper he co-authored last year and included a link to it. Up against the deck may be the worst place in the attic to install ducts, but Roberts shows that putting them in the attic at all is the worst place in the house you can install ducts.
It’s time to pull back the curtain to look at the algorithms used to come up with a HERS Index score
June 15th, 2011How Is a Home’s HERS Index Calculated?
It’s like golf — the lower the score, the better.
Anyone involved with the Energy Star Homes program has probably heard of the HERS Index, a method of scoring the energy efficiency of a new or existing home. A Web page maintained by the state of Arkansas, for example, explains that the “EPA requires a house qualifying for Energy Star to be built with best practices, tight ducts, and at least 15% more energy efficient than code as shown by a HERS Index score of 85 or less as determined by a HERS Rater.” (read full article at GreenBuildingAdvisor.com)
