Recently there were some building ordinances passed to beef-up the city of Boulder's Green Points Program and the passed measures are largely focused on energy conservation and offsetting with renewables. The idea behind ordinance 7565 is increased energy efficiency, beyond the IECC (Int'l Energy Conserv. and Insulation Code) and the percentage of increased efficiency is calculated according to structure size. For example, any new construction between 3,001-5,000 sq feet must be 50% more energy efficient than 2006 IECC. Anything 50% energy efficiency increase (so the bigger the house) is going to require the use of renewables for the property: anything under 50% is do-able with modified construction and materials. This is great news--alas, people are being held accountable for having a bigger footprint and hopefully they will start to build for what they actually need and not for what they want.
This trend is catching on across america and it seems to be the latest "fad" within the green movement: increased energy efficiency both commercially and residentially. It is kinda like a continuation of the renewables fad when solar energy caught on: the great Renewables Awakening. Well, this energy audit trend nicely compliments the Renewable Awakening and helps the renewable energy generated go a little further. Increased efficiency means 1 kW goes a lot further and saves a lot of energy production. This means decreased CO2, NOx and SOx emissions because of decreased demand for coal and natural gas fueled power plants. Anyhow, those are the points of energy audits: to increase energy efficiency, concentrate on energy conservation, and renewable energies.
So how is an energy audit conducted. In Boulder, it is recommended/required you get a RESNET accredited HERS rate. Lots of acronyms, lets break them down because I know you'll be hearing a lot more about them: (RESNET: Residential Energy Solutions Network. HERS: Home Energy Rating System). A HERS can be involved in several stages of the process, depending on the certification you are trying to obtain. If it is new construction or a remodel, they can help with the plans to make sure they are maximized efficiency BEFORE install. Secondly, they can be installed at the "pre-drywall" phase. Third, they can conduct energy audits on conventional structures to pin-point target areas. For the second and third, HERS raters perform tests. These include: blower test, sight inspection, insulation assessment and test hot water heater settings. This helps them determine your HERS score and give advice on how to improve your home's energy inefficiency.
If you don't have the ability to get a HERS rater out to your home, here are some basic energy conservation tips for your structure:
1. Insulation
2. Seal cracks
3. Increase window efficiency/ Energy efficient windows
4. High efficiency HVAC (heating, ventilation and air condition) systems
5. Utility Bill Analysis
If you haven't thought about having an energy auditor come out to your house, atleast take some of the initial efforts to make your home more energy efficient and reduce your footprint. Decreasing your energy consumption can be one of the most impactful efforts you make to combat global warming. Residential/commercial energy efficiency coupled with transportation efficiency and a significant improvement in renewables technology....and we're on our way to protecting our future.
