ZERO ENERGY READY HOMES

Husband and father of two

Licensed General Contractor

+ HERS Rater

+ Energy Auditor

= Home Performance Contractor

Performance Construction Manager, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating

Former Director of Construction, Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley

Adjunct Instructor/Graduate Student, Appalachian State University

Built ENERGY STAR Homes through Advanced Energy’s System Vision program since 2001

Built the first Net Zero Energy Home in North Carolina in 2005

Built the first DOE Zero Energy Ready Home in North Carolina in 2015

Partnership with State Energy Office and ASU Energy Center

Passive Solar Design

R-10 insulated concrete slab

R-25 exterior walls

Advanced Framing 2x6 @ 24”oc

Insulated corners, ladders & headers (load bearing walls)

Single top plate

R-50 attic insulation

Geothermal heat pump

Solar water heating

4.8 kw photovoltaic array

Adjunct Instructor

Sustainable Building Design and Construction

Energy Issues & Technology

Construction Technology & Building Codes

Building Mechanical Systems

Graduate Research Project

“Analysis of Mini-Split Heat Pump Performance in Low Load Habitat for Humanity Homes”

Construction partner: Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley

Equipment partner: Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating

Research partner: Advanced Energy

A high-performance home so energy efficient, all or most annual energy consumption can be offset by renewable energy

A Symbol of Excellence

Healthful Environment

Comfort Plus

Advanced Technology

Ultra Efficient

Quality Built

Durability

ENERGY STAR Version 3 certified

EPA Indoor airPLUS certified

Renewable Energy Ready Checklist

ENERGY STAR Windows

2012 IECC insulation levels

Ducts inside thermal & air boundary

Efficient hot water delivery system

EPA WaterSense certified (encouraged)

IBHS Fortified Home (encouraged)

ENERGY STAR Version 3 Revision 8

Addresses common concerns Too much paperwork

Challenging workflow

HERS Rater oversight of HVAC requirements

Revision 8 Highlights Reduces paperwork collection

to a one-page report per plan

Improves predictability at final inspection

Less hassle for builder and trade partners

ENERGY STAR Version 3 Credentialed HVAC Contractor

Footnote 1 of the HVAC Commissioning Checklist:

This checklist applies to split air conditioners, unitary air conditioners, air-source heat pumps, and water-source (i.e., geothermal) heat pumps up to 65,000 Btu/h with forced air distribution systems (i.e., ducts) and to furnaces up to 225,000 Btu/h with forced air distribution systems (i.e., ducts). All other permutations of equipment (e.g., boilers, mini-split/multi-split systems) and distribution systems are exempt.

If a home uses a system other than those system to which the checklist applies, then:

The HVAC Commissioning Checklist does not apply to the project

Therefore, the requirement to use a credentialed contractor to complete this checklist is also nullified

Requires ENERGY STAR Version 3 Certification

Moisture Control

Radon Resistant Construction

Pest Barriers

HVAC System Sizing and Design

Ventilation

Dehumidification

Filtration (MERV 8)

Combustion Pollutant Control

Low-Emission Materials

Composite Wood, Paint, Carpet, Sealants

Only applies to homes located in areas that receive sufficient solar radiation, that do not have significant natural shading, with adequate free roof area within +/- 45º of true south

Designate a proposed array location on plans

Identify orientation and inclination

Documentation of roof dead load/live load

Architectural drawing of PV system components

Conduit from designated PV location to designated inverter location to electrical service panel

Install 70-amp dual pole circuit breaker in electrical service panel for use by PV system

North Central

U-Factor < 0.30 SHGC: < 0.40

South Central

U-Factor < 0.30 SHGC: < 0.25

Climate Zone 3

Ceiling R-38, Wall R-20 or 13+5, Crawl R-5

Climate Zone 4

Ceiling R-49, Wall R-20 or 13+5, Crawl R-10

Climate Zone 5

Ceiling R-49, Wall R-20 or 13+5, Crawl R-15

Closed crawlspace with insulation on walls

Unvented attic with insulation at roof deck

Dropped ceilings/soffits

Or use a high performance alternative such as mini-splits!

Based on EPA WaterSense specifications

No more than 0.5 gallons of water in any piping/manifold between the hot water source and any hot water fixture

No more than 0.6 gallons of water shall be collected from the hot water fixture before hot water delivered

Core Plumbing Layout (wet wall)

Manifold Plumbing System

Demand Pumping System

WaterSense labeled plumbing fixtures

Toilets

Bathroom faucets

Showerheads

Efficient hot water delivery system

ENERGY STAR clothes washer

ENERGY STAR dishwasher

Maximum service pressure of 60 psi

No leaks!

Outdoor requirements for irrigation

Homeowner manual

Bronze: Roof reinforcement

Silver: Opening protection

Gold: Continuous load path

In 2010, the North Carolina Rate Bureau submitted a rate filing to the North Carolina Department of Insurance that included FORTIFIED wind mitigation incentives.

FORTIFIED incentives are available in the 18 coastal counties for homes that are designated under the FORTIFIED Home program and the FORTIFIED for Safer Living® program.

Project Documentation

Plans and Specifications

Contractor Work Scopes

ENERGY STAR and other checklists

Integrated Design Process

IDP meeting with key contractors

Energy performance target

Implementation strategy

Formal Quality Management Program

Written procedures and checklists

Inspections and field tests protocols

Training for staff and contractors

Features and Benefits

Comfort

Healthy Indoor Air Quality

Low Utility Bills (Electricity and Water)

Reduced Environmental Impact

Safety and Durability

Universal Design for Aging in Place

Homeowner Education Program

Concrete Slab with R-10 rigid foam slab edge insulation (think stem wall)

Closed Crawlspace with R-10 rigid foam wall insulation, 10-mil vapor barrier and dehumidification

2x4 @ 16”oc with R-15 cavity insulation and R-10 continuous insulation (R-25 wall system)

2x6 @ 24”oc with R-21 cavity insulation and R-5 continuous insulation (R-26 wall system)

LP SmartSide installed on furring strips to create a drainage plane

Vented attic with R-50 blown fiberglass or cellulose

Recommend reflective metal roofing or light colored shingles

Ductless mini-split heat pump with transfer fans

Ducted mini-split heat pump

Heat pump water heater

Energy Factor of 3.39 (System Vision standard is .94)

$1000 - $350 rebate = $650

Spot ventilation

Bathrooms

Kitchens

Whole house mechanical ventilation

Exhaust only

Supply only

Balanced

ERV or HRV

Ventilating dehumidifier

Positive vs negative pressure

Passive radon vent system

Low VOC paints and stains

Formaldehyde free composite lumber

Structured plumbing design (aka core plumbing)

Insulated water pipes

WaterSense fixtures

Roof sheathing attached with ring shank nails

Roof sheathing seams taped (Huber Zip System)

Reinforced gables

Drip edge

One zero step covered entrance with 36” door

One accessible bedroom and bathroom on main level with 36” doors

Minimum 40” wide hallway

Lever style door handles and faucets

Blocking for grab bars

Phase 1: Healthy homes class (developed by NCHH)

Phase 2: Walk-through orientation

Phase 3: Two-year monitoring and maintenance agreement

Comfort – Temperature and Relative Humidity

Utility bills – Electricity and Water

Continuing Education and Data Collection

Home visits at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months

Review equipment operation & maintenance checklist

HVAC service call to identify problems while under warranty

Tightlines Julia II 4BR

1340 square feet

Heating Load: 12,313 Btuh

Cooling Load: 13,076 Btuh

HERS score: 44

Tightlines Hawkins 3BR

1252 square feet

Heating Load: 12,369 Btuh

Cooling Load: 12,722 Btuh

HERS score: 46

Program Item Standard CostZERH Cost Cost Increase Notes

ZERH HERS Rater inspection fees $0 $500 $500 Donated by Home Energy Solutions

PV-ready checklist items $0 $200 $200 Conduit from electric panel to attic

2012 IECC attic insulation $1,000 $1,500 $500 Upgrade from R-38 to R-49

2012 IECC wall insulation $1,500 $2,500 $1,000 Upgrade from R-13 to R-13+5

Ducts in conditioned space $0 $0 $0 Already located in closed crawlspace

WaterSense plumbing fixtures $500 $700 $200 Delta discount package from Ferguson

ENERGY STAR Heating and Cooling Equipment $5,000 $6,000 $1,000 Heat pump minimum 14.5 SEER/8.5 HSPF

Mechanical Ventilation $250 $450 $200 ERV instead of outside air duct kit

Heat Pump Water Heater $400 $1,000 $600

Appliances $1,500 $2,000 $500 Dishwasher, Washer & Dryer

Light fixtures and bulbs $80 $280 $200 LED instead of CFL

Indoor airPLUS Passive Radon Vent $0 $500 $500 PVC pipe and labor to install

Dehumidifier for crawlspace $250 $750 $500 Upgraded to higher quality unit

Zero VOC paint $500 $600 $100 Donated by Valspar

Total Cost Increase $10,980 $16,980 $6,000

Incentives NCHFA green building grant -$1,000 -$1,000

Catawba County permit rebate -$150 -$150

Duke Energy HPWH rebate -$350 -$350

DOW Styrofoam donation -$1,000 -$1,000

Valspar paint donation -$100 -$100

Home Energy Solutions donation -$500 -$500

Net Cost Increase $10,980 $13,880 $2,900

Since 2013, The U.S. Department of Energy’s Housing Innovation Awards has recognized the very best in innovation on the path to zero energy ready homes.

The Housing Innovation Awards recognize forward-thinking builders for delivering American homebuyers with the home of the future, today.

The 2016 Housing Innovation Awards were held September 28 at the EEBA Excellence in Building Conference and Expo in Frisco, TX.

Carl Franklin Homes, Lewisville, TX

Clifton View Homes (CVH) Inc., Coupeville, WA

Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley, Hickory, NC

Habitat for Humanity, Grand Traverse Region, Traverse City, MI

Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity, Kalamazoo, MI

Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County, Venice, FL

Revival Homes, New Hartford, CT

Sunroc Builders, Lakeland, FL

United Way of Long Island, Deer Park, NY

DOE Zero Energy Ready Home

Building America Solutions Center

ENERGY STAR Version 3 Revision 8

EPA Indoor airPLUS Construction Specifications

EPA WaterSense New Homes

IBHS Fortified Homes

Concrete Change Visitability Resources

Whole Building Design Guide

Tightlines Designs

National Center for Healthy Housing