Issue
Artificial lighting accounts for a substantial portion of energy use in homes. Use of innovative lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in homes by 50 to 75 percent. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time lights are on without serving a useful purpose and by turning lights on automatically as needed.
Overview
High efficiency lighting continues to be one of the most efficient ways to conserve energy. Moreover, efficient l...
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Residential
Residential Water Heating
Issue
Circulating hot water systems distribute hot water to faucets on a “closed loop” system that circulates water to deliver it on demand. Heating water accounts for up to 25% percent of energy use in a typical home. High efficiency water heaters use 10% to 50% less energy than standard models. When combined with complementary products like insulation blankets and timers, advanced systems can save significantly on utility costs. Energy savings from high efficiency water heaters depend on se...
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Residential HVAC
Issue
Heating and cooling to maintain appropriate conditioning of indoor air consume a large portion of building energy use. Installing the right size equipment to heat and cool homes is essential to getting the best performance and comfort and reducing inefficiencies. A system that is too large will not keep the building comfortable because of frequent ‘on/off’ cycling. Incorrect sizing can also put stress on system components, shorten the equipment’s life, and lead to wasted energy and mone...
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Air Sealing
Issue
Inadequately sealed building envelopes can lead to the movement of unconditioned air into and out of conditioned spaces. This process, known as air leakage, decreases the comfort of a building by allowing moisture, drafts, and undesired noise to enter. It applies to any holes, cracks, or gaps in the building envelope. It is important to control air movement in buildings because research indicates that air leakage can cause huge energy losses, accounting for up to a third of a home&rsquo...
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Fenestration
Issue
As the primary barriers between indoor and out, the openings of the building envelope, high performance windows, doors, and skylights (fenestration) are essential to an energy efficient building. Choosing such products involves several considerations, including appearance, energy performance, human factor issues, technical performance, and cost. Other factors like building orientation, natural and artificial shading, and climate will influence the properties selected for windows, doors,...
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Controls
Overview
The IECC requires that homes have a programmable thermostat for forced-air (HVAC) systems. It also requires that heat pumps not provide supplemental heat when the heat pump is capable of meeting demand. Automatic snowmelt control requirements ensure snowmelt systems do not run when the outside surface temperature is 50°F or higher and there is no precipitation. Homeowners should know the advantages of programmable controls and be knowledgeable about their use.
Requirements
The 2009...
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Residential Ventilation
Issue
Heating and cooling account for between 40-60% of energy used in U.S. residential buildings. This represents a large opportunity to save energy throughout U.S. buildings. One of the leading cause of energy waste from heating and cooling in both commercial and residential buildings is inadequate insulation.
The air within homes can become stale from moisture, odors, and pollutants that penetrate the building or are generated internally by human activity and off-gassing from building m...
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Ducts
Issue
Duct leakage is a significant issue for forced-air heating or air-conditioning systems. When ducts are run outside of conditioned space, leakage may decrease heating and cooling efficiencies by up to 40%. Over time, this will add up to a great deal of lost energy and money.
Overview
The distribution of conditioned air (heated or cooled) from HVAC systems to a home is an integral part of many mechanical ventilation systems. It is essential for ducts to maintain a constant temperature
...
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Northern Nevada Welcomes a New Compliance Path
Several municipalities and counties in Northern Nevada recently joined states around the nation by adopting the 2015 IECC Energy Rating Index (ERI) compliance option. The state’s current residential energy code – the 2012 IECC – is still in effect, but has been amended in these locations to include an ERI compliance path and a 2009 IECC thermal envelope backstop. This path requires an ERI score of 63 or below, about 12% less efficient than the score of 51 required for complianc...
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The Energy Rating Index: What does the future hold?
By Ryan Meres, IMT
A little over a year ago, I wrote a blog about the Energy Rating Index (ERI), the new compliance path included in the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). With the 2018 version of the IECC being developed this year, it seems appropriate to look at the success of the ERI and what the future may hold.
A Quick RefresherThe voluntary ERI path for the 2015 IECC gives builders the option of complying with the code by meeting a target Energy Rating Index score. This is...
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