Energy Star Transition

 

 Changes in Energy Star Transition Timeline

 

Memo from EPA Energy Star 8.22.11:

Dear ENERGY STAR partners, 

After extensive consideration, EPA is adjusting the overall implementation timeline of the ENERGY STAR for Homes program requirements and two specific items related to HVAC design. EPA believes that these changes will position the program for greater success in the long-term and better achieve its market transformation goals. Specific changes include the following:

1.     While all homes permitted on or after January 1, 2012 must still be built to the Version 3 requirements, EPA is allowing homes permitted in 2011 to continue to be qualified under the transitional Version 2.5 guidelines through June 30, 2012. Previously, homes permitted in 2011, but completed on or after January 1, 2012 would have also been required to be labeled using the Version 3 guidelines.

2.     On the HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist, for homes with final inspection dates through 12/31/2012, loads and room-level design airflows shall be permitted to be calculated for the configuration that will result in the largest load when a house plan is built with multiple configurations (e.g., orientations, elevations, options).

3.     On the HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist, for homes with a final inspection date through 12/31/2012, Item 1.2.1 is permitted to be within +/- 5 degrees of the 1% and 99% ACCA Manual J design temperatures for the contractor-designated design location.  In addition, for each house plan with multiple configurations (e.g., orientations, elevations, options), the Rater shall confirm that the parameters listed in Items 1.2.2 – 1.2.6 are aligned with either: the rated home, or with the plans for the configuration used to calculate the loads, as provided by the contractor.

4.     On the HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist, homes with a final inspection date through 12/31/2012 are permitted to be qualified without enforcement of the pressure-balancing requirement in Item 2.8.

The program is already beginning to achieve meaningful energy savings under the transitional Version 2.5 guidelines as many ENERGY STAR builder partners are making significant strides to incorporate the new and more rigorous program requirements into their operations.   However, due to the continued weakness in the marketplace, many homes that were permitted in 2011 and expected to be completed by the end of the year are now expected to slip into 2012. As a result, partners that were intending to qualify homes using the Version 2.5 guidelines would have been subject to Version 3 requirements.  

Regarding the HVAC timeline extensions, several partners have indicated that for house plans with multiple configurations (e.g., orientations, elevations, options), additional time is needed to finish systematically reevaluating all possible plan permutations and to develop new processes to manage this new volume of analysis and information.

Note that while these changes take effect immediately, they will formally be included in policy documents, along with other modifications, clarifications, and refinements, in Revision 04, which is expected to be finalized within the next week. All partners will be notified via email when these documents are available.

Notice for partners participating in regional or utility-sponsored programs:

It is important to note that regional and/or utility incentive programs may choose to retain previous implementation timelines when defining the eligibility for special designations or incentives from their programs. Be sure to check with your local program representatives for more information, and note that some time may be required for them to evaluate the impact of these changes on their program. Also note that regional guidelines have been or are being developed for Hawaii, Florida, California, and the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho). Therefore, the changes announced in this email are not applicable to these regions; rather, those regional guidelines will be updated with relevant changes on an individual basis.

Thank you for your feedback and continued support of the program. If you have questions, please contact us at energystarhomes@energystar.gov.

 

Best Regards,

The ENERGY STAR for New Homes Team

Energy Star Transition: Version 2.0 – Version 3.0

    MEMO: 3.15.11

 

We are in the process of developing as smooth a transition as possible for all builders and raters that work with us in Utah from the current EPA Energy Star Version 2.0 to the new Version 3.0. As we work through this transition and learn more about what is required and recommended for all parties involved, we will be posting updates and progress reports on our two websites (http://www.utahenergy.org/ & www.utahenergystar.org) on a regular basis. Please check these sites for the most current information that we have available. As necessary, we will send out “e-blasts” too.

We understand that there are many questions and concerns arising about the implementation and compliance requirements related to version 3.0. We are striving to provide everyone with the best and most coherent answers that we can obtain. If, in this transition process you have a question that has not been addressed, please contact us via email (info@utahenergy.org) and we will work to post an answer for you on the Internet. We will be developing a distinct FAQ section to help out too.

In order to make things easier for all, we are breaking this memo up into three parts: General Information, Rater Specific & Builder Specific Information. At this time here is what we know about version 3.0 of the Energy Star New Homes Program (along with related Internet addresses) from the EPA as it relates to our Builders, Developers, and Home Energy Raters:

Historical Time-Line of the EPA ENERGY STAR New Homes Program (1995 – 2012):

 

 

 

 

 

Click on image above for larger view.

Timeline Notes

  1. The completion date is the date of the rating, which will be listed on the ENERGY STAR label for each qualified home.
  2. Homes qualified to ENERGY STAR Version 1 met the HERS Score of 86 on the pre-2006 scale, which equated to 30% more efficient than a home built to the 1992 Model Energy Code (MEC), or an applicable Builder Option Package (BOP). Inspection checklists were not required for this version.
  3. Single-family homes include detached homes, townhomes, row-homes, duplexes, and triplexes.
  4. The permit date is the date stamp on the building permit or the date of the contract on the home.
  5. Homes can be qualified under the Version 2.5 guidelines in advance of the dates above at the discretion of builders and their raters. However, homes may not be qualified as Version 3 until January 1, 2012.
  6. Only condos and apartments in multi-family buildings may use this extended implementation schedule. All multi-family homes financed through low-income housing agencies may earn the ENERGY STAR under the last iteration of the guidelines, Version 2, until December 31, 2012 as long as the application for funding for those homes was received by the low-income housing agency before April 1, 2011. If the application for funding is received between April 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011, then the homes must earn the ENERGY STAR under the Version 2.5 guidelines if completed before January 1, 2012, and under the Version 3 guidelines if completed after January 1, 2012. If the application for funding is received on or after January 1, 2012 then the homes must earn the ENERGY STAR under the Version 3 guidelines.
  7. Where a utility or state sponsor is mandating or incentivizing early adoption of Version 3 in their area, EPA will allow the labeling of ENERGY STAR Version 3 prior to January 1, 2012 on a pilot program basis, provided that the sponsor meets certain requirements.

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General Information:

Rater Information:

The required Rater Training provided by us as a RESNET HERS Provider for Version 3.0 will begin mid April 2011 (~ April 18th). Registration information will be sent out via emails and posted on our websites. It is expected that it will be a two day (16 hours) training.

Rater Checklist “Guidelines”

    • All Raters are expected to use their experience and discretion to verify that each checklist item is installed per the appropriate guidelines.
    • All Rater must review all items on the Rater Checklists
    • All Raters are required to keep hard copies of the completed and signed checklists. Electronic scanned copies are acceptable.
    • For sampled (or “Batched”) homes – all checklists are to be completed using a RESNET approved sampling protocol to qualify homes as Energy Star.
    • If a Rater is using Indoor airPLUS as part of their rating, a completed and signed Indoor airPLUS Verification Checklist may be submitted in lieu of the Water Management System Builder Checklist.

Builder Information:

  • Builders must complete the online Energy Star Orientation Training to be eligible to build homes qualified under Version 3. This training is available via their “My Energy Star Account” found on the www.energystar.gov website.
    • New builders (builders who have not built an Energy Star verified home in the last 12 months) must take this training prior to becoming & signing up to be an Energy Star Builder Partner.
  • We are not able to provide additional training or education for HVAC sub-contractors or designers. For information the “HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist” required on all homes we suggest that builders and their HVAC sub-contractors review the information provided by the EPA in the HVAC Guidebook.
  • Builders who joined prior to 2011 must complete the training by December 31, 2011 to remain Energy Star Builder Partners.  
  • Single Family home construction projects begun in 2010 (receiving a permit) or completed prior to 3.31.2011 will fall under version 2.0 requirements and standards.
  • Single Family home construction projects begun after 4.1.2011 (receiving a permit) and completed by 12.31.2011 will fall under version 2.5 requirements and standards.
    • Version 2.5 is considered a transitional version of Energy Star which is composed of the ver. 3.0 reference design coupled with the Air Barriers & Sealing sections of the ‘new’ Thermal Enclosure System (TES) Checklist.
    • All other inspection checklists (HVAC Quality Installation Contractor Checklist, HVAC Quality Installation Rater Checklist, & Water Management System Builder Checklist) are to be completed, but will not be enforced. In other words ,during this transition period (4.1.2011 through 12.31.2011) they are to be used to help educate and train all parties on what will be required and enforced with version 3.0
  • Multi-Family home construction projects begun in 2010 have an extended implementation period throughout 2011, and will fall under version 2.0 requirements and standards.
    • If an application for funding for these projects has been received by the various funding organizations available to them (i.e. Olene Walker Housing Trust Fund, Utah Public Equity Bonds, Utah State Self/Help, or others…) by 4.1.2011 they will fall under version. 2.0. Please refer to the Time-Line Notes (#6) for greater detail.
    • We strongly recommend that any and all projects being proposed for construction in 2012 have their building plans designed and re-structured in such a manner as to be in compliance with version 3.0. It is safe to assume that the 2009 IECC could be used a base level for energy efficiency.