During the assessment, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Energy assessments also determine the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling systems. An assessment may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity. You can perform a simple energy assessment yourself, or have a professional energy auditor carry out a more thorough assessment.

A professional auditor uses a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of a structure. Thorough assessments often use equipment such as blower doors, which measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope, and infrared cameras, which reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation.

“Money makes the world go ’round,” goes the old saying, and it’s certainly true in the world of residential energy efficiency.  Many worthy home energy upgrade projects are cancelled or put on hold because the owners feel they won’t get their investment back if they should sell soon.  Likewise for new construction, many builders in the speculative home market feel forced to build to the lowest performance standard, because energy upgrades won’t “appraise out.”

Plainly put, the appraisers are not doing their job, which should be to give a valuation adjustment for each feature of the home that is either above- or below-average, as compared to recent comparable sales in the area.  Is it right for a house to receive additional value for granite countertops, glass mosaic tile and a whirlpool tub, but no additional value for a 95% efficient furnace, 19 SEER air conditioner and third-party verification to a high performance national certification?  Of course not, but that is the current state of affairs.  However, help is on the way……

Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum

The Appraisal Institute recently released a three-page form called the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum to collect information about energy efficient and green features, such as insulation values, efficiencies of heating and air equipment, high peformance windows, geothermal heat pumps, ENERGY STAR qualification or a HERS Rating, etc.  The form is meant to be used by appraisers, lenders, home energy raters and builders.  The Appraisal Institute is encouraging Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to use the form and even request it from appraisers.  This form should be extremely helpful by somewhat formalizing the process, and also by educating all of the stakeholders.

If Your House is Above-Average…….Say So!

Few people realize that they have a right to request that their lender assign an appraiser who is skilled and competent at performing valuation adjustments for energy efficiency features.  It is perfectly acceptable to provide documents and information to the lender or appraiser about features of your home that you think are above average.  It is the appraiser’s job to verify that information, and give it an appropriate value.

While the appraisal industry may be getting a little pressure to change from above, it certainly won’t hurt to apply some pressure from the grassroots.  For your next involvement in any aspect of a special, high performance home, remember to put the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum in someone’s hands, and say, “This house is above-average……price it that way!”

BASF announced today (October 5, 2011) that closed-cell spray polyurethane foam products have received hurricane-zone approval from the Miami-Dade County Building and Neighborhood Compliance (BNC) Department. Tests and engineering evaluations of COMFORT FOAM® and SPRAYTITE® (178 series) applied at roofing trusses increased the wind-uplift resistance of a traditional code-approved home roof by more than 200 percent. Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) from BASF can enhance wind-uplift resistance of new and existing homes to help prevent roof failure during a hurricane.*

Submission of this test data to the Miami-Dade County BNC office resulted in the first Notice of Acceptance (NOA)** for this application with approval for use in High Velocity Hurricane Zones.

“This new hurricane-zone approval adds high-wind mitigation to an already impressive list of product benefits,” said Michael Sievers, Business Manager, Spray Systems, BASF. Sievers added that this specialty application must be installed by a BASF qualified contractor.

The Miami-Dade County NOA indicates that when BASF spray foam is applied as a three-inch fillet along the truss and roof deck, it glues the roof down to provide a simple and cost-effective means of significantly strengthening the roof against failure during high-wind events. BASF also has Florida Building Code (FBC) product approval (FL #13001) for COMFORT FOAM and SPRAYTITE (178 series) SPF products. Adding a total of three inches of closed-cell spray foam under the roof deck will also give the homeowner energy savings and wind resistance. Reduced homeowner insurance premiums may also be an added financial incentive in some areas of the country.

Homeowners in high-wind areas who want to maximize the benefits of COMFORT FOAM, including: premium-insulating values, improved indoor air quality, reduced energy bills and stronger roofs, are recommended to install a three-inch continuous application to the entire roof deck.

What stands tall after the storm may depend on a strong roof
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that hurricanes account for average insured losses of about 5.2 billion dollars per year in the United States. The majority of these losses were directly caused by severe wind and rain exposure resulting from a failed roof deck, according to a study by Clemson University.

BASF understands the value of providing materials that protect homes during catastrophic weather events including storms, hurricanes and high winds. Particularly vulnerable to these conditions are roofs. According to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, if a roof is not properly secured to the rest of a home, the likelihood of structural failure is much greater than if reinforced with hurricane damage mitigation tools.*** This type of application of spray foam glues the roof sheathing to the rafters, giving severe wind and rain no room to enter and weaken a structure.

For more information on the energy and structural benefits of building or retrofitting your home with BASF spray foam insulation, please visit http://www.spf.basf.com.

About BASF Polyurethanes
BASF is the leading supplier of Polyurethane Solutions for systems, specialties and PU basic products. With its global network of 38 polyurethane system houses and its comprehensive product and service portfolio, BASF is the preferred partner of its customers in many industries.

The BASF brand “Polyurethane Solutions” represents over 40 years of experience of the market and technology leadership for Polyurethane Systems.

In the extremely service-oriented business of polyurethane systems and specialties, reliable PU experience and competence are crucial. Through its system house network, BASF provides fast local support, from technical service and sales to production and marketing during the development of customized solutions. With its world-scale plants, BASF secures its leading market position in the production of polyurethane basic products in all regions of the world.

Polyurethanes make life more comfortable, safer and more pleasant while helping to save energy sustainably. They contribute towards improved insulation of buildings and more attractive, lightweight design of cars. Producers of shoes, mattresses and household goods as well as sports equipment use the unique advantages of polyurethanes provided with the knowledge and expertise of the polyurethane experts of BASF world-wide. Further information is available on the internet at http://www.polyurethanes.basf.com.

The article highlights the benefits of using closed-cell spray polyurethane foam (ccSPF), also known as medium-density spray foam, in residential construction.  ccSPF can be used as cavity insulation and as an exterior wall and roof material. The material has applications in all climate zones.

Among the numerous benefits offered by ccSPF, the material’s water resistance can be an invaluable asset in the face of the severe weather conditions common to coastal regions. In fact, “Closed-cell spray foam has negligible water permeability, minimal water absorption, and excellent adhesion allowing it to act as a secondary rainwater barrier to limit damage when primary roof assembly rainwater-control membranes leak,” states Christopher J. Schumacher, a principal with Building Science Consulting, Westford, Massachusetts.

Everywhere there are joints and cracks, the spray foam seals and prevents the entry of water. In cases where the primary roof does leak, the ccSPF application can keep water from spreading through to the interior finishes.

And for low-slope roofing, ccSPF, by itself, can actually perform as a primary water barrier due to its high adhesion and closed-cell characteristics. It keeps away mold and mildew and is the only FEMA-approved cavity insulation for homes built in flood zones.  Furthermore, after it is exposed to water, it demonstrates rapid drying capability.

The high-performance insulating material, closed-cell SPF, strengthens the same walls they insulate. Closed-cell SPF is stiffer and stronger than other insulations. For that reason, ccSPF can strengthen frame walls by a factor of two to three times when applied inside the wall cavities.

An additional area where ccSPF has well proven its worth includes withstanding wind uplift. Considering the fact that uplift of the roof deck is, after window and glazing damage, the most common form of hurricane damage, this can be key.  Testing shows that wind uplift performance can increase by two to three times with spray foam insulation.

Beyond water resistance and wind uplift, additional ccSPF properties include thermal insulation and airflow control.  Closed-cell spray foam acts as an air barrier (at 1 in. or 25 mm minimum thickness) and vapor retarder (at 2 in. or 50 mm minimum thickness) and therefore does not need an additional vapor retarder in cold climates. And because ccSPF is air impermeable, it adheres well to construction surfaces and expands to fill voids, thereby creating an air seal.

With ccSPF, all these problems are eliminated. Industry groups like the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) and the Spray Polyurethane Foam Division of the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) list a number of additional benefits:

• Energy transfer through ductwork is no longer lost to the exterior.
• Water pipes are better protected from freezing.
• Airtightness requirements for the ceiling plane are reduced or eliminated.
• Renovation and rewiring involve no disturbance to the insulation layer.
• Attic storage space

As a result, the upcoming 2006 edition of IRC will allow unvented, conditioned attics when the following four conditions are met:

1. No interior vapor retarders are installed on the ceiling side (attic floor) of the unvented attic space.

2. An air-impermeable insulation is applied directly to the interior underside of the structural roof deck. “Air permeable” is defined as ASTM E283, “Standard Test Method for Determining Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences Across the Specimen.” An exception is permitted in the code’s Climate Zones 2B and 3B (portions of southern California and Arizona) where the use of air-impermeable insulation is not required.

3. In Climate Zones 3 through 8, sufficient insulation is installed to maintain the monthly average temperature of the condensing surface above 45 F (7 C). These zones encompass all the U.S. except Florida and Hawaii and the southernmost portions of Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The condensing surface is defined as either the structural roof deck or interior surface side of the air-impermeable insulation. For calculation purposes, an interior design temperature of 68 F (20 C) is assumed; exterior temperature is determined as the monthly average outside temperature.

4. In warm, humid locations, for asphalt shingle roof systems, a vapor retarder with a perm rating of 1 perm (57.4 mg/s•m²•Pa) or less be installed on the exterior side of the structural roof deck. For wood shingle and shake roof systems, a 1/4-inch- (6-mm-) thick minimum air space shall be provided between the underlayment and shingles or shakes. “Warm, humid locations” include all of Florida and specific counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

UNVENTED ATTIC:

The new International Residential Code language allows unvented attic spaces, as long as the roof is insulated with air-impermeable foam and there’s no vapor retarder between the attic and the living space.

Recommended insulation for coastal areas by FEMA technical fact sheet # 8 Insulation: plastics, synthetics, and closed-cell foam, or other types approved by local building officials

There’s no evidence that sealed and insulated attics trap moisture. Researchers have found that, in hot, humid climates, buildings with unvented attics are actually less likely to have condensation and mold than those with vented attics. That’s because, in these climates, most moisture comes from outside, and the foam keeps the attic dry by sealing that moisture out.

Humid attics wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for leaky air-conditioning ducts. Depending on the pressures in the HVAC system and the pressures in the house created by that system, these leaks can blow cold air into the attic or suck hot, humid air into the ductwork and into floor and wall cavities. Either way, you have a problem. Air leaking from the ducts can cool nearby surfaces enough that humid attic air condenses on them. Moist air pulled into the ductwork will get blown into the living space, where it can condense on walls and ceilings. There has seen none of these ills in homes with sealed and conditioned attics (conditioned by means of passive connection to the living space).

Foam contractors are trained and certified by insulation manufacturers. There have been no reported problems with unvented attics built in Florida as long as 10 years ago. It’s a proven building technology.

In high wind regions – particularly in coastal areas, wind driven rain is a problem with vented roof assemblies. Additionally, during high wind events, vented soffit collapse leads to building pressurization and window blowout and roof loss due to increased uplift. Unvented roofs – principally due to the robustness of their soffit construction – outperform vented roofs during hurricanes – they are safer.

Effects on roofing

• The greatest influence on roof temperature is geographic location. The mean roof temperatures for Miami and Green Bay, Wis., for example, differ by 18 degrees Celsius.
• The direction a roof faces has the second greatest influence on average roof temperature (in excess of 1.44 degrees Celsius in the east through south-to-west range studied, but the real difference is greater because other directions, such as north, will be cooler).
• The color of roofing materials influences the mean temperature of a roof system slightly less than direction (1.45 degrees Celsius average for these parameters).
• Ventilating the area under a roof deck reduces the average temperature 0.5 degrees Celsius (about one-third the influence of the direction or color and one-thirty-sixth the influence of geographic location). Even with wind assistance, ventilation reduces average roof temperature about half as much as using white rather than black shingles.
• Within the ranges studied, slope has the least influence on average shingle temperature

The New York City Buildings Department recognized the RESNET Energy Smart Contractor credential for the program’s general contractor license for 1-, 2- and 3-family homes

The Sustainable Contractor Designation Program recognizes those individuals who are working to meet today’s increased demand for new, green technologies and reduce the City’s carbon footprint. The program identifies contractors who demonstrate knowledge in sustainable practices through third-party certifications/credentials. Contractors who choose to participate in the program agree to promote the use of green technologies to their customers and report these activities to the Department. Additionally, the program allows consumers to search for and identify contractors with expertise in green practices.