I recently discovered how important the attic space is to the overall energy efficiency of a house when I had an assessment done on my small, c. 1975 three-story townhouse in Hyattsville, Md.

My house has a three-year-old SEER 14 HVAC system, insulated replacement vinyl windows, and fairly decent (preexisting) fiberglass insulation. With three months to go in 2009, my electric bill is already $1,655.90. If history is any guide, by the end of the year I will have paid $1,865. And this is with a relatively mild Washington summer.

It’s been a mystery that my electricity bill continued to rise even though I have taken measures to help reduce it. A price hike by my utility provider, Potomac Electric Power Co., is one part of the explanation. But recently I found another: My unsealed and uninsulated attic was literally sucking conditioned air out of the house and money right out of my wallet.

This is partly the reason I’m uncomfortable in my house, why my house is dusty (despite my fastidious efforts), and why my electricity bill for one person was way out of control, says Dan Robinette, a comfort advisor at Minnick’s, a Laurel, Md.-based heating and air-conditioning firm that participates in Maryland’s Home Performance with Energy Star program.

“Most attics are under-insulated and poorly sealed,” says Robinette, who did the assessment of my house. “This is a big problem when it comes to the comfort of the home. These two things affect everything from the temperature in the upper levels, to the air quality, to the number of times your A/C is running in a day. So with a little time and materials and you can get that attic sealed up, insulated, and be on your way to a happy home.”

Robinette’s recommendation? Seal the attic and have 13 inches inches of cellulose blown into the space, which is what I did.

“Air sealing and insulation have a large impact [on a house],” says Amber Wood, program manager for energy efficiency at the NAHB Research Center in Upper Marlboro, Md. “Before anything, you have to seal all penetrations into the attic such as electric boxes, ceiling fans, knee walls, and attic openings, but you have to make sure the soffit vent can ventilate or it can lead to moisture problems.”

Sealing the attic and blowing in insulation—either cellulose or fiberglass—establish the house’s thermal envelope, help prevent air leakage, and help maintain the temperature of the conditioned space below.

“In cold weather, warm air is continually rising,” Denver-based insulation manufacturer Johns Manville says on its Website. “Leaks into the attic allow the expensive, heated air to escape into the attic, while at the same time drawing in cold air to displace it from the basement or other exterior leaks. This continuous air movement makes the home feel drafty and raises energy bills. By sealing attic air leaks, you plug the escape route of rising air and effectively stop the chimney effect.”

Other common sources of attic leaks that Johns Manville says should be checked include: areas between floor joists and behind kneewalls, the attic hatch, wiring holes, plumbing vents, recessed lights, and the furnace flue.

The sealing and insulation of my attic came in at a shade under $1,400. Robinette says—and other consultants agree—that this is typically what it costs. (During my assessment, he also discovered that my house has severely leaky ducts and proposed AeroSeal treatment to have them sealed from the inside out, which he estimated would cost another $1,900.)

André Desjarlais, who manages the building envelopes program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn., says Robinette made the right call on my attic. In fact, Desjarlais says people don’t realize just how important the treatment of the attic space is in the overall energy efficiency of a home.

“There are lots of stats,” Desjarlais says. “But let’s take the average home with 2.3 people. Half of the energy bill for that home is used to heat and cool it. Half of the remaining [portion] is due to energy losses through the attic.”

It would be logical to assume that under-insulated attics is a problem largely for older homes, and in some ways this would be an accurate assumption. Older homes tend to be leaky and poorly insulated, and some construction techniques from yesterday may not be appropriate for how homes are built today. “Yes, the older [the homes] get, the worse the problem is,” Robinette says.

But Mike Barcik, senior research engineer and director of technical services at the Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta, says attic inadequacies aren’t only relegated to old homes; many new homes suffer from the same ailments. “I would say 90 percent of all existing homes need some improvement and are probably under-built, including those built two years ago,” Barcik says. “I might even up that to 98 percent.”

The problem with new homes, Barcik continues, is that building inspectors are largely focused on safety, and so a home’s energy usage gets overlooked. “The energy code is a fantastic code if it’s enforced, but it’s not enforced in many states,” he explains. “We have done blower tests to prove it.”

Neglecting the attic seems unthinkable given that it’s relatively cheap to address during construction of the house. Wood says, for example, that a builder may pay about $100 to $500 more in material to seal and insulate an attic. “It’s not that expensive,” she says. “They can do it either with foam and fiberglass, or they can use caulk. Caulking takes more time, but it’s inexpensive.” So the tradeoff is a $500 upfront cost compared to the $1,400 I paid to retrofit my house? That sure sounds like an investment that would be worth considering for new-home buyers and their builders.

by Nigel Maynard

Nigel Maynard is senior editor for products at BUILDER magazine.

http://www.builderonline.com/energy-efficientconstruction/even-smart-builders-continue-to-neglect-the-attic.aspx

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This facility will contain a set of test beds for building systems integration designed to address key technical challenges for net-zero energy buildings. The Department of Energy solicited research applications from eligible national laboratories nationwide, which then underwent a thorough technical review process.

Buildings account for more than 40 percent of carbon emissions in the United States. Net-zero energy buildings (N-ZEB) generate as much energy as they use on an annual basis through highly aggressive energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy generation, making them a key pathway to address and reduce these climate-altering emissions. The new laboratory facilities will help researchers develop, test and validate the technologies, systems and design approaches that will allow N-ZEB to be built and operated at an affordable cost.

 ”This facility will serve a national audience-and need-in an aggressive pursuit of DOE’s energy efficiency goals for widespread implementation of affordable net-zero energy buildings by 2030, ” says Stephen Selkowitz, head of the Building Technologies Department of Berkeley Lab’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division.

Berkeley Lab researchers will work with a broad base of users in the building design and construction communities, as well as manufacturers, building owners and operators and the academic community.

In proposing for the N-ZEB award, Berkeley Lab teamed with numerous organizations, including 21 industry partners, three utilities, eight universities, a non-profit and three public agencies, all of whom indicated their support and interest in using the facility. Major partners include the University of California, Berkeley, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, HOK, Flack + Kurtz, Philips Research, Johnson Controls, Lutron, Siemens, the California Energy Commission and the U.S. General Services Administration.

Several Testbeds Planned

The new N-ZEB facility will consist of a series of unique energy-efficient building systems testbeds to be located in new and existing buildings on the Lab. Researchers will be able to change out prototype building systems such as windows, lights, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), energy control systems, roofs and skylights. The basic idea is to conduct initial measurements of energy use and environmental conditions to understand how the systems perform, and then to redesign and optimize their capabilities and performance.

The building systems integration testbed will consist of several large side-by-side research areas. Each area can employ a range of diverse and changeable HVAC systems, lighting, on-site power and process-load solutions, as well as the building’s “envelope” of windows, walls, floors and related fixtures, for real time performance comparisons under dynamic climate conditions.

Other separate testbeds will be constructed for specific buildings subsystems such as lighting systems and controls, and window and façade systems. One testbed will be devoted to the topic of advanced sensor networks and building energy controls, and the communications protocols that link optimized building performance to smart grid initiatives. Final details of the new facilities will be worked out with Department of Energy staff to meet cost targets and schedule deadlines.

Hardware and Software R&D To Be Conducted

The N-ZEB User Facility will be used by scientists to combine a new generation of innovative building materials with components to create high-performance HVAC, controls, lighting, windows and building envelope sub-systems and systems, as well as on-site power systems.

The research teams then will work to integrate these separate building systems into N-ZEB optimized whole-building solutions with the goal of achieving very aggressive energy, demand, carbon and operating cost savings, as well as improved occupant comfort and health. Measured results from physical testing will be enhanced and extended with the use of powerful building simulation tools.

 ”The User Facility will help building industry component and system suppliers to create cost-effective, integrated building systems that deliver the performance required by net-zero energy buildings,” says Mary Ann Piette, deputy head of the Building Technologies Department. “For the owner-designer-specifier community, it will demonstrate and verify that these systems deliver the required energy performance.”

www.oikos.com

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Released at the 2010 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas last month, the Commentary provides valuable insight to the intention and implementation of the practices and provisions found in the standard.  Developed with the input of members of the ICC 700-2008 Consensus Committee who developed the standard, the Commentary is a useful resource for any designer or builder using the ICC 700-2008 as a rating system for developing or renovating residential properties of all types, to reduce their relative environmental impact.

The National Green Building Standard is a scoring tool and certification protocol that assures projects have met stringent benchmarks in energy, water and resource efficiency, indoor environmental quality and lot and site design. It is the first such system to be approved by the American National Standards Institute. The standard covers single-family homes, apartments and condos, residential land development and home remodeling projects, and is administered by the NAHB Research Center, which also accredits local verifiers around the country.

“This new resource allows readers to better navigate the National Green Building Standard,” said Bob Jones, NAHB Chairman and a home builder from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. “Each chapter breaks down the different components contained in the standard, allowing builders and remodelers to learn the best way to build green in their own communities.”

www.nahb.org

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Exterior Construction

During the exterior phase of construction the interior can also be under construction, we will address interiors next week.

Garage doors can be installed before the concrete flooring is poured, but most door installation professionals would prefer the flooring intact first. All drywall should be hung, but not finished, thus allowing for a much smoother paint job later. Keep in mind that your garage doors are a very important aspect of your home, especially during bad weather. All DV Wise custom homes demand a smooth and obstacle free door installation project for our sub-contractor, because when the weather is at its worse, your garage doors are too.

The brick used for your home is a major aesthetic point for your home. An unprofessional job here will haunt you forever. We use seasoned, local professionals only for all our brick and stonework. Good or bad brickwork will greatly affect the curb appeal, resale value, and be a constant reminder of a job well done or a few dollars saved. Brickwork can not be repaired without a major renovation. Doing it right the first time applies greatly here.

Our siding contractor will be installing the siding, soffits and gutters. Contractors rarely enjoy working behind someone that does the same work they do. Again, a penny saved may be many dollars lost.

Stucco is applied best during spring and summer conditions. Patience pays off well waiting a month or two for better conditions. Applying stucco is done in phases, with the color applied in the final step.

We consider your driveway and garage flooring long before its time to pour. The day when the concrete truck is scheduled to arrive, we ensure all needed personal are aware, prepared and on site ready to install your driveway. This too is a step not to be taken lightly, mistakes here can be costly and unappealing. You should wait with finishing the concrete, until all the heavy trucks and equipment are finished with their jobs. Try to make this one of your last projects, especially when it is not done on the original soil. Your driveway should be reinforced with rebar, although it is almost impossible to eliminate all cracks, rebar helps greatly.

Decks should be constructed after the stucco and/or siding is completely finished. Railing is required for all decks 2 feet or more off the ground on all NC homes. Various forms of railing are available, aesthetics again should be greatly considered. The railing should be very stable and attractive.

Landscaping is nearing the final stage of the building process, indeed it is an exterior aspect, but should be done after the interior of the home is complete.

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In a speech Tuesday morning at a Home Depot in the suburban Washington, D.C. area, the president called on Congress to extend energy-efficiency tax credits for home owners as part of an $8 billion effort to reduce energy use.

“This is the kind of thinking that is going to get America back to work – and make a big difference in many home owners’ monthly utility bills,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson, a builder and developer in Tulsa, Okla.

NAHB estimates that 11,000 jobs, $527 million in wages and salaries, and $300 million in business income are generated by every $1 billion in new remodeling and home improvement activity. “That’s a huge impact just in the short run.  And in the long run, the energy savings for participating home owners can be quite significant,” Robson said.

 ”This also bolsters a very important message and something we have been saying for years: If we really want to make an impact on the nation’s energy use, we need to take significant steps to make the existing housing stock more efficient,” Robson said.

He pointed out that state and local home builder associations affiliated with NAHB can be instrumental in the effort to weatherize older homes and make them more energy efficient.

For example, the Builders Association of Minnesota served as the conduit for federal stimulus program funds provided to the state for its energy-efficiency programs. The association trained nearly 1,000 remodelers and other residential contractors and funneled the money to 1,300 Minnesota home owners to help them make needed improvements.

Minnesota home owners got extra incentives for choosing projects like attic insulation, which some consumers don’t do because it’s something that’s not immediately visible, but when combined with incentives can bring a payback on utility bills within a year or two, depending on the climate.

 ”President Obama is right that these kinds of projects don’t seem ’sexy,’ but saving money is very attractive, and so is providing jobs,” Robson said.

 ”These are efforts that the Administration should consider on a much larger scale,” he continued.  “They provide employment, stimulate the economy and help us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels – that’s three great outcomes.  NAHB can help make this happen all over the country.”

Last month, the White House Council on Environmental Quality invited NAHB to explain how home builders, product manufacturers and remodelers can be part of the Administration’s “Recovery Through Retrofit” solution with programs like Minnesota’s.

 ”We’re anxious to help with these efforts,” Robson said. “It’s what our members do, and do well – and they all want to get back to work.”

Source: www.nahb.org

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Positive Things from 2009 (no particular order):

• My Health – It takes a lot of work, but is worth every second
• My Family – Mom & Dad are always a positive
• Friends – Numerous groups, chambers, and associations provide good friendships
• Trucks – Chevy makes a nice Silverado
• Lake Norman – Relaxing, boating, or fishing this is very nice
• Weather – We do enjoy great weather
• Website – My webmaster cares and it shows, Thanks Kevin!

Merry Christmas

Tom Wise
Owner: DV Wise Inc.

Marking a decade of history, NCSE’s signature national conference will engage leading thinkers and doers from a diversity of disciplines, sectors, and perspectives in a structured conversation about the meaning of the green economy and how investment in green education, research and jobs can help solve both the economic and environmental crises.

Welcoming over 1000 attendees, The New Green Economy will bring together leaders in sustainable business, environmental policymakers, civil society, university faculty, students from across the nation, and educated citizens.

NCSE leverages a multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to bring together involved scientists and decision makers from a wide range of organizations. Our conferences are highly interactive, including renowned speakers, topical symposia to explore issues in more depth, and breakout sessions to develop (and publish) recommendations on how to advance science and connect it with policy and decision-making

Source: www.oikos.com

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The designation requires 24 hours of NAHB-approved training, and additional continuing education every three years. Subjects covered in training discuss how green homes provide buyers with lower energy costs and higher value, and will include strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes without driving up the cost of construction.

The designation curriculum requires completion of the Green Building for Building Professionals two-day course and either the Business Management for Building Professionals one-day course or having another current NAHB professional designation. Class schedules and course descriptions are available from NAHB.

Upon successful completion of course work, submission of a graduation application and signed Code of Ethics is required to graduate. The CGP designation recognizes a high degree of professional competence, and is awarded to individuals only.

Courses are offered at local home builders association and at NAHB national events. For a complete list of course offering and dates, visit www.nahb.org/courses.

For more information about the Certified Green Professional designation, visit www.nahb.org/cgpinfo or call the NAHB at 800-368-5242.

Source: www.nahbgreen.org

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The information also helps him keep up with increasingly stringent energy codes.

Ferrier, who has been building energy-efficient homes since 1982 and has won numerous EnergyValue Housing Awards (EVHA) and National Green Building Awards, said he continually searches myriad sources for new information that he can use to develop new ideas and hone his company’s building techniques in order to maintain an edge over his competition.

Because “green building information is exploding,” Ferrier said, sifting through all the information available online to find those really valuable nuggets can be challenging.

One source of information that Ferrier finds particularly useful is the online NAHB Green Scoring Tool of the National Green Building Program. “When we go through the scoring process step by step, I discover details that I never thought of before, and some are very easy to implement,” Ferrier said

He said he also finds the  EnergyValue Housing Award program beneficial, not only because of the market differentiation it provides program winners, but because it enables him to network and share advances in green building with other EVHA builders.

Heather Ferrier, general manager at Ferrier Custom Homes, said the EVHA application process is also an effective learning tool. “It’s a great process to go through to ensure that every level of energy-efficiency is installed and performing as we specified,” she said. “The award’s documentation process is lengthy, but it provides benchmarks to help guide our process.”

Don Ferrier also finds conferences on green building and energy-efficiency great sources of information. While he admits that he serves as a presenter and expert speaker at many of the conferences, he attends as many sessions of interest as he can. “There is always something to learn when you see what others are doing,” he said.

Another information source that Ferrier finds valuable is the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program.

Some ideas Ferrier garnered from the program are simple – such as making his trade contractors responsible for flashing and sealing any building envelope penetrations that they make. Until implementing the suggestion from Building America, the builder would do the repair work needed.

“Now, if a plumber puts a hose bib through a wall or an electrician runs power to an air conditioning compressor, we supply the details and they are responsible for the work,” Ferrier said.

One other source of information Ferrier finds valuable is his clients, who come to him with ideas and suggestions for their homes. He doesn’t dismiss a customer’s idea outright; he’d rather “look at it and see if it makes sense.” To compensate for the exploratory time, however, Ferrier charges for estimates and offers clients design services for an hourly fee.

Source: www.nahb.org

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