Issue #12
July 2008

Visit the Affordable Energy New Archive at www.h-m-g.com/multifamily/AHEEA/Newsletter

In this issue...

Energy Consultants:  The Value They Bring to Your Design Team

The Critical Role of the HERS Rater to Your Project's Performance

The Green Building Ladder

Multifamily Buildings:  High Performance Design Training

AHEEA Comes to a Conclusion

AHEEA Handbook:  Your Guide to Energy Efficiency in Affordable Housing

Energy Consultants: The Value They Bring to Your Design Team

An energy consultant is a vital part of your design team. While he/she is typically associated with ensuring that building designs meet California ' s Title 24 Building Energy Standards, the energy consultant can also play a critical role in designing a high performance building. Skilled energy consultants will help to achieve your goals of the most cost-effective, energy efficient structure. They know local jurisdiction idiosyncrasies to ensure your Title 24 report will proceed smoothly through the plan check process and can advise on a variety of matters such as upcoming changes in the energy standards; new energy saving equipment, appliances, and devices; the latest information on new types of insulation, glazing, and other building components

The process of choosing an energy consultant is very similar to selecting other professional services. Be sure to look for someone with:

• Experience - Use an energy consultant with experience preparing code compliance calculations. Some designers do energy calculations as a sideline, preparing reports just once in a while. Although they may be capable of filling out the forms, it is doubtful as to whether they can provide cost-effective energy efficiency options.

• Approach – Consider an energy consultants approach to and philosophy about energy efficiency design.  Select an energy consultant who’s strategy is to design a high performance building for the least cost rather than one who strives to just “beat the code.”

• Certification - the best qualification an energy consultant can have is to be certified. CABEC ' s CEPE and CEA program requires demonstrated experience, a tested knowledge of the energy standards, and compliance to a code of ethics.

Energy consultants are not regulated by the state; however the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC) has designed its Certified Energy Plans Examiner (CEPE) and Certified Energy Analyst (CEA) certifications to be a statement of an energy consultant ' s working knowledge and understanding of the California Energy Efficiency Standards.

The Critical Role of the HERS Rater to Your Project’s Performance

Some building features require field verification and/or diagnostic testing by a third party inspector. The California Energy Commission (CEC) has a process for certifying Home Energy Rating System (HERS) raters, and a certified HERS rater is required when field verification and/or diagnostic testing is necessary.

There are two ways a HERS rater would be required to provide verification and/or diagnostic testing to your property:

1. The Title 24 report requires inspection by a HERS rater because of the specific measures being installed in the building. Some of the typical measures that require field verification and/or diagnostic testing are split system air conditioners, thermostatic expansion valve (TXV), duct sealing, and quality installation of insulation. The requirements only apply when equipment or systems are installed that require verification or testing.

2. Energy efficiency incentive programs require verification of appropriately installed energy efficiency measures through the use of HERS rater inspections. The requirement applies regardless of whether or not the actual verification and/or diagnostic test is mandated by the Title 24 report.

California ' s three HERS Providers, California Certified Energy Rating & Testing Services (CalCERTS), California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA), and California Home Energy Efficiency Rating System (CHEERS), have been approved by the CEC to oversee HERS raters providing Title 24 field verification and diagnostic testing.[1] All offer HERS certification classes and are allowed to train, certify, and support HERS raters in compliance with California Title 24 regulations.

The Green Building Ladder

In case you haven’t heard it before, or you need to be reminded…

A building that just complies with the Title 24, Part 6, the California Energy Code, is the least efficient building you can legally build in California .

Sure, California has a leg up on the other 49 states when it comes to energy efficiency, but meeting California code requirements is a small step towards sustainability and curbing global warming.  There are a number of energy efficiency and green building programs to help you set your sights further, bringing cash incentives, marketing advantages, and technical expertise to your projects.  Each allows you to take an additional step towards more comfortable homes and preserving life on this planet.

If your project complies with California Energy Code, congratulations, you’re a law-abiding citizen and starting at grade, but you have a long ways to go.

The First Step: 15% Better than Title 24

Think of this step as entry level.  It’s straight forward, incentivized, and a baseline for all other programs.  Additionally, the measures that will get you to 15% better than 2005 code will likely only meet 2008 code.  Would you rather be a step ahead of the competition, or scramble to find your footing when the new code is adopted?

Utility incentive programs, Energy Star, Green Point Rated, and LEED programs all recognize 15% better than Title 24 as a baseline for participation.

SCE’s California New Homes Program (CANHP)

The California New Homes Program (CANHP) will award a limited number of financial incentives to homebuilders who construct homes that exceed California 's energy efficiency standards for new residential construction (Title 24) by 15% or more. In addition to financial incentives, homebuilders accepted into the Program may take advantage of training opportunities, technical support and marketing resources that will help make the most of their decision to build more energy efficient homes

For more information, please visit www.sce.com/RebatesandSavings/BuilderandBuyer/CaliforniaNewHomesProgram/.

New Solar Homes Partnership

Before you install your Photovoltaic system, make sure the building is energy efficient.  By going 15% better than Title 24 you will reduce the size of the PV system required to serve the building and also qualify for incentives up to $2.50/watt (up to $3.50/watt for affordable housing projects).

Find out more at www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/nshp/.

Tax credits

Low income tax credit projects are eligible for a 5% threshold limit basis boost when exceeding Title 24 by 15%.

To learn more about tax credits, visit http://www.treasurer.ca.gov/ctcac/.

One Step Further:  ENERGY STAR® Qualified New Homes

While The Environmental Protection Agency does not offer cash incentives to ENERGY STAR® Qualified New Homes, Energy Star is a label that consumers trust.  ENERGY STAR® Qualified New Homes have a distinct marketing advantage over homes that have not earned this label.  Additionally, Energy Star promotes builders and developers that commit themselves to building ENERGY STAR® Qualified New Homes by listing them on the ENERGY STAR® website.

Minimum Requirements in California

• 15% better than Title 24

• HERS inspection

• QII/Thermal Bypass checklist

• Tight ducts

• ACCA manual J & S – Right sizing of air conditioning

Check out the Energy Star website at http://www.energystar.gov/.

The Next Rung:  Green Point Rated

Once you’ve mastered energy efficiency, you’re ready to go green in a bigger way.  The Green Point Rated program scores homes in 5 key areas: energy efficiency, resource conservation, indoor air quality, water conservation, and community.  It additionally provides a recognized label for marketing a healthy home.

Minimum Requirements

• 15% Better than Title 24

• HERS inspection

• 50 “points”

Visit www.builditgreen.org/greenpoint-rated for more information.

Gaining Altitude:  LEED for Homes

Are your homes among the top 25% percent when it comes to best practice and environmental features?  If so, LEED is the program for you. LEED has far more prerequisites than most energy efficiency and green building programs, but matches in prestige.  Homes earn points in 8 categories.  The point total determines a ranking of certified, silver, gold, and platinum.

Just a few of LEED’s minimum requirements/prerequisites:

• 15% better than Title 24

• HERS inspection

• Energy Star Home Performance

• Blower Door Test

• Construction waste management planning

• Durability planning

• No invasive plants

More details are available at www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=147 and www.davisenergy.com/projects/leed-h.php.

Reaching the Top of the Ladder:  Net Zero

A net zero building is first energy efficient first, and then relies on renewable energy for what little energy is needed. During the course of a year, a net zero building does not draw more energy from the grid than it contributes.  In most cases this means a photovoltaic or wind turbine system generates 100% of the net energy needed to operate a building or home.  Often excess energy is fed back into the grid on optimum days, while on cloudy days (for photovoltaic systems) or calm days (for wind turbine systems) the building may draw energy from the grid.  Renewable energies in net zero buildings are not limited to solar and wind power, but those are currently the most common.  Net zero buildings also need not be attached to the grid.  Buildings can use zero energy by utilizing passive design strategies, or could have batteries for storing excess energy for use at a later time.

Net Zero is not a program or label, but an important goal to aim for.  Reaching net zero means sustainability and resourcefulness.  For many, net zero is the end goal in building performance.  Make it yours too.

Some tips for getting to the top of the green building ladder

• Energy Efficiency First – Energy efficiency brings comfort and dollar savings, in addition to reducing a home’s carbon footprint.  It is the first step of all green building programs and is more easily quantified than most green building measures.

• Be Realistic – Choose a program and measures that are right for you and your project right now.  If you jump in too deep, you may find important measures value engineered out of the project and miss out on incentives and marketing labels altogether.

• Set A Path – Plan long term and intermediate goals you’d like to reach within green building.  For instance, plan to build your homes to meet California New Homes program requirements in 2008, Energy Star in 2009, GreenPoint Rated in 2010, and LEED silver by 2012.  Create standards and protocols to help reach these goals, and reevaluate frequently to keep up with the changing market, programs, and incentives.

• Consult An Expert – Hire an energy consultant with experience. (See article Energy Consultants: The Value They Bring to Your Design Team )

Compare programs with the Residential Green Building Matrix, found online at

www.h-m-g.com/multifamily/GreenResidentialProgramMatrix.pdf

Multifamily Buildings:  High Performance Design Training

Learn how to design high performance new multifamily projects and qualify for cash incentives for builder/developers and the energy consultant/design team. Workshop participation includes learning units from the American Institute of Architects.

• Learn the most cost effective means of designing, modeling, and building energy efficiency into new multifamily construction projects

• Learn about resources that are available to improve the energy efficiency of your multifamily projects

• Learn about energy efficiency and incentive programs and information about funding energy efficiency

• Learn about SCE’s California New Homes Program (CANHP) and learn about the CANHP program's design assistance, cash incentives, and marketing benefits for your projects

• Learn about other programs that help to improve your building performance

• Obtain information on the utility-sponsored design assistance and design team incentives (Design team incentives are paid directly to the design team, and are in addition to the incentives the owner receives)

The Multifamily Buildings: High Performance Design Training session provides a comprehensive introduction on a variety of multifamily building issues. The training is Power Point slide show based, designed to be very interactive, and augmented by examples of equipment, materials, and building analyses. Training topics will include:

• Affordable Housing Energy Efficiency Alliance (AHEEA) program overview and access to a free Energy Efficiency Handbook for multifamily owners and developers

• California New Homes Program (CANHP) program overview, with focus on making participation easier

• 2005 California Building Energy Standards (Title 24) overview

• Multifamily energy efficiency design concepts for new construction and rehabilitation

• Overview of energy efficiency measures (Site, HVAC, envelope, DHW, verification/inspections, etc)

• Case Studies

• Cost/benefit analysis approaches

• Financing for multifamily buildings: Utility, CEC, DOE, EPA, TCAC, Enterprise Communities and other possible funding

• Energy efficiency resources list

Sign up now! Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

This training will be presented by the Heschong Mahone Group, experienced in the development of energy savings programs for multifamily homes.

AHEEA Comes to a Conclusion

The Affordable Housing Energy Efficiency Alliance has provided services to the affordable housing market for the past two years, offering education and assistance to more than 1500 professionals in the affordable housing industry. Through training & workshops, design assistance & energy efficiency design charrettes, the AHEEA handbook, Energy Efficiency-Based Utility Allowances, and Affordable Energy News publications, AHEEA has contributed to energy savings and helped California’s affordable housing developers provide more efficient and affordable homes for their residents.  Thank you for your participation and support.  We hope that it has helped you to design and rehabilitate more efficient buildings.

AHEEA Handbook:  Your Guide to Energy Efficiency in Affordable Housing

Download a free color copy today at www.h-m-g.com/multiafamily/aheea/handbook, or send an e-mail request to aheea@h-m-g.com for a black and white hard copy.

Este programa es financiado por los usuarios de las compañías de servicios públicos de California y es administrado por Southern California Edison Company bajo los auspicios de la Comisión de Servicios Públicos de California mediante un contrato con Heschong Mahone Group. Los contribuyentes de California que decidan participar en este programa no están obligados a comprar ningún servicio adicional ofrecido por el contratista. Las marcas registradas usadas aquí son propiedad de sus dueños respectivos. SCE se reserva el derecho a modificar o interrumpir este programa a su criterio o a pedido de la CPUC.

If this newsletter was forwarded to you, and you wish to subscribe click here to send email.
To unsubscribe from Affordable Energy News, click here to send email.

Heschong Mahone Group, Inc.

144 West D Street, Suite 24, Encinitas, CA 92024