ENERGY STAR Home

• Certified ENERGY STAR Home or Zero-Energy Ready Home

Design for the Climate

Landscaping for energy savings and comfort:

• Deciduous trees shade W, SW, E and SE sides of house
• Large shrubs or trellis with vines on W side
• Ground cover, mulch near house to reduce reflected heat
• Little unshaded pavement near house, none under windows
• Evergreen shrubs and trees grouped as windbreak on N side

Overall house design:

• Compact building layout to minimize total surface area
• Open planning, min. corridor area (space-efficient design)
• Kitchen, laundry rooms are not on W side
• Living areas, kitchen have N or S windows
• Porches, patios, etc. on N & S sides (unconditioned living space)

House design elements to minimize solar heat gain:

• More wall area faces within 20° of due S and N
• W facing glass < 2% of floor area
• E facing glass < 3% of floor area
• 2-ft. or larger overhangs
• All W, E and S glass shaded
• Garage/carport on W or E side (blocking sun)
• No skylights (except light tubes)
• Reflective roofing (min. 0.25 solar reflectance)
• Light color brick or siding

Design elements for passive solar winter benefits:

• S overhangs sized or louvered for summer shade and winter sun
• Thermal mass flooring along S glass
• S facing sunroom with mass floor, walls

House design elements for mild seasons:

• Operable windows placed for cross ventilation
• Porch open on three sides or in breezeway

Windows

• ENERGY STAR or NFRC labeled windows rated:
  • < 0.25 SHGC (solar heat gain) in zones 1 & 2 (southern), or
  • < 0.40 U-factor (heat conduction) in climate zones 1 & 2, or < 0.30 in zone 3
  • > 0.50 VT preferred (visible light transmittance)
• All W and E glass has < 0.25 SHGC or shade screens
• If passive solar, high solar gain low-e S-facing glass
• For day lighting, 0.70 VT on N and S if shaded

Tight Construction (Air Sealing)

Continuous air barrier around conditioned space via:

• Exterior air barrier
• Airtight Drywall Approach interior air barrier
• Sealed, airtight floor system
• All hidden bypasses sealed from attic and crawl space
• Bottom plate of exterior walls sealed to foundation
• Band joists between floors sealed
• All penetrations in building envelope sealed
• Airtight electrical boxes (or sealed by hand)
• Low infiltration windows and doors
• Fireplace: sealed from attic, outside air duct, tight damper, glass doors
• Weather-stripped, insulated attic access (or in unconditioned area)
• No recessed lights, or only ICAT used
• Tight dampers, sealed housings on exhaust and inlet vents (exhaust not vented into attic)

Insulation Systems with Good "Whole Wall" R-Values (Continuous insulation surrounding all conditioned space, except slab floor.)

Recommended insulation material R-values:

• Attic: R 30-60 in climate zone 2; R 38-60 in climate zone 3
• Cathedral ceiling: R 30 in zone 2; R 38 in zone 3
• Unvented, conditioned attic (such as spray foam under roof or insulated roof): > R 21
• Wood frame walls: R 13-20 in climate zone 2; R 15-20 in zone 3
• Concrete or masonry walls: R 13-20
• Band joist between levels: R 13-20
• Floor over unconditioned space: R 13-19 in climate zone 2; R 19-25 in zone 3
• Steel frame: R 19-32 walls (must have exterior insulating sheathing); R-49 attic, R 19-25 floor

Elements of insulation system:

• Insulation installed without gaps, voids and compressions
• Radiant barrier under roof decking (if A/C ducts in attic and non-reflective roofing)
• Building system with continuous insulation coverage
• Insulation type with extra advantages (see more info in manual or online articles)
• Roof framing for full insulation above exterior walls
• Insulated window and door headers
• Insulated corners and T-wall intersections
• Insulated, air tight attic access door (R 30)
• All insulated doors (R 5-15)
• All glass low-e insulated; nonconductive framing

HVAC -- Efficient Cooling and Heating

Energy Star labeled cooling and heating equipment:

• Air conditioner: > SEER 15 matched system
• Gas furnace: > AFUE 90%
• Heat Pump (air source): > SEER 15 & HSPF 8.5
• Geothermal closed loop heat pump: > EER 17.1 + COP 3.6
• Equipment is performance tested

Alternatives with special advantages:

• Geothermal heat pump with water heating
• Variable speed air conditioner or heat pump
• Integrated gas space and water heating system
• Manual J sizing (not oversized) and Manual S equipment selection (to meet humidity load
• Sensible Heat Ratio < 0.70 SHR (min. 30% dehumidification)
• Zoned heating/cooling (zone control system or multiple units)
• Programmable thermostats
• Outdoor thermostat on heat pump
• Heat pump has gas back-up heat
• Compressor on N or E side of house
• Ducts and air handler (AH) within conditioned space (inside building insulation “envelope”):
• In sealed soffit or dropped ceiling, AH in closet
• Or, in insulated, sealed enclosure above ceiling
• Or, encased in spray foam above ceiling
• Or, in unvented, conditioned attic (code compliant insulation at roofline, not attic floor)
• Supply ducts, AH, all connections sealed with mastic
• Duct insulation (R-8 if not in conditioned space)
• Sealed return plenum or duct
• Manual D duct and return design
• Airflow measured and balanced with air flow hood
• Central supply trunk (not octopus layout)
• Duct runs and registers not extended to exterior walls
• Air returns, transfer grilles or transoms for all BR’s
• Tested duct leakage < 5% to outside (min. 8%)

Other efficient HVAC equipment (see Healthy/IAQ for Ventilation)

• ENERGY STAR dehumidifier (if needed)
• ENERGY STAR ceiling fans in often-used areas
• ENERGY STAR quiet exhaust fans (< 1.5 sones)

Appliances with Low Life-Cycle Cost

• ENERGY STAR refrigerator, clothes washer, dishwasher
• ENERGY STAR electronics
• Efficient dryer, oven, etc. (see EnergyGuide labels)
• If well or pool present, efficient variable speed pump

Efficient water heating system options:

• Integrated with geothermal heat pump
• Heat recovery unit on air conditioner compressor
• Solar water heater, certified
• Heat pump water heater, EF > 2.0
• Tankless gas water heater, EF > 0.90
• > 0.67 EF small gas water heater, 0.77 > 55 gal.
• Insulated hot water pipes and tank
• Central location of water heater
• Efficient piping layout, sizing for hot water

Lighting with Fewer Watts and Less Heat

• high color low wattage lighting throughout house
  • fluorescent tubes, electronic ballast in attractive built-ins
  • EnergyStar fixtures
  • compact fluorescent lamps in standard fixtures
  • LED lamps in standard fixtures
• high efficiency outdoor lighting
  • photovoltaic solar lights
  • outdoor fluorescents
  • high pressure sodium or metal halide
• controlled, diffuse daylighting
  • 0.8 VT N and shaded S glass
  • If skylights, tubular type only
• light color scheme interiors
• motion or photo sensors