November 20, 2018
Oregonians: Get Ready for ENERGY STAR Certified Homes 3.2!
As codes continue to advance in the Northwest, home certification programs refresh their specifications, checklists and participation requirements to reflect these advancements.
The EPA ENERGY STAR® Certified Homes program has been updating versions and revisions over the past year to stay ahead of codes in Washington and Oregon. In the ENERGY STAR parlance, versions represent changes in program stringency to maintain savings or percent above codes, while revisions represent updates to checklists to streamline and simplify compliance with program elements.
For Washington homes:
- In 2017, the EPA released version 3.2 of the program requirements for voluntary adoption.
- Homes permitted on or after July 1, 2018, must follow Oregon and Washington v3.2, Revision 08.
For Oregon homes:
- Version is currently voluntary for all homes and will become mandatory next year.
- Homes that permit on or after April 1, 2019, must follow Oregon and Washington v3.2, Revision 09.
Builders that currently build in ENERGY STAR Certified Homes in Oregon can begin reviewing, modeling against and preparing for the upcoming program requirement shift in 2019. The ENERGY STAR website includes more information about program requirements and timelines for all Northwest states. The table below is a helpful timeline guide for EPA ENERGY STAR Certified Homes versions and revisions. For more information, you can also reach out to energystarhomes@energystar.gov.
