Research shows that consumers want energy efficiency, but they’re motivated by comfort. As builders pursue energy efficient homes, they may need to shift how they promote the benefits of high performance homes to potential buyers, so that their messages resonate on an emotional level in an area that consumers really care about: comfort.
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With a goal of reducing energy use while increasing efficiency and cutting carbon emissions, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in June proposed the first new energy efficiency standards update for manufactured homes in more than 20 years. The changes would cumulatively cut energy use by an estimated 30 percent over a 30 year period compared to the current standard and include a focus on the thermal envelope/insulation as the foundation of energy efficiency.
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Addison Homes, a green builder in Greenville, South Carolina, certainly didn’t set out to cause trade partners to grumble, murmur or gripe. They set out to build DOE certified Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) to provide their customers with the energy savings, comfort and indoor air quality such homes deliver. To do that, Addison Homes had to get local trades on board by doing things a bit differently. In doing so, they provided award-winning homes that customers rave about. They even show off the energy-efficient features included in the home (the homeowners in their winning Cobbler Lane project show their guests the pristine conditioned crawlspace…seriously).
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In the 1963 film “The Great Escape”, we were rooting for McQueen, Bronson, Attenborough and crew to safely escape the Nazi prison camp. When it comes to air fleeing our homes, our hope is exactly the opposite. Codes and customers are pushing for more energy efficient homes, and that means tighter envelopes. Tighter homes have significant impacts on both moisture management and air quality, but at a more basic level, they are just plain hard to build. A tight home is a result of successfully combining People, Practices and Products (our 3 Ps of air sealing) to deliver the desired result. Executing requires diligence from multiple subs, at many stages of a build, typically employing multiple products, both air barrier materials and sealing accessories. This complexity begs the question: how do I prioritize my focus (and my money) to attack the biggest problems first?
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Back in March, we wrote about the wide array of insulation and air sealing approaches used by homes that meet DOE’s Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) specification. Among the approaches that can work is the use of fiberglass batts. Mutual Housing California demonstrated how to use batts to achieve ZERH certification in their Mutual Housing at Spring Lake development in Woodland, California. This 62 unit project was the first multifamily, affordable rental development to receive ZERH recognition. However, getting that performance level with batts requires acknowledging a basic fact: the product can get you the performance, but only if the installation is up to snuff.
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Over the first half of 2016, The Insulation Institute conducted qualitative research[1] with builders exploring a few areas, including the changing dynamic between home builders and home buyers. The “Google Era” has changed the way homebuyers enter into the buying process and is reshaping their interactions with builders. They are researching more; more about homes, more about building products, just more in general. This leads to new opinions and new questions for builders, including about energy efficient homes. These opinions and questions can be a problem, if not responded to effectively. Our research found that builders can employ three effective techniques when faced with a buyer (or prospective buyer) who has ideas about energy efficient homes that may be a challenge if not properly addressed.
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For an insulation inspection during a building inspection, our handy guide – “25 Checkpoints for Inspecting Insulation Jobs” – covers all the bases, and then some. Intended to provide useful guidance on how to improve the quality of the installation of insulation products, the List has been created by our experts here at the Insulation Institute. It tells you what to look for when inspecting insulation in wall areas, as well as ceilings, floors and other areas.
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No matter what you call it, air flow and its management are vital to the performance, energy efficiency and comfort of a new or renovated home. Not only that: improper air flow can have severe effects on the health and safety of the people in the building by promoting mold growth, spreading pollutants, and possibly creating backdrafting of combustion appliances, increasing the possibility of carbon dioxide poisoning.
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Yes. The answer is simple, so this could be the shortest blog ever. However, given the misinformation that is out there it is worth explaining why R-value is in fact a good measure of thermal performance and dispelling some common misconceptions about it.
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When it comes to energy costs, we all know the big numbers lie in heating and cooling the house. A large portion of this excessive energy use is due to air leakage as well as too little – or improperly installed – insulation. A good thermal boundary, which includes insulation, windows and doors, not only reduces energy waste, but also greatly increases an occupant’s comfort. Which brings us to heat flow. How heat flows, where it goes and how to control it is key to a whole-house systems approach that can create better homes for today’s homeowners.
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