BetterBuiltNW July 2022 Newsletter

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Every month this section features must-read content from past newsletters – just in case you missed it.

• Installer Guide: Ductless Heat Pumps: Built for Cold Climates

Programs in the News

Programs in the News

Built Green: Case Study: Ida Pearl House Remodel & Post Cottage

While many urban areas with single-family zoning constantly battle NIMBYism (“Not in My Backyard”), The Cottage Company embraces the concept of “Neighbors for More Neighbors” via density infill at their Ida Pearl House Remodel & Post Cottage new construction project.

Inspired by the 19th century farmhouse “compounds” of clustered worker cottages, this site, located in the Olympic Hills neighborhood of Seattle, created moderate density by constructing a detached accessory dwelling unit behind a newly renovated 1928 Tudor cottage in a single-family neighborhood. To read this case study, click here.

Energy Trust of Oregon EPS™ New Construction: Columbia Basin Student Homebuilder Program

The Columbia Basin Student Homebuilder Program provides real-world application, exposure, and opportunity to student populations in the Columbia Basin, Oregon region. The program gives students the opportunity to work with local tradespeople through each step of constructing a new home. This article details how the program creates a pathway for students interested in starting a career in the trades. To read the article, click here.

RESNET: Trends in HERS Rated Homes

RESNET has released its statistical abstract of homes that were HERS rated in 2021 in the Trends in HERS Rated Homes – A Statistical Abstract 2022. The report first looks at broad national-level trends, state-level trends, and trends of HERS ratings in cities, including the top 25 cities for single-family and multifamily ratings. To read the article, click here.

RESNET: Updates and Changes to RESNET MINHERS and ANSI Standards

RESNET recently released a blog post with a recorded video presentation that details changes to RESNET’s HERS standards, which are in effect as of July 1, 2022. Changes are discussed by RESNET Standard Development Committee Chairs:

• Standards Development Committee 200: Education, Training, and Certification Chair: Sharla Riead, Accurate Rater Network
• Standards Development Committee 300: Inspections, Testing, and Calculations of Energy Ratings Chair: Gayathri Vijayakumar, Steven Winter Associates, Inc.
• Standards Development Committee 900: QA and Sampling Standards Chair: John Hensley, Building Performance Solutions, LLC

To read this article, click here.

Zero Energy Project: Fresh Air Systems—Balanced Whole House Ventilation

The phrase “Build tight, ventilate right.” is becoming increasingly familiar to high-performance builders. This article describes multiple approaches to designing ventilation systems, and it discusses the roles of heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) and energy recovery ventilators (ERVs). To read this article, click here.

Energy Vanguard: Air Conditioner Sizing—Load Calculations vs Rules of Thumb

As many contractors use “rules of thumb” to decide what size cooling equipment to install, this article discusses the value of using load calculation results instead of rules of thumb when sizing air conditioning systems for homes. To read the article, click here.

Energy Vanguard: Make It a Mechanical Room, Not Just a Closet

In heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) design, mechanical systems are typically housed in a small closet so that they are in conditioned space. However, as this article details, high-performance homes demand an entire room to achieve high energy performance. To read the article, click here.