“So what do you guys do?” -to- “WAIT I HAVE TO DO-A-WHAT TEST?!?”

In a quickly evolving industry, it is hard to keep up with changing energy code requirements, professional certifications, testing procedures, and the tools/equipment that is related. We, as a training center and home performance diagnostics company, have struggled to find a definitive resource that outlines what the test are, how they work, how to perform them, and how they should be interpreted.  There are equipment manuals, there are books on ‘energy auditing,’ but what about a complete step-by-step guide than can walk someone through ALL of the home performance diagnostic testing that they would need to know how to so in our industry?

Enter Home Performance Diagnostics here:

Over the course of the last year, our Technical Director Corbett Lunsford, has quit sleeping altogether to devote all of his mental energy to compiling this book. With years of hands-on experience from the field, he has fine-tuned his skills using home performance diagnostic equipment and is ready to share all of his lovely secrets with the world. Our industry is already seeing a rapid increase in interest and acknowledgement from builders, contractors, inspectors, architects and other related parties in the construction industry. We, as a company, truly see the need to elevate the working knowledge of our industry and think that Home Performance Diagnostics is an invaluable tool to do so. The book is intended for anyone in residential construction. Whether you will or will not be performing the diagnostic test contained within, it is imperative that you know what the test are, how they work, and what they mean. Simply put – if you don’t keep up with this stuff, you will quickly be left behind! The Illinois adoption of 2012 IECC is proof of this, so study up folks!

Here is a basic overview of the book:

In short – It covers almost all diagnostic testing you would want to do in a the home performance industry. Each test is introduced to you with the basic concepts and materials or tools that are required. Before testing, a preparation section outlines the important steps that need to be done to ensure the test is performed safely and in a manner that is aligned with the manufacturers intentions.  The testing section is very detailed and flows in a linear, consecutive fashion with step-by-step instructions that touch on EVERY point so nothing is missed. After all testing is complete, an interpretation section makes sense of the results. It explains what the results mean, how to communicate the results, how to perform additional calculations (if necessary), and how the results relate to various standards or codes. Each calculation is followed with an example for further clarification. Any figures, graphs, or tables required for the results to be properly interpreted are found in this section or are referred to in the appendix. The best part? EACH STEP HAS A HIGH DEFINITION PHOTO ASSOCIATED WITH IT! We felt this was necessary to aid in clarification…

Recently, we have added a few additional items to support the needs of trainers or instructors who wish to use the book as a resource for their own students in a curriculum-type setting. Some key things for trainers:

1)   Questions/Quizzes with unique solutions for every section of the book

2)   Discussion and Critical Thinking topics for conversation in the classroom that are intended to further the students knowlegde

3)   A ‘difficulty matrix’ that outlines the relative difficulty of each test, as well as the required prerequisites that the students should have mastered

4) A trainers guide to ‘Home Performance Diagnostics.’ This clearly states what is in the book, how it is laid out, what other resources are available, and how to get in touch the Corbett himself

To grab a copy or preview the book, follow this link.

For Trainers, follow this link for the additional material. Don’t forget we offer special discounts for bulk orders!

• Increase in prescriptive insulation requirements in all assemblies (as low as 12% increase for fenestration and as high as 33% for mass walls!)
• A larger fraction of exterior wall area is allowed to have reduced continuous insulation (40% from 25%) when structural sheathing is used to maintain an even thickness. However, 2012 IECC does not allow the elimination of continuous insulation in areas where structural sheathing is used like the 2009 code did.
• Mandated blower door testing with much stricter tightness limits (2009 did not require pressure testing, therefore not enforcing tightness limits)
• Ventilation fans now must be more efficient (there were no upper limits in 2009)
• A greater fraction of installed lamps must be high-efficacy (from 50% to 75%)
• Tighter limits for duct leakage testing (although 2012 does NOT mention testing ducted systems for leakage to outdoors, only total leakage. Additionally, building cavities may no longer be used as supply plenums)
• Hot water pipe insulation and length of run (all pipes to be insulated unless they have ‘sufficiently low volume.’ In order to achieve the defined ‘sufficiently low volume,’ you must reduce length of run.)
• Definition of skylight was changed from glazed fenestration less than 75 degrees from horizontal to any glazed fenestration less than 60 degrees from horizontal. This bumps more glazing into the ‘vertical’ glazing category which has more stringent requirements
• Ventilated attics with air permeable insulation are now required to have baffles at the eaves (it’s baffling that this wasn’t required before!)

Some changes that negatively impact energy efficiency are:
• Steel framed wall insulation (there is now a distinction between studs 16” and 24” OC which in some cases has increased overall U-Value)

• Location of air barrier (2 things – air permeable insulation is not allowed to be located outside the air barrier, and common walls between dwelling units are not required to be air sealed.)

There are a slew of other changes, but I’m not going to get into all of them here. I suggest you read the article, but if you don’t feel like doing so, here is an interactive webinar-style training from the Energy Center of Wisconsin (presented by Darren Meyers) to get you up to speed:

Part 1
Part 2

Thanks for Reading!

Essentially, the prescriptive path is a predetermined formula for an efficient building in a given climate zone. Energy Star gives us guidelines, we design and build to the guidelines, and verify that the building was actually built as designed by various site visits and extensive performance testing. If the building is 100% compliant with the prescriptive requirements, it is then awarded certification.

Unlike the prescriptive path, the performance path does not provide strict guidelines for every aspect of the building. Instead, the designer has much more flexibility in finding ways to create an efficient multifamily building.  However, the drawback to this method is that an extremely comprehensive energy model must accompany the design to prove that the building is at least 15% more efficient than a reference building built to ASHRAE 90.1-2007 standards. It should be noted that regardless of path chosen, all buildings in the Energy Star Multifamily High Rise Program must meet the minimum guidelines set aside in a prerequisite checklist. Additionally, both paths require benchmarking the energy usage of the whole building for two years.

Why would you want to go through the hassle of the program if you can continue to build as you always do? BUILDING BETTER IS THE ANSWER! If you are not only the developer, but also intend on being the owner of the building, then you should build the best product you feasibly can. Also, dependent on your location, many new multifamily buildings must meet certain ‘green criteria’ in order to be approved, so why not take advantage of a performance based program that will save you from numerous headaches down the road? The additional cost and time involved is merely a drop in the bucket when looking at the big picture.

Currently, Green Dream Group is working with Ryan Companies, a really great all-in-one design-build firm, to build the very first multifamily building to be labeled Energy Star in Illinois! We are very excited to be involved in this process are looking forward to taking on more of them in the future. Although it is quite a change from the Energy Star for Homes program, we have found this program to be in line with our skill set and long-term goals for the company as a whole. On top of that, it has been a really great learning experience.

As probably observed, this blog post is very basic. If you are looking into the program or would like to know more information, feel free to contact us with questions or visit the Energy Star Multifamily High Rise website.

A few weeks ago, The Energy Center of Wisconsin brought the B4 conference to Illinois for the first time ever. It was also my first time attending the conference but I can assure you it was one of the most magical moments of my life. Think about it – The best products, the smartest people, and the hottest topics in residential building performance all in one place! Oh, and apparently there are water slides at the Wisconsin conference too? At the Illinois conference, there was definitely too much good stuff going on at once to keep sane, so I need to brace myself for the Wisconsin conference since it is going to be much larger than the one here. The workshops were incredible! So much information crammed into bite-sized sessions! The topics are so broad and cover so many aspects of building science and energy efficiency. Also, the vendors go beyond your typical banner-and-booth style expo – this is all out. Each vendor brings products and many do demonstrations as well. Not entertained yet? Well, just wait until dinner and drinks then!

This is our first time having a booth at the Wisconsin B4 conference, and we are ready to give you everything we’ve got. A new book, new trainings, new attitude, and NEW SHIRTS! But honestly, we are just happy to be a part of the Better Buildings Movement. We are there to learn and move our industry forward just as much as we are there to move our company forward. If you are at the conference, please stop by and say hello!

HOME PERFORMANCE DIAGNOSTICS is a compendium of all the tests needed to successfully pinpoint opportunities for improvement in a home, and to verify the improvements made, afterward. It features 180 pages of over 40 test methods, with 280 photos, over 30 tools, and 40 useful equations!

I hope you’ll check it out, and even if you don’t find it insanely useful for your own business, I hope you’ll refer it to your friends in the industry!

The Basics:

Over the last few years, BPI has had a surge in the number of exams administered through their ‘Affiliate Organizations.’ Therefore, BPI is currently undergoing an accreditation process under the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) ISO 17024. This is essentially a national standardized process that will oversee the certification of personnel to ensure all certifications that are awarded are unbiased, fair, and adhere to strict terms to uphold the integrity of BPI’s name.

What Changes With Training and Testing?

‘Affiliate Organizations’ no longer exist. BPI now has ‘Test Centers’ in place of  ‘Affiliate Organizations.’ Trainers can no longer proctor the students that they teach.  However, trainers CAN still proctor – but there must be clear separation between the trainer and trainee when it comes to testing. Also, all written and field tests must be video + audio taped for quality assurance and dispute resolution.

How Does This Affect The Student?

Well, for starters, it is more expensive. BPI has raised their rates on both written and field exams starting February 1, 2012. On top of that, proctors and Test Centers now have annual fees to pay directly to BPI (see below), which will probably increase the cost as well. You will have to actively seek out a Test Center to take your exams, unless the training institution has the resources in house to administer trainings AND proctor exams. Scheduling on the fly might be more difficult now that BPI has required Test Centers to pre-pay for exam credits. Also, don’t forget to wear your sexy work attire for your tests since you will now be video taped!

How Does This Affect the Training Center / Testing Center?

Well, for starters, it is more expensive. BPI has imposed an annual fee for each proctor AND one for the Test Center to be operating. Each test center is required to own a video camera that meets minimum requirements for audio/video that will film every exam taken (Yes, this includes the entire 7-hour RBE-WHALCI exams too). As mentioned, field proctors may not have any part in the students training and Trainers may not have any part in the students field proctoring. For small businesses like ours, this is definitely a challenge! Also mentioned above, we are required to pre-pay for exam credits (in increments of 10+) before giving any exams.

In Conclusion:

Hurdles. Gotta learn to run faster and jump higher! That’s all. In reality, these are nothing more than just a few restrictions and alterations to what was already in place.  BPI certifications will remain in the same format and the certifications will now have extra protection for the student in the following ways:
a) They will be treated with complete impartiality and fairness

b) The integrity of the exam will be upheld to ensure certifications are meaningful

c) The outside perspective of BPI’s certifications will be highly regarded.

So prepare folks – We have some adjusting to do as we move into the future. If you would like to take a look at out upcoming trainings, visit the Building Performance Workshop website.

Now lets face it; there is no ‘WOW’ factor behind insulation and air-sealing. No one invites their friends over to take a walk though the attic, but that wind turbine in the front yard will stop cars off the street for a quick photo shoot. Basically, the point I m really trying to drive home is that there are many simple (and much cheaper!) steps to increasing the efficiency of a house before renewable energy is effective. Key word here is prioritizing.

Recently, Mother Earth News did a brief article about green remodeling strategies. Although important, the article did not focused on paints, particle boards, flooring, and other typical remodeling-type products, but rather a prioritized approach to increasing the efficiency of your home. Now it should be noted that every home is different, and there is no prescriptive method for fixing ALL homes, but the sequence of events outlined in the article is pretty well laid out.

Let’s take a quick look at what this figure is trying to tell us:

A: Sealing air leaks and adding insulation. Often the best opportunity for improvement in any home. It pays itself off, and it increases comfort. In short; stop unwanted heat loss.

B: Improving heating and cooling systems. This measure can drift a bit around on this list, however, it is important. Nevertheless, it should ALWAYS be considered after step A. It should be noted that ‘improving’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘replacing.’ I have found 50+ year old boilers that have been well maintained and operate just fine with minimal improvements.

C: Sealing ductwork. This is very important. Yes, I may be fairly young and naive when it comes to certain aspects of home performance, but I do not hesitate to say that I am baffled by the quality of  the HVAC work that I have seen in the field. Ducts have a single job: transport conditioned air to specific locations. If ducts lose a large majority of that air (DOE estimates up to 30% in some cases!), then they are not doing there job.

D: Upgrading lighting, appliances, and water heating equipment. These items are grouped together, and in many parts of the US, so is the fuel source for them.  Sometimes this group is the ‘low hanging fruit’ of  reducing consumption, but in the big picture, they have a small percentage of overall consumption. These upgrades are easy and relatively cheap, and can pay themselves off over the life of the appliance.

E: Installing renewable energy systems. Now we’re ready! Well, there is still a lot that can be done prior to this step but you get the point. Basically, these systems will make a much larger impact if the home is ‘renewable ready.’

I think the above steps are great starting point for considering efficiency upgrades. Remember that a house is a system and that individual components alone can’t solve problems. As a last thought, take a peek at the pie chart below that breaks out typical consumption percentages in a home.  Now look again at the steps outlined above. Did we tackle the biggest chunks first?

A few months back I took the HERS exam and performed training ratings with Frank Pipal over at Home Energy Raters of Illinois, and have since performed multiple probationary ratings here at Green Dream Group with Corbett as my mentor. These mentored ratings have been both field visits and ratings from plans. Both types of ratings have presented specific challenges that can be a headache if you let them beat you down. So what are some challenges and how can we work around them? Its almost 2012, remember? Here are two examples of how I have made technology work for me to make my job easier when it comes to HERS Ratings.

Field Ratings

Recently GDG was contracted to perform a HERS rating for an older Chicago home that was rehabbed  a few years back. The takeoff was fairly straight forward until I reached the top floor: 4 separate side attics (only one of which had access), vaulted ceilings in various places, knee walls, dormers, various ceiling heights, among other strange dimensions and features. Two things that are crucial to an accurate HERS rating are volume and surface areas of conditioned spaces. So you can imagine how difficult this one probably was. A lingering aspect of my engineering education is that I like things to be extremely precise. I did do my best in the field to come up with a volume of the top floor, but I felt unsatisfied knowing that it was not as precise as I would have liked it to be. Insert Google Sketchup here. For those that are unfamiliar with Google Sketchup, it is a FREE surface modeling program provided by Google for designers to put ideas and concepts  into a 3-D computer model. So back to the strange third floor that I was speaking of: I spent less than an hour using all of my field measurements to create a model of the awkward top floor. BINGO! I now had extremely accurate values for volume, surface areas of knee walls,  attic spaces, vaulted ceilings, and exterior walls. Take a look at the screen shots to see how this looks from the NW and SE perspectives:

The gray areas are the four side attics. Since Google Sketchup is a surface modeler (as opposed to a solids modeler), I had to install a plugin to calculate volume. Surprisingly, the corrected volume was only about 10% more than what I estimated in the field! Long story short: I am going to use Sketchup much more often to when performing field ratings. It’s quick, accurate, fun, and provides good documentation to support a rating file.

Ratings From Plans

Three letters…PDF. It is terribly annoying to do takeoff from PDF files. Other jobs that I have held in the past have spoiled me because we had a plotter in the other room; so going from PDF to a full-sized scaled drawing set involved refilling my coffee and cleaning my email inbox until it was done printing. Without a plotter, its difficult to find a method to get scaled measurements from plans in PDF form. Zooming in sucks, flipping pages sucks, panning around sucks, and as a last resort,  rescaling the document and printing it on 8.5×11 paper and then having to convert each measurement to some other scale sucks even worse! Solution? Digital takeoff software. There are multiple companies that provide such software (see list below) but the one I have been using as of recently is PlanSwift. These programs work like this: Import PDF of plans, set the scale, and begin takeoff. These programs are so awesome that I can only begin to explain the basic functionality of them. Generally, these programs are used for cost estimating, but they are useful for takeoff relating to HERS also. Areas, distances, volumes, counts, costs – you name it. Each takeoff performed is automatically input as a new layer with a different color, each step is autosaved, and then it’s takeoff quantities are neatly organized in a nice summary report that can be exported with company logo’s. Additionally, you can export the images from plans with your choice of layers to visually represent exactly what and where your takeoff numbers represent. See screen shots below for an idea of how these programs look:

Here is a brief list of digital takeoff programs out there:

On Screen Takeoff

Planswift

Blue Beam

Quick Measure

Each of these should have a free trial version so spend some time using each program to see which one is best for you. Thanks for reading and have fun!

As home performance professionals, Green Dream Group gets calls periodically from homeowners who are drowning in electrical bills. Generally, the reasons for this become apparent when doing a simple inventory of electrical appliances. Plug loads, inefficient equipment, and negligence are often the culprit of wasted electricity. Just take a look at this list from the DOE that shows typical electrical capacities of common household appliances. As I heard recently from an electrical engineer at an energy efficiency meeting, “behavior is everything” when it comes to reducing electrical usage. Although changing habits or reducing day-to-day convenience (when it comes to appliances) is the most effective way to stop energy waste, homeowners generally don’t like to hear that.

Going back to our training session with Bruce, it became clear that high electrical usage in a home rarely stems from a “problem” in the configuration of the home. Therefore, diagnostic testing for electricity is more of a verification of what is already known. There are ways to locate electrical problems such as electrical arcing or reverse polarized outlets, which are both significant safety hazards. In fact, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, about 47% of house fires are caused by electrical arcing. Bruce informed us of these handy little tools that you plug into an outlet to detect whether or not the breaker is equipped with and Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI). Additionally, there are other tools that will tell you if the outlet is reversed polarized and is equipped with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). Again, these tools won’t help pinpoint electrical waste, but are for safety testing. Bruce also discussed safety precautions that should be taken if you plan on opening up a circuit breaker box. Basically, electricity can move through you if it can’t find a way in AND a way out. Therefore, simple steps can be taken to prevent this: leather gloves and rubber soled shoes. Using a Multimeter, amperage and voltage can be measured at the breaker box on non inductive loads to give an estimate of how much electricity certain appliances draw. It was even mentioned that a Kill A Watt is very effective at doing this.

In short, our training with Bruce helped correct some misconceptions we had in regards to electrical testing. It also validated various techniques that we were already using to pinpoint electrical waste. We learned invaluable information regarding safety in the field and also for the homeowner. Next time you are looking for knowledge in a specific field, I would highly suggest calling an expert and booking a personalized training at an hourly rate; you get the exact information that you are looking for!