Energy Star 3 – the next generation

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Cindy Parker

What is meant by an Energy Star Home and who cares? Builders and buyers should care and they may soon be putting in some effort to learn more. There are many reasons why these standards will become more familiar to builders and buyers, from mortgage rates to tax credits, the terms will become much more common in the construction trades.

The Energy Star Home program was established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promote the construction of new homes that are at least 15 percent more energy-efficient than homes that minimally comply with the 2004 International Residential Code.

On Jan. 1, 2012, residences enrolled in the Energy Star Homes program must comply with the latest specification labeled Energy Star Version 3, the next level above the current Version 2 specification.

Version 3 will continue to offer builders two possible paths for obtaining an Energy Star label: a performance path and a prescriptive path. Many of the highlights of the new specification are outlined as checklists for builders.

For anyone trying to save energy with costs for heating and cooling, elimination of gaps, cracks and air leakage has been a major concern. Air leaks and/or inadequate insulation results in “thermal bypass” and brings to mind the image of dollars leaking through the walls and roof of your home.

To help reduce your energy dollars from flying away, the Energy Star checklist for builders has six sections just to identify the best practices and recommended construction methods to eliminate thermal bypass.

The Thermal Bypass Checklist has the following sections:

1 Air and thermal barrier alignment
2. Walls adjoining exterior or unconditioned spaces
3. Floors between conditioned and exterior spaces
4. Shafts (piping, electrical, ductwork)
5. Attic/ceiling interface
6. Common walls between dwelling units

To comply with this specification, builders can use one of five wall construction methods:

•    A continuous layer of rigid foam insulation
•    Structural insulated panels 
•    Insulated concrete forms 
•    Double stud wall framing
•    Advanced framing (optimum value engineering)

In addition to establishing a better definition of appropriate air barrier materials, there is a new mandate for venting combustion appliances. The Version 3 specification requires that in Climate Zones 4-8, all furnaces, boilers, water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces must be sealed-combustion units (with ducted outdoor combustion air) or must be power-vented. In southern regions, Climate Zones 1-3, atmospherically vented appliances are still permitted.

Regarding who you call to put in the new furnace or air conditioner, the new specification requires installers of HVAC equipment in Energy Star homes to have certification for commissioning the equipment they install. The commissioning or validation process for forced air systems has many additional requirements including duct insulation, recorded measurements for air leakage rates, recorded measurements for pressure differentials, and actually meeting the requirements of the heating/cooling design.

Although these new requirements may seem overwhelming, at this point it is still the installer’s responsibility to ensure that they are met. However, the builders and installers that submit the paperwork and “take the pledge” as Energy Star contractors should have some integrity in the final package they hand over as complete. When inspectors, appraisers and tax assessors come up to speed with the new specifications and regulations, the companies that have practice in getting the job done right will be a step ahead.