Best of Best
whieso
overview.rtfOverview
Introduction to Weatherization
People are using more energy in their homes today than ever before. Unfortunately, much of this energy is wasted.
The Department of Energy began the Weatherization Assistance Program in 1976 to aid low-income families by weatherizing their homes. These families, in turn, conserve energy, save money on energy bills, and invest in their local communities.
There are many agencies and organizations that can help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this module, you should be able to:
1A
identify how buildings can consume large amounts of energy.
1B
explain the purpose of the Weatherization Assistance Program.
1C
recall the names different organizations involved in the green building industry.
Module 1 Reading Assignment
Krigger, J., & Dorsi, C. (2012). Residential Energy: Cost Savings and Comfort for Existing Buildings (6th ed.). Helena: Saturn Resource Management, Inc. Introduction.
Supplemental Reading Assignments (Required):
Bradshaw, J. L. (2010). Cost-effectiveness of weatherization in low-income urban housing stock . Unpublished master's thesis, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, (pp. 1-105).
Millhone, J. P. (2010). The "longest running and perhaps most successful" U.S. energy efficiency program . Federation of American Scientists, (pp.1-17).
Lecture Notes
Introduction to Weatherization
Buildings consume 40 percent of the world’s total energy. Buildings use 25 percent of the planet’s wood harvest and 16 percent of its water resources. Building use represents 70 percent of total human resource consumption, including energy, water, and materials combined. Energy is defined as the ability to produce tasks such as:
- light
heat
motion
sound
growth
technology
Appetite for Energy
The world population is increasing exponentially. No one knows exactly how many human beings there are on the face of the Earth, but a healthy estimate by the University of North Carolina places it at just under 7 billion people and increasing at a rate of 3-4 people per second.
In 1800, the worldwide population estimate was about 978 million people. In 1850, the estimate was 1.262 billion people. In 1900, at the beginning of the 20th century, an estimated 1.650 billion people populated the Earth. The world’s population is greater than ever before and, because of this growth, the global energy appetite is unprecedented.
In the 1800s, when people were scattered over the face of the Earth and the congregated masses formed clusters of mere thousands, energy consumption was not a critical issue. When they burned wood or straw for heat and cooking, they had little impact on the environment. However, as the population grew and more people moved into cities, the demand for energy began to increase.
A Period of Change
The global energy appetite is beginning to experience a period of change that will affect everyone. Eventually, petroleum products will become scarce and extremely expensive. The need to maintain power requirements without disruptions will force people to change the way they think about energy, produce energy, and consume energy.
Source: Energy Information Administration (June 2008)
Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program
The Department of Energy (DOE) recognized the need to help people conserve energy and save on energy bills decades ago. In fact, the DOE began the Weatherization Assistance Program to help low-income families weatherize their homes in 1976. Weatherization includes any efforts made by a person to retrofit a home to make it more energy efficient. The Weatherization Assistance Program enables low-income families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. During the last 32 years, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program has provided weatherization services to more than 6.2 million low-income families.
On average, weatherization reduces heating bills by 32 percent and overall energy bills by about $350 per year at current prices. By reducing the energy bills of low-income families instead of offering aid, weatherization reduces dependency on the government and liberates people to spend the money that would normally be spent on energy bills on more pressing family issues. This spending, in turn, spurs low-income communities toward job growth and economic development.
Through this program, weatherization service providers install energy efficiency measures in the homes of qualifying homeowners free of charge. These are not expensive upgrades—the average expenditure limit is $6,500 per home—but they are effective, and energy savings pay for the upgrades within a few years. DOE documents the savings and compares them against costs so that over the years, it can determine the efficacy of these measures.
Because of lack of funding, many state weatherization programs require families to join a waiting list until funds become available for the weatherization of more homes. In March of 2009, President Barack Obama and Congress passed a stimulus plan that included $5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program. These funds were to be funneled into the 50 states, as well as some U.S. Territories, to help their weatherization programs meet the needs of the low-income families. States were asked to submit comprehensive state weatherization plans in order to receive their share of the funds.
Below is a chart that shows the allocation of funds for the weatherization programs of the states and territories.
Allocation of weatherization stimulus funds Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 2009
National Energy Audit Tool
The Weatherization Assistance Program began providing energy audits in the 1990s. An energy audit is an inspection and analysis of a home to determine energy usage and to recommend ways to conserve energy by making changes to living habits and house systems. This allowed weatherization service providers to customize their service package for each home. The National Energy Audit Tool (NEAT) is the tool used by weatherization service providers who work in cooperation with the Weatherization Assistance Program. The NEAT is available to weatherization agencies free of charge.
The NEAT was developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) specifically for the DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program. The NEAT is a computerized energy audit tool that allows weatherization service providers to input data, such as building characteristics and the type of heating and cooling systems, about a home to determine the most cost-effective, energy efficient measures for single-family homes. The NEAT does this by producing a prioritized list of cost-effective measures, as well as estimated energy savings, savings-to-investment ratios, and a list of materials that are necessary to perform the retrofit.
Manufactured Home Energy Audit
A manufactured home is a home built in a factory after 1976 that must conform to the U.S. Government’s Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. Because manufactured homes are constructed using very different techniques than conventional homes that are built on-site, the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory created the Manufactured Home Energy Audit (MHEA), which is much like the NEAT software except that it is designed to audit manufactured home energy consumption.
The MHEA is also available to weatherization service providers free of charge. Visit the Weatherization Assistance Program website for more information.
Energy Audits
Individuals and families who do not qualify for weatherization under the Weatherization Assistance Program can perform an energy audit on their own home using a basic checklist.
Common Items in an Energy Audit
Survey of utility bills over the past several years
Adequacy of insulation
Crawlspaces or basement
Walls
Use and efficiency of lighting system
Use and efficiency of appliances (i.e., refrigerator, dishwasher, etc.)
This list is not comprehensive. Energy audits may include these and many other items.
Another option the homeowner has is to hire a professional to audit their homes and recommend methods for increased energy efficiency and conservation. Visit the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) website for more information on home energy audits.
Building Performance Institute, Inc.
The Building Performance Institute (BPI) “is a recognized global leader, supporting the development of a highly professional building performance industry through individual and organizational credentialing and a rigorous quality assurance program” (Source: http://www.bpi.org/). BPI has developed technical standards for weatherization and a certification program for contractors who wish to provide weatherization services. This certification program requires applicants to have field experience and the knowledge to pass a written exam. BPI also requires certified contractors to be recertified every three years. BPI’s certification program has become the industry standard, although contractors are not required to be BPI certified to provide weatherization services.
In addition to the certification program, BPI requires its certified contractors to participate in BPI’s quality assurance program. In this program, a contractor must submit to independent, third-party quality assurance verification to ensure that the contractor is providing his or her clients with quality results.
Visit the Building Performance Institute website for more information.
State Weatherization Certification Programs
Some states have associations that provide training and certification for contractors who wish to provide weatherization services. For example, the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) provides contractors with green training so that they can perform Green Home Energy Upgrades (GHEUs).
Visit the CBPCA website for more information.
Standards for Efficiency
In order to determine how energy efficient a house is, there must be standards and documentation. There are many different organizations that offer energy efficiency rating systems or other environmental standards. Weatherization personnel should be familiar with all of these organizations.
U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is responsible for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which is one of the leading certification programs worldwide.
In the LEED system, inspectors award points in six categories of building design: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. LEED offers a rating system of four certification levels for new construction: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Platinum is the highest certification a building can earn in the LEED rating system. Visit the U.S. Green Building Council website for more information
ENERGY STAR
Standards that are commonly used in the industry to measure a building’s energy efficiency are the ENERGY STAR rating or the Model Energy Code. ENERGY STAR, which is backed by the EPA and the DOE, is a standard for judging the energy efficiency of products. The Model Energy Code is published and is kept current by the International Code Council (ICC). Visit the ENERGY STAR program website for more information. If a homeowner wishes to obtain an energy efficient mortgage (EEM) to make efficient improvements to a home or to purchase an ENERGY STAR qualified home, the home must be energy audited. An independent energy rater performs a home energy audit to see if a home is energy efficient and qualifies for an EEM. Independent energy raters, who are usually called home energy raters, are highly trained in technology, building techniques, and energy conservation. Raters are trained and certified by a number of different agencies.
National Association of Home Builders
An agency that has led in the area of setting environmental standards for home building is the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The NAHB is dedicated to making homes more energy and resource efficient by improving technologies and practices in energy efficiency, giving attention to lot and site development, improving indoor environmental quality, lessening global impact, and providing homeowner education. The NAHB has established the first consensus-based set of standards for all green buildings, which is known as the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines. Visit the National Associate of Home Builders website for more information.
Residential Energy Services Network
The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) is a non-profit membership corporation in the residential building industry that has been a leader in bringing together environmental experts and builders. RESNET provides an energy rating system called the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Index. Home Energy Survey Professionals (HESP) use the HERS Index to rate buildings. All buildings that undergo the rating process are compared to the HERS Reference Home, which is based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. The HESP uses a tool called REScheck to rate the home. A home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home scores a HERS index of 100, whereas a net zero energy home scores a HERS index of zero. The lower the home’s HERS index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home.
RESNET Energy Surveys and Audits
RESNET recognizes two categories of assessment for homes: the Home Energy Survey and the Comprehensive Home Energy Audit.
Home Energy Survey
There are three types of Home Energy Surveys:
- On-Line Home Energy
In-Home Home Energy
Diagnostic Home Energy Survey
A homeowner can perform an On-Line Home Energy survey using software from the Internet. The In-Home Home Energy survey is a visual inspection performed by a HESP. The Diagnostic Home Energy survey includes all aspects of the In-Home Home Energy Survey, in addition to diagnostic testing such as blower door testing, duct leakage testing, and infrared scans.
Comprehensive Home Energy Audit
The Comprehensive Home Energy Audit is by far the most detailed inspection. This includes an evaluation of both the house and any previously collected data; performance testing, including combustion appliance testing; computer simulations detailing the home’s current level of energy efficiency; how improvements will decrease both the homeowner’s energy costs and environmental costs; and a scope of work for the home.
State Standards
It is beyond the scope of this module to list the green building standards in effect in every state. Instead, we wish to provide tools people can use to become familiar with the standards in effect in their state, region, and city.
Building Energy Codes Program
The DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program allows the user to look up the status of energy codes in every state. This tool also allows users to view maps that show which states use REScheck and COMcheck-Plus. COMcheck-Plus is a program developed by the DOE’s Building Energy Codes Program to make it easier to measure a building’s compliance with the commercial building energy code. Visit the Buidling Energy Codes Program website for more information.
Building Energy Codes Resource Center
The Building Energy Codes Resource Center was created as a tool people can use to obtain information about energy codes. The Resource Center includes information in the form of articles, graphics, presentations, online tools, and videos. Visit the Building Energy Codes Resource Center for more information.
Required Videos:
Before we get started with the overall course on weatherization, please watch these two video presentations in order to gain a greater understanding of the concepts and importance of a solid weatherization program.
Introduction to Weatherization
Weatherization Assistance Program: A Program That Works
Required Presentation:
Introduction to Weatherization
