Energy Star Rating System

Basic tenets of the thermal bypass the inspection checklist should include that all insulation will be installed with sealed an interior and exterior vapor barrier. Specific building conditions should be a addressed such as the following:

1. Windows: Specified fenestration meets or exceeds 2009 IECC requirements

2. Insulation: High-Performance Insulation and ceiling, wall, floor, and slab insulation levels comply and meet or exceeds 2009 IECC levels 4, 5, 6 and achieves 133% of the total UA resulting from the U-factors in 2009 IECC Table 402.1.3. Ceiling Insulation: For ceilings with attic spaces, R-30 shall satisfy the requirement wherever the full height of uncompressed insulation at the lower R-value extends over the wall top plate at the eaves. This exemption shall not apply for ceilings without attic spaces, R-30 shall satisfy the requirement for any required value above R-30 if the design of the roof / ceiling assembly does not provide sufficient space for the required insulation value. This exemption shall be limited to 500 sq. ft. or 20% of the total insulated ceiling area, whichever is less.

3. HVAC: Cooling season and heating season outdoor design temperatures used in loads (3.3) are within the limits defined atenergystar.gov.

HVAC design temps for the State and County where the home will be built. Number of occupants used in loads (3.4) is within ± 2 of the home to be certified and conditioned floor area used in loads (3.5) is between zero and 300 sq. ft. larger than the home to be certified. Window area used in loads (3.6) is between zero and 60 sq. ft. larger than the home to be certified. Predominant window SHGC used in loads (3.7) is within 0.1 of predominant value in the home to be certified. Cooling sizing % (4.13) is within the cooling sizing limit (4.15) selected by the HVAC designer. Visit energystar.gov/HVAC design temps for the maximum cooling season design temperature and minimum heating season design temperature permitted for ENERGY STAR certified homes and the process for a designer to obtain an allowance from EPA. To determine the number of occupants among all HVAC systems in the home, calculate the number of bedrooms, as defined below, and add one. The number of occupants used in loads must be within ± 2 of the home to be certified, unless Item 1.5 of the HVAC Design Report indicates that the system is a cooling system for temporary occupant loads. HVAC Design: If installed equipment does not match the HVAC Design Report, then prior to certification the Rater shall obtain written approval from the designer (e.g., email, updated HVAC Design Report) confirming that the installed equipment meets the requirements. When the condenser unit is installed after the time of inspection by the Rater, the HVAC manufacturer and model numbers on installed equipment can be documented through the use of photographs provided by the HVAC Contractor after installation is complete. Kinks are to be avoided and are caused when ducts are bent across sharp corners such as framing members. Sharp bends are to be avoided and occur when the radius of the turn in the duct is less than one duct diameter. Compression is to be avoided and occurs when flexible ducts in unconditioned space are installed in cavities smaller than the outer duct diameter and ducts in conditioned space are installed in cavities smaller than inner duct diameter. Ducts shall not include coils or loops except to the extent needed for acoustical control. Leakage limits shall be assessed on a per-system, rather than per-home, basis. For balanced ventilation ducts that are not connected to space heating or cooling systems, a Rater is permitted to visually verify, in lieu of duct leakage testing, that all seams and connections are sealed with mastic or metal tape and all duct boots are sealed to floor, wall, or ceiling using caulk, foam, or mastic tape.

4. Heating: The variation in total heat gain across orientations (3.13) is = 6 kBtuh 11.

5. Vapor Barriers: A complete air barrier is provided that is fully aligned as follows: Ceilings: At interior or exterior horizontal surface of ceiling insulation in Climate Zones 1-3; at interior horizontal surface of ceiling insulation in Climate Zones 4-8. Also, at exterior vertical surface of ceiling insulation in all climate zones (e.g., using a wind baffle that extends to the full height of the insulation in every bay or a tabbed baffle in each bay with a soffit vent that prevents wind washing in adjacent bays).

6. Walls: Insulation is required at exterior vertical surface in all climate zones; also at interior vertical surface of wall insulation in Climate Zones 4-8, Walls behind showers, tubs, staircases, and fireplaces, Attic knee walls and skylight shaft walls, Walls adjoining porch roofs or garages, Double-walls and all other exterior walls.

7. Floors: At exterior vertical surface of floor insulation in all climate zones and, if over unconditioned space, also at interior horizontal surface including supports to ensure alignment. Floors above garages, floors above unconditioned basements or crawlspaces, and cantilevered floors and all other floors adjoining unconditioned space (e.g., rim / band joists at exterior wall or at porch roof) need to be insulated.

8. Thermal Bridging: Insulated ceilings with attic space above (i.e., non-cathedralized), Grade I insulation extends to the inside face of the exterior wall below and is = R-21 in CZ 1-5; = R-30 in CZ 6-8 12. For slabs on grade in CZ 4-8, 100% of slab edge insulated to = R-5 at the depth specified by the 2009 IECC and aligned with the thermal boundary of the walls 13, 14. Insulation beneath attic platforms (e.g., HVAC platforms, walkways) = R-21 in CZ 1-5; = R-3. At above-grade walls separating conditioned from unconditioned space, one of the following options used continuous rigid insulation, insulated siding, or combination of the two = R-3 in CZ 1-4; = R-5 in CZ 5-8 16, 17, 18. Headers above windows & doors insulated = R-3 for 2x4 framing or equivalent cavity width, and = R-5 for all other assemblies (e.g., with 2x6 framing). Framing limited at all windows & doors to one pair of king studs, plus one pair of jack studs per window opening to support the header and sill and at interior / exterior wall intersections insulated to same R-value as rest of exterior wall. Minimum stud spacing of 16 in. o.c. for 2x4 framing in all Climate Zones and, in CZ 6-8, 24 in. o.c. for 2x6 framing 24 is required.

9: Air Sealing: (Unless otherwise noted below, “sealed” indicates the use of caulk, foam, or equivalent material) Ducts, flues, shafts, plumbing, piping, wiring, exhaust fans, & other penetrations to unconditioned space sealed, with blocking / flashing as needed and recessed lighting fixtures adjacent to unconditioned space ICAT labeled and gasketed. Also, if in insulated ceiling without attic above, exterior surface of fixture insulated to = R-10 in CZ 4-8. Above-grade sill plates adjacent to conditioned space sealed to foundation or sub-floor. Gasket also placed beneath above-grade sill plate if resting atop concrete / masonry & adjacent to cond. space. Continuous top plate or blocking is at top of walls adjoining unconditioned space, and sealed. Drywall sealed to top plate at all unconditioned attic / wall interfaces using caulk, foam, drywall adhesive (but not other construction adhesives), or equivalent material. Apply sealant directly between drywall and top plate or to the seam between the two from the attic above. Rough opening around windows & exterior doors sealed and walls that separate attached garages from occupiable space sealed. Doors adjacent to unconditioned space (e.g., attics, garages, basements) or ambient conditions made substantially air-tight with weather stripping or equivalent gasket. Attic access panels, drop-down stairs, & whole-house fans equipped with durable = R-10 cover that is gasketed (i.e., not caulked). Fan covers either installed on house side or mechanically operated. All supply and return ducts in unconditioned space, including connections to trunk ducts, are insulated to = R-67.

10. Whole-House Mechanical Ventilation System: Ventilation rate is within either ± 15 CFM or ±15% of design value with a readily-accessible ventilation override control installed and also labeled if its function is not obvious. No outdoor air intakes connected to return side of the HVAC system are allowed, unless controls are installed to operate intermittently & automatically based on a timer and to restrict intake when not in use (e.g., motorized damper). If system utilizes the HVAC fan, then the specified fan type is ECM / ICM (4.7), or the controls will reduce the standalone ventilation run-time by accounting for hours when the HVAC system is heating or cooling. Bathroom fans are ENERGY STAR certified if used as part of the whole-house system.

11. Local Mechanical Exhaust: In each kitchen and bathroom, a system is installed that exhausts directly to the outdoors and meets one of the following Rater-measured airflow and manufacturer-rated sound level standards: Kitchen = 100 CFM and, if not integrated with range, also = 5 ACH based on kitchen volume. Bathroom Fan = 50 CFM. Filter access panel includes gasket or comparable sealing mechanism and fits snugly against the exposed edge of filter when closed to prevent bypass and all return air and mechanically supplied outdoor air passes through filter prior to conditioning.

12. Combustion Appliances: Furnaces, boilers, and water heaters located within the home’s pressure boundary are mechanically drafted or direct-vented. See Footnote 56 for alternatives. Fireplaces located within the home’s pressure boundary are mechanically drafted or direct-vented. Unvented combustion appliances other than cooking ranges or ovens are located inside the home’s pressure boundary, encompassing ANSI/ACCA 12 QH-2014, Appendix A, Section A3 (Carbon Monoxide Test).

13. Solar Design for Homes: Fenestration utilized as part of a passive solar design shall be exempt from the U-factor and SHGC requirements, and shall be excluded from calculations. Exempt windows shall be facing within 45 degrees of true South and directly coupled to thermal storage mass that has a heat capacity > 20 btu / ft3xoF and provided in a ratio of at least 3 sq. ft. per sq. ft. of South facing fenestration. Generally, thermal mass materials will be at least 2 in. thick.

14. Glazing: In Passive House (PHIUS+) certified homes, where triple-glazed window assemblies with thermal breaks / spacers between the panes are used, such windows meet the intent of Item 2.1 and shall be excluded when assessing compliance. Orientation represents the direction that the front door of the house is facing. The designer is only required to document the loads for the orientation(s) that the house might be built in. For example, if a house plan will only be built one time in a specific orientation (e.g., a site-specific design), then the designer only needs to document the loads for this one orientation.

15. Design of Mass Walls: Mass walls utilized as the thermal mass component of a passive solar design (e.g., a Trombe wall) are exempt from this Item. To be eligible for this exemption, the passive solar design shall be comprised of the following five components: an aperture or collector, an absorber, thermal mass, a distribution system, and a control system. Mass walls that are not part of a passive solar design (e.g., CMU block or log home enclosure) shall either utilize the strategies outlined in Item 3.4 or the pathway in the assembly with the least thermal resistance, as determined using a method consistent with the 2013 ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, shall provide = 50% of the applicable assembly resistance, defined as the reciprocal of the mass wall equivalent U-factor in the 2009 IECC Table 402.1.3.

16. Thermal Resistance Value: Documentation identifying the pathway with the least thermal resistance and its resistance value shall be collected by the Rater and any Builder Verified or Rater Verified box under Item 3.4 shall be checked. Double-wall framing is defined as any framing method that ensures a continuous layer of insulation covering the studs to at least the R-value required such as offset double-stud walls, aligned double-stud walls with continuous insulation between the adjacent stud faces, or single-stud walls with 2x2 or 2x3 cross-framing. In all cases, insulation shall fill the entire wall cavity from the interior to exterior sheathing except at windows, doors and other penetrations.

17. Elimination of Drafts: All exterior corners shall be constructed to allow access for the installation of insulation that extends to the exterior wall sheathing. Examples of compliance options include standard-density insulation with alternative framing techniques, such as using three studs per corner, or high-density insulation (e.g., spray foam) with standard framing techniques. Compliance options include continuous rigid insulation sheathing, SIP headers etc.

18. Fireplaces: Naturally drafted fireplaces are allowed within the home’s pressure boundary if the Rater has verified that the total net rated exhaust flow of the two largest exhaust fans (excluding summer cooling fans) is = 15 CFM per 100 sq. ft. of occupiable space when at full capacity. If the net exhaust flow exceeds the allowable limit, it shall be reduced or compensating outdoor airflow provided. The minimum volume of combustion air required for safe operation by the manufacturer and / or code shall be met or exceeded. Also, in accordance with the National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.l / NFPA54, unvented room heaters shall not be installed in bathrooms or bedrooms.

Figure 1: Thermal Bypass Inspection Checklist ;https://www.energystar.gov/.../2011_Proposed_Quality_Checklists.pdf

Figure 2: HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist ;https://www.energystar.gov/.../2011_Proposed_Quality_Checklists.pdf

Figure 3: HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist ;https://www.energystar.gov/.../2011_Proposed_Quality_Checklists.pdf

Figure 4: Water Management System Builder Checklist ;https://www.energystar.gov/.../2011_Proposed_Quality_Checklists.pdf