HOME ENERGY RATINGS
Created and administered by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rating compares the energy efficiency of the as-built home to a reference home, and then gives the home a score called the HERS Index. Each home is inspected before drywall is hung, and then again after the home has been completed, where a full round of diagnostic testing is performed. In addition, the Home Energy Rater factors in lighting, appliances, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system efficiencies when plugging the home's information into an energy modeling software, which computes the final HERS Index score. The reference home, which is a home built to 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards, has a HERS Index of 100. For every point below this, the as-built home is one per cent more energy efficient than the reference home. For example, a home with a HERS Index of 80 would be 20 per cent more efficient than the reference home. Builders can add independent, third-party testing as a means of quality assurance, giving homebuyers peace of mind while simultaneously setting themselves apart from the crowd. Green Door Energy performs many HERS Ratings each year and can help builder clients add value and build a better home.
Duke Energy Residential New Construction Incentives for Builders
UPDATE: 7/1/24
Green Door Energy is proud and pleased to be a partner in the Duke Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Progress residential new construction rebate program, and we are seeing our builder clients take advantage of some nice rebates as they build a more energy-efficient home. Contact us for details...we look forward to working with you!
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
The Duke Energy Carolinas Residential New Construction (DEC RNC) program has options for equipment-only incentives, building to the High Efficiency Residential Option (HERO) code, and building to HERO + a Home Energy Rating System rating. Based on kilowatt-hours saved, the maximum incentive is $6,000 per home, and the projected average rebate for an electric fuel heated home is approximately $2,300 (the projected incentive average for homes heated with natural gas is just under $1,600).
Please note that these are conservative projections from Duke Energy; Green Door Energy is actually seeing higher rebate amounts.
Interested home builders should consider using 2 x 6 framing or the use of continuous insulation at the home's exterior, enhanced attic insulation levels, high performance windows (with a U-factor of less than 0.32 and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient---SHGC---of 0.25 or less), and above-code mechanical systems for increased chances of success in the program. Please note that a low (i.e., better) HERS Index score does not necessarily mean qualification for Duke Energy's RNC rebate; conversely, a home meeting the standards of the RNC rebate program does not guarantee a lower HERS Index score. Please feel free to reach out with questions.
ENERGY STAR NEW HOME CERTIFICATIONS
ENERGY STAR. IT'S THE LITTLE LABEL WITH THE BIG MESSAGE: BETTER IS BETTER.
Green Door Energy is proud to provide rating services to certify new homes to earn the ENERGY STAR® label. The ENERGY STAR label on a home means that it has been designed and built to standards well above other homes in the market today. It means better quality, better comfort, and better durability. It also means that the home is a better value for today, and a better investment for tomorrow. The ENERGY STAR label gives homeowners the peace of mind that their home has undergone a better process for inspections, testing, and verification to ensure that it meets strict requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Protection Agency (EPA). ENERGY STAR certified homes are better because they are designed and built to provide homeowners: Peace of Mind. The result of a home that’s built better.
With the ENERGY STAR label on a new home, homeowners can be confident that it will deliver. When ENERGY STAR requirements are applied to new home construction, an integrated approach to design combined with tried-and-true best building practices adds up to a durable, comfortable home with reduced utility and maintenance costs. All ENERGY STAR certified homes have undergone more inspections and testing than typical homes to ensure that they are built to higher standards.
Enduring Quality. Better systems make all the difference.
Purchasing a new home is a big investment, so it’s important to be sure that it’s built to last. We’ve ensured that builders of new ENERGY STAR certified homes have designed them to include value-adding energy efficiency features, and a combination of materials and equipment that will deliver better performance.
ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes Include Features Like:
- A complete Thermal Enclosure System that includes comprehensive air sealing, quality-installed insulation, and high-performance windows, to deliver improved comfort and lower utility bills.
- A high-efficiency Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling System that is designed and installed for optimal performance.
- A comprehensive Water Management System to protect roofs, walls, and foundations from moisture damage.
- Energy-efficient Lighting and Appliances to help keep utility bills low, while providing high-quality performance and longevity.
- Wall-to-Wall Comfort. A better way to live.
Ask anyone who lives in an ENERGY STAR certified home to go back to their old home. You’ll likely hear that there’s no way they’ll give up the comfort that came with the ENERGY STAR label on their new home. From the moment you walk in the door of an ENERGY STAR certified home, you’ll see, feel, and hear the difference. - Proven Value. A better investment for today and tomorrow.
Homes earning the ENERGY STAR label offer better energy efficiency and performance compared to other homes, making them a better value for today and a better investment for tomorrow. ENERGY STAR certified homes are at least 10% more energy efficient than homes built to code and achieve a 20% improvement on average.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR certified new homes at:
http://www.energystar.gov/newhomes
45L NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME TAX CREDIT
Green Door Energy can assist home builder clients increase their chances of attaining the 45L New Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit, and can also perform additional testing to increase rebates provided by utility-based incentive programs. Under the provisions of the 45L New Energy Efficient Home Tax Credit, builders and developers can claim $2,500 to $5,000 in federal tax credits for each new home or dwelling unit that meets 45L energy efficiency requirements. In brief, single-family homes that are certified to ENERGY STAR version 3.1 standards are eligible for the $2,500 credit, and homes certified to the DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) standard are eligible for a $5,000 federal tax credit under provisions of 45L. Green Door Energy, LLC is proud to be a verifier for DOE ZERH, and will be working on its third project later this year (as of summer 2024).
Additionally, grading of the HVAC system, though not required, can make the difference between pass and fail in some cases. Furthermore, we can help you continue to work with your chosen HVAC contractor for a desired ENERGY STAR certification project regardless of whether they currently have accreditation through an H-QUITO such as ACCA or Advanced Energy! Please contact us for more information.
NOTE: Green Door Energy, LLC does not provide tax or accounting advice. Please consult your tax/accounting advisors for 45L guidance specific to your situation.
NORTH CAROLINA ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE COMPLIANCE TESTING
Green Door Energy can assist home builders assess the airtightness of their homes by performing a whole-house air leakage test with a blower door. Building air leakage is a key driver of water vapor, which leads to adverse effects for the building and for its occupants. Performing a blower door test at final (or even earlier, if ceiling drywall is installed at the rough-in phase of construction) is the only way to truly assess if the air sealing measures that you or your subcontractors implemented are working as intended. If choosing the "Building Air Leakage Test Results" option in the "Building Air Leakage" section of North Carolina's Energy Efficiency Certificate, the blower door test results must be less than or equal to 5.0 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals (5.0 ACH50), based on conditioned volume, or 0.30 CFM at 50 Pascals per square foot of the building envelope (SFBE; sometimes this same concept is referred to as "square footage surface area," or SFSA). Green Door Energy performs nearly two hundred blower door tests each year. It is only a matter of time before blower door testing becomes a code requirement; let Green Door Energy help you get ahead of the curve. As Peter Drucker famously stated, "What gets measured gets managed."
Energy Rating Index (ERI) Compliance Path
The US Department of Energy has not released a North Carolina-specific version of its popular REScheck software, which was a popular method of demonstrating energy code compliance with tradeoffs. However, the 2018 North Carolina Energy Conservation introduced the Energy Rating Index (or ERI) compliance path, which in essence replaces REScheck and once again allows home builders to show that their home meets current energy code standards despite using non-conventional or advanced building methods or materials. Like a HERS Rating, the ERI compliance path involves pre-drywall and final inspections along with energy modeling; presenting your code official with a report like the one shown below demonstrates that you have met or exceeded NC Energy Code requirements. Contact Green Door Energy regarding ERI compliance if you have a unique project; we're here to help!
HVAC SERVICES FOR HOME BUILDERS
Do you prefer to handle pre-construction HVAC design or post-construction duct leakage testing yourself, rather than having your HVAC contractor provide these services to you as the builder? Green Door Energy has performed hundreds of ACCA Manual J HVAC load calculations and many thousands of duct leakage tests for NC Energy Conservation Code compliance. Please contact us for a quote.