Energy Rating Systems | designtalk

Energy efficiency has been a part of California building codes for years, and is a very important part of green building practice.

The recent push for energy efficiency in California is partly fueled by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Strategic Plan published in 2008, aiming for all new residential construction in California to be Zero Net Energy (ZNE) by 2020. What does this mean? A home is considered ZNE when it produces more energy than it uses, typically measured over a year. This is achieved by both reducing your energy footprint and generating electricity ? for example, by using a solar array or wind turbine.

ENERGY STAR for Homes
EnergyStar is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. Its focus is on efficiency of energy consumption.

You?ve probably noticed EnergyStar on appliances, light bulbs, and various other consumer products. You may not have realized that EnergyStar can apply to buildings as well.

To earn the Energy Star, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. EPA. This home must be at least 15% more efficient than a house built to current energy codes. Typically, Energy Star homes include energy-saving features that make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.

A Home Energy Rater reviews your house plans, makes recommendations to improve energy efficiency, and does inspections during construction. For existing homes, the EnergyStar website has online tools that you can use to identify areas for improvement, along with helpful how-to advice for the home handyperson.

• Cost of Energy Star rating for a new single-family home: Total $250-$425, including $50-75 for the certificate and $250-350 for the services of an EnergyStar rater
• Applies to: New homes throughout the U.S.
• Comments: uses same calculation method as Title 24 energy report
  
• Website: www.energystar.gov

HERS II Rating
California Home Energy Rating System (HERS) is a program administered by the California Energy Commission for rating energy efficiency only. The Whole House HERS II rating uses the same calculation method as the Title24 report required for new construction. It can be applied to new or existing homes.

A HERS Building Performance Contractor evaluates building construction and performs on-site testing including a pressure test for air leaks, verification of attic insulation, and a duct leakage test. This is an objective rating of the building?s energy efficiency because the rating is based only on the building, not on utility bills.

The HERS rater will make recommendations for improving the energy efficiency of the home, comparing the cost of improvement against the utility bill savings.

The Certificate rates buildings on a scale of 0-250, with ?250? or more likely to have very high energy bills, ?100? using the same energy as a new home that meets California 2008 Energy codes, and ?0? a super-efficient ?Net Zero Energy? home that consumes no more energy than it produces.

• Cost of HERS II Whole-House rating for a single-family home: Total $335-$1,035, includes $35 certificate plus $300-1,000 for the services of a HERS rater
• Applies to: new and existing single family homes, plus multifamily buildings of three stories or less in California
• Comments: sometimes included in the disclosure package of a home for sale
  
• Website: www.energy.ca.gov

For the sake of comparison, the fees listed above are based on a medium-sized home. Green rater services for custom homes will vary considerably depending on the size of the home, the location, and the types of services required. Fees will also vary depending on the individual rater.

The California Center for Sustainable Energy www.energycenter.org offers a $300 rebate for Home Energy rating, plus additional rebates for energy-related improvements. Check for rebates from local utility companies as well.

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