USGBC Focuses on Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy for Homes
February 18, 2010
The U.S. Green Building Council’s recent LEED for Homes event focused on remodeling homes in a smarter and greener manner with a focus on improved energy efficiency and conservation, as well as generating electricity from renewable resources.
The event was held Feb. 2 in Orlando at the Orlando Utilities Commission’s new LEED Certified office building named, Reliable Plaza.
In all, there were five panelist each representing the steps in the process for remodeling a home in order to improve the sustainability of the dwelling.
1. Homeowner John Pare explained how he transformed a Hurricane Charley damaged house into the first LEED Silver Certified Home in Florida. Pare has installed a photovoltaic solar array and while his average electric bill was $91 monthly, there are now months that his home produces more energy than it consumes and he receives a credit back from OUC on those monthly bills. The process of getting that type of energy performance meant duct testing to determine is his home’s ductwork was leak free. A HERS Energy Rater also conducted a test to determine the level of energy performance the homeowner could expect. He also discussed modifications to the he and his family’s usage habits to further maximize the energy efficiency of his household.
2. Architect Richard T. Reep discussed a renovation and addition to an existing home of typical Florida design and layout. The home had overhangs and new windows among several improvements to the energy and indoor environment. The home was zoned with three air conditioning units instead of one larger unit running continuously within space throughout the home, even in areas of the home that were not in use by the occupants. With separate units, his client was able to turn the units on and off in the areas where the family needed heating and cooling.
3. Remodeling contractor Greg Hardwick reviewed two remodeling projects that his company had completed under various green rating systems including the LEED for Homes program from the USGBC. First he reviewed the various definitions of a green building as presented by the USGBC, NAHB and FGBC. He introduced information to the attendees on the scoring of a home’s energy performance under the HERS Rating System, which goes by the lower score the better the performance. The typical house in America scores around 150 on the HERS scale, but Hardwick presented his case studies with scores of 76 and 62 due to several strategic remodeling techniques. The projects also saved water under the Water Star program and were scored well enough to gain Energy Star designation. Hardwick discussed several principles of a green remodel, including conservation, quality of life improvements, and keeping the project simple. He added that going green does not always mean spending more money and working with a qualified green contractor adds a high level of quality control to the home improvement.
4. Representing E3 Building Sciences was Tom Karras, whose company is the first private sector LEED Homes Provider and the consulting firm has a track record of providing more than 3,000 residential dwellings with energy rating services. He stressed the necessity for tight ductwork from the HVAC unit, increased insulation and sealing penetrations throughout the building envelope. He also demonstrated, using the HERS Rating System score card, how changing incandescent light bulb for CFLs and caulking around windows and other openings along with sealing the attic of a typical Florida home would improve energy efficiency greatly.
5. Cameron Saulsby, the conservation administrator for Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) explained the financial incentives for saving energy and installing solar electric generating products. He identified air conditioning and electric heating as consuming up to 56% of a home’s energy use. He explained the energy conservation measures to the building envelope are among the many ways to gain rebates in the form of a credit on an OUC’s customer bill. Caulking, window film and new windows are some of the improvements that qualify. Duct repairs and heat pump replacements are also qualifying home improvements for credits. OUC also offers in person home energy surveys to help home occupants determine ways to enhance energy performance. Builders can utilize the Gold Ring Program on new construction projects, when installing features such as high efficiency heat pumps, heat recovery water heaters, R-30 attic insulation, interior air ducts, and window shading, among others. The Gold Ring rebates can by up to $700 with documents showing ENERGY STAR certification. There are financial incentives for Solar Thermal and Solar Photovoltaic installations. OUC offers incentives for both residential and commercial customers through net-metering, and pays 5 cents per Kwh for PV systems and 3 cents per Kwh for solar thermal systems that will appear on a customer’s bill as a credit. OUC also offers financing for loans up to $20,000 to pay for solar installations through the Federal Credit Union. There is also a green pricing program that lets customers purchase green electric power offsets for energy used from non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels, coal and natural gas.
By Brian Marinelli
(Paul Nutcher and John Riddle contributed to this report.)
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