Homeowners: Home Performance with Energy Star
The Home Performance with Energy Star program uses a whole-house approach
to improve energy efficiency and make a home more comfortable. We evaluate the
house as a whole—including heating and cooling systems, ductwork, building envelope,
windows, insulation, lighting and appliances, as well as safety concerns.
Our agreement with the California Building Performance Contractors Association requires
us to meet the following standards for the Home Performance with Energy Star Program, at
a minimum.
THE HOME PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
In the provision of services through the CBPCA HPwES programs, the Contractor shall conduct a Home Performance Assessment (HPA). One of the primary features of home performance contracting that makes it unique is the employment of the HPA to determine how the home’s critical components or subsystems (building envelope, mechanical systems, appliances, lighting and inhabitants) are performing individually or together. This whole-house or building-science based approach leads to more comprehensive home improvements, increased energy savings and better attention to health and safety than traditional contracting.
The practical application of the HPA is achieved through the use of the CBPCA’s Home Performance Diagnostic Report. A similar test report may be substituted with CBPCA approval. The information gathered during the HPA will be used by the Contractor as a baseline to make recommendations and to sell home performance services to the consumer. CBPCA requires that the HPA encompass, at a minimum, the following elements:
• The Initial Homeowner Interview and Walk-Through
• Utility Bill Review and Analysis
• Appliance and Lighting Inspection
• Building Envelope Inspection
• Mechanical System Inspection
• Health and Safety Tests and Inspections
• Summary Report and Homeowner Recommendations
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In this way, we identify upgrades that can lower utility bills, ensure uniform temperatures throughout the house, result in fewer drafts, provide enhanced ventilation, and give better temperature and humidity control.
It usually begins with a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment of the home (except when complete renovation or new construction is involved). Based on our analysis, we propose specific solutions for improvement. After as much discussion as you need to understand the costs and benefits, we implement those solutions upon your approval.
The extent of the solutions depends to some extent on whether, and how much, renovation is involved. The Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment provides comprehensive proposals for a home energy upgrade. If additional renovation is desired, we can go further along the green curve more cost-effectively. When the proposals you select are implemented, the home qualifies for a certificate of job completion under Home Performance with Energy Star, which evidences the work and can help your home sell for a higher price when you are ready to sell.
The program is administered by the California Building Performance Contractors Association, and includes verification testing on a sample of our houses to ensure that we continue to meet professional standards. Green Building Solutions, Inc., is an approved provider of this program. For more information, see the Energy Star web site.
