Wheat Energy, Inc. efficiency through planning

ENERGY STAR Inspection Services

 We are proud to be an ENERGY STAR Partner and to offer new home ENERGY STAR Inspections and Certifications. The ENERGY STAR certified home is the most well known energy efficient home on the market today.

Since 2011, Energy Star has been in the process of upgrading to Version 3.0.

The reasons for the change are simple. Energy Star was never meant to mean just building an average home. That is what a building code official is for.

The Energy Star label was always intended to showcase a home that was better than average.

Their ulitmate goal is to be certfying net-zero energy usage homes by year 2030.

The current building code has advanced to where a home built to code standards would typically meet the Version 2.0 standards.

So Energy Star saw it as a time to raise the bar.

The changes they made are far reaching, but necessary if they are to make any progress to the net-zero home.

Some of those changes are listed below:

A HERS Index target based on the size of the home and the number of occupants.

In the past a larger home has had an unfair advantage when the energy model was developed for the HERS rating. Just as it is easier for an elephant to maintain it's body heat compared to a mouse, a larger home doesn't loose heat as quick as a smaller one. But elephants use more overall heat than mice.

Energy Star has adjusted for this phenomenom by requiring larger homes to achieve a lower HERS rating for certification than previously required.

Other changes include the program checklist. Where in the past they had a single checklist that focused solely on thermal bypasses and insulation levels, they now have 3 different checklists that focus on the Thermal Enclosure System, HVAC Systems, and Water Management.

The Thermal Enclosure System incorporates many of the features of the Version 2.0 checklist, but now requires features that reduce thermal bridging such as advanced framing techniques, energy heel trusses, and higher grade insulation installations.

The HVAC Systems is actually 2 checklists: one for the HVAC installer and a second one for the rater.

The HVAC installer is required to be a pre-registered member of an organization such as ACCA (Air Conditioner Contractors of America) and the design and installation of the system must be documented to reflect organizational standards for load calculation, equipment sizing, duct design, and equipment installation. Typically this is met by providing a room by room Manual J for load calculation, using the Manual S to size the equipment, designing the duct systems according to Manual D, and then documenting flows, electrical and refrigerant readings, and testing and balancing installed systems.

The rater checklist verifies that the HVAC provided documentation of the required information and then verifies equipment models, certain air flows, duct leakage, and equipment installation.

The Water Management Checklist is a checklist developed to reduce the likelihood of moisture issues in the home. A builder can also elect to follow the Indoor Air Plus protocol in lieu of the Water Management checklists.

Wheat Energy has worked in preparation for these changes by investing in advanced training and equipment to serve our customers desiring this popular certification.

Certification Process:

• Initial Consultation with a new builder to review Energy Star Guidelines:

• Insure that the builder/home buyer understands what ENERGY STAR certification provides
• Review the certification process
• Provide the builder a list of information needed to model the home including:
• blueprints
• window and door specifications
• insulation location, amounts, type
• water heater specifications
• HVAC specifications
• Qualified HVAC installer
• Review and Explain the Inspection Checklists
• Review Service Rates and Terms
• Pre-building Modeling of the Home
• Air Sealing Site Visit for 1st time builder if requested
• Pre-drywall inspection of the Home - post insulation / pre drywall - required for certification
• Final Inspection of the Home
• Blower Door test
• Duct Leakage test(s)
• Air flow and ventilation tests
• Check any equipment specifications not already confirmed
• Complete any checklist items not checked during predrywall
• Submission of the Home to the Rating Provider for Final Approval
• ENERGY STAR Certificate and Supplemental Reports Obtained

Certification Benefits For the Home Builder:

• An ENERGY STAR rating may qualify your home for an Energy Efficient Mortgage, making it marketable to a larger pool of potential buyers.
• ENERGY STAR is a well known vehicle for promoting energy efficiency. Instead of confusing buyers with technical terms it provides instant name recognition of energy savings.
• An ENERGY STAR rating provides you a simple way to explain the energy savings of your home in dollars and cents that buyers and lenders can understand.
• An ENERGY STAR qualified home has reduced environmentally harmful emissions compared to the average home. You can market this feature to the environmentally conscious buyer.
• Having your home certified as ENERGY STAR efficient provides you a distinct marketing edge. You can use this edge to stand out from a crowded field.

Certification Benefits For the Home Buyer:

• Insisting on ENERGY STAR Certification provides a way for you to insure that the home being built for you meets the energy standard you expect.
• Obtaining ENERGY STAR Certification as part of the building process provides you with a marketable asset when you decide to resell your home.
• Having ENERGY STAR Certification for your home may qualify you or future buyers of the home for an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM). 
• Having ENERGY STAR shows that you've taken significant steps to reduce your family's impact on the environment.
• An ENERGY STAR home by definition uses less energy than the average home.  Saving energy means saving money throughout the life of the home.