History and opportunity NH Energy Code

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History and opportunity NH Energy Code

• History of NH Energy Code
• Review of two NH code official surveys
• Some anecdotal Information about the code
• Comparison of MA BBRA code compliance study and
  NH Results
• A different option for energy codes
• Need for training.

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Quick History of NH Energy Code

• 1979 First Statewide Energy Code adopted
• Application included a long, heat loss
  calculation and copies of
• blueprints, in triplicate.
• 1999 MEC 95 adopted
• Computer option replaces long hand-calculation.
• Responses to PR regarding update included a town
  which publicly said they would not enforce or
  require the code.
• 2002 First statewide building code including IECC
  2000 adopted.
• NH Introduces first in nation online compliance
  option
• Express Package.
• Core Utilities Energy Star Homes Program
  introduced (15 better than e-codes.)
• IECC 2006 Effective Aug 17, 2007
• Simplified but not more efficient code. (No
  glazing/wall requirements,)
• Express Package or software
• Minimal tradeoff for high efficiency HVAC.

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NH Code

• PUC Administers code.
• Towns Enforce (or not) .
• Approximately 50 of towns have no code official.
• A large percentage of Code Officials are part
  time.
• When no inspection, contractor must self certify.
  (failure to comply a misdemeanor)
• Consumer has a very hard time making a case that
  the code was not met.

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forNortheast Energy Efficiency
Partnershippresented byPeregrine Energy
GroupNovember 14, 2001
Local Code Official Survey NH and RI
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38 towns surveyed.
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What code officials typically check for in
commercial inspectionsAttic Insulation
64 Duct insulation 43 Window U
values 26 HVAC Sizing 21 Above
Grade Walls 21 Slab Edge 15
Below Grade Walls 15
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What code officials typically check for in
residential inspections
Attic Wall insulation
91Foundation insulation
67Pipe insulation
46Window Efficiency
44Air Sealing
19Furnace
18Vapor
Barrier 13
Sealing Penetration
9 Home Matches Plan
3 Duct Construction
1
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Others in the Building Trades Residential Code
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Others in the Building Trades- Commercial Code
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Conclusions of Peregrine Study

• Indirect evidence of inspection practices also
  suggest needs for more residential and commercial
  training and/or exploration of reasons some
  important measures are not inspected more
  frequently.
• There appear to be strong grounds for providing
  additional training.

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Conclusions (2)

• Large areas of the state, generally central and
  northern NH do not have anyone responsible for
  energy code compliance at the town level.
• Responses suggest this lack is generally a
  resource lack there is no one with the
  appropriate expertise with energy codes.
• There is a lack of financial resources to fund
  this aspect of compliance activity.

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NH Residential Energy Code

• Findings of Phone Survey to Local Code
  EnforcementGDS Associates11/06

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Survey Response by County
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Survey Q1

• 77 towns - 52 of the survey respondents graded
  themselves as having active involvement in energy
  code enforcement (3)
• 44 of the 72 towns that graded themselves as
  having little to no involvement with energy code
  enforcement (1 or 0) do NOT have a Code
  Official. (The Code Officer designation was self
  reported by the town and could be full time or
  part time code enforcement officer.)
• 10 towns commented they are currently inspecting
  for zoning compliance only.

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Survey Q2

• Of the 71 towns surveyed who DO NOT confirm
  e-code by inspection 49 towns do not have a
  Dedicated Code Official.

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Anecdotal Information

• A HERS Rater who certified Energy Star Homes
  reported that he had to call back 50 of the
  insulation contractors.
• HVAC Systems are grossly oversized
• There is no systematic inspection of houses for
  air sealing
• Code has included extreme tradeoff for HVAC
  efficiency which is regularly used to make lesser
  efficiency envelopes comply w/codes.
• Window requirements not direction sensitive.

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Conclusions Of the BBRA study May 14, 2001

• Only 46.4 of the houses complied with the
  overall thermal performance requirements of the
  code. Less than half the houses complied strictly
  with the code thermal performance requirements,
  only 20 exceeded the compliance threshold by
  more than 10
• (52 of NH Towns Survey did not characterize
  themselves as having a high level of
  enforcement)

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BBRA Conclusions (2)

• More than 80 of the houses did not meet
  penetration or duct sealing requirements. Average
  losses to outside the house yield infiltration
  rates about twice what good sealing practices can
  achieve.
• (19 of NH Code officials surveyed checked for
  sealing practices.)

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BBRA Conclusions (3)

• The average heating system was oversized by 30
  over what code allowed.
• (18 of NH code officials checked furnace sizing)

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BBRA Conclusions (4)
-

• As built characteristics often differed markedly
  from the plans in permit documents .
• (only 3 of NH code officials interviewed
  checked to see if home matched plans)

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BBRA Conclusions (5)

• Houses with furnaces were twice as likely as
  those with boilers to meet the code.
• (A large percentage of NH heating systems are
  oil hydronic ltwater not airgt
• There is no statewide efficiency program for oil
  heat retrofits.

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Ratcheting Residential Energy Codes up to ENERGY
STAR The Long Island Model as an Example of What
can be achieved.

• Communities representing more than half of Long
  Islands 4-5000 new homes per year have passed
  ordinances that will require building to Energy
  Star Homes.
• 20 more efficient than NY Energy Code
• Includes efficient lighting and appliances
  resulting in minimum 500kWh savings.
• Requires mechanical ventilation and passing
  combustion savings efficiency test
• Energy professionals conduct true performance
  testing.

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Unlikely Groups Leading the Charge!!

• Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI)(Affiliate
  of the National Association of Home
  Builders)Endorses the adoption of these codes
  for the following reasons
• Proven paybacks for homeowners are to rapid to
  Ignore.
• The building industry must join efforts to
  reduce fossil fuel dependency.
• Code requirements create a market volume large
  enough to achieve economy of scale (lower per
  unit cost for higher efficiency components)
• Will speed up market transformation

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Home Energy Raters to provide ratings.

• HERS raters are nationally-certified.
• Conduct plan reviews, advise builders.
• Train subcontractors.
• Provide technical assistance.
• Conduct inspections.
• Carry out blower door and duct blaster performing
  tests upon completion.

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NEED FOR COLLABORATION

• HERS RATERS work with local code enforcement
  officials on coordination and compliance
  documentation.
• Long island power Authority (LIPA) provides
  oversight, tracking and quality assurance
  monitoring to ensure were hers rater adherence to
  national and New York standards.
• LIPA will continue to support these and other
  beyond code efforts through their mandate to
  transform their markets to become more energy
  efficient.

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Economic Development

• Energy Star can be achieved with little or no
  cost to tax or rate payers.
• Ratings are created and paid for by those who
  will directly benefit from the reduced energy
  costs the homebuyer.

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COST

• On Long Island, the cost to upgrade the average
  new house to Energy Star home levels is estimated
  to be about 4000.
• Covers raters fees ( 500-800 range)
• Cost of necessary improvements.

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BENEFIT

• The savings that will accrue from this investment
  will more than pay for the upgrades from the
  first year the houses occupied.
• Financing 4000 will add about 300 per year to
  the mortgage.
• Annual cost savings of 1150, which more than
  offsets the payment increase.
• Net 850 first year savings.

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SUMMARY

• We are told that we must cut 60 to 80 of our
  carbon emissions if we are to have any hope of
  significantly limiting climate change.
• Efficiency studies by people like Amory Lovins
  are confirmed by the Core Programs Efficiency
  Programs with a 16 cost/benefit ratio.
• Energy Efficiency in buildings is the quickest,
  most cost effective means for saving carbon,
  money and energy.

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Potential Carbon Reduction (in MTC/yr)Based on
middle range of Carbon Conversions
Source Tackling Climate Change. Potential
Carbon Reductions From Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy by 2030. American Solar Energy
Society Charles Kutcher, Editor January 2007
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ENERGY EDUCATIONThe key to making it happen

• Each study in its own way suggests more
  training. Constituents include
• Building Community Architects, Engineers, Code
  Officials (and other town officials),
  Electricians, Plumbers, Insulators, etc.
• Building Sales Community Developers, Real
  Estate Brokers and Appraisers, Banks and Mortgage
  lenders.
• Consumers Building Owners, and Occupants.
• Energy Professionals People trained
  specifically to design, commission, manage
  maintain and retrofit buildings.

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Energy Services and Technology Program NHCTC-
Laconia

• 2-year degree in Energy Services and Technology
• First of its type in New England.
• Program includes Internship.
• Scholarships available.
• Now enrolling for this fall.
• Continuing Ed/Professional Development.
• Commercial Auditing (Cosponsored with Core
  Uitlities)
• NABCEP Certified PV Installers Course
• Residential Energy Workshops

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Contact Information

• Wes Golomb
• Professor, Energy Services
• and TechnologyNH Community Technical
  College379 Belmont Road
• Laconia, NH
• 603 524- 3207 x 763
• wgolomb_at_nhctc.edu
• Link to NH Code Surveys, BBRA Energy Code
  Impact Study, and White Paper on Energy Star as
  Code http//www.laconia.nhctc.edu/programs/Energy
  Program/index.html
• Link to ASES Tackling Climate Change
  http//www.ases.org/climatechange/