The builder is proud of the beautiful house, new again, gleaming, high ceilinged great room and chef's modern show kitchen. The contractor awaits his final payment and joy of a job well done and onto a new project. The new project photos look fantastic on the builder's website.
The HERS rater shows up and performance tests the new addition's forced air heating and cooling system. Failure on 3 of the first 4 tests. The contractor failed to read the energy report and the required Quality Insulation Installation (Translation: insulation installed to manufacturer specs) was never installed.
Here is the letter.
Dear owner and General Contractor, 3/1/2018
As per our conversation, this letter is detailing the results of my visit to 987 Oak Drive, Santa Suburba, CA.
The house is failing to pass the energy code. I tested the duct leakage and airflow for the two HVAC systems on the property. Three of the four tests for duct leakage and total airflow did not pass and therefore the house did not comply with the HERS Energy Code Standards. The new addition HVAC system had 719 CFM total airflow (pass) and 165 CFM duct leakage (40 CFM max is passing). The new ducts in the south HVAC system had 1055 CFM airflow (1400 min. to pass) and 401 CFM of duct leakage, (70 CFM leakage is maximun leakage to pass).
Below is a list of energy efficiency measures as they now exist in the house. These items are the most likely to be modified in order to comply with the California Energy Code.
- Quality Insulation Installation, a required measure in the Title 24 energy report, was not done.
- No radiant barrier in the roof sheathing plywood was installed
- 80% efficient furnace installed instead of a 90%+ efficient furnace.
- The water heater is 62% effiecient rather than 90%+.
- Insulation is missing in areas in the new addition's attic.
- The mandatory measure (in both energy code and CalGreen): Manual J, D and S, HVAC load calculations, equipment selection and duct design, were not done.
In order to pass and receive your final, I suggest that you get in contact with your energy consultant to determine how to get the house to meet the 2016 California energy code given the above conditions.
Please do not hesitate to call me with any questions.
Very Truly yours,
Geo
It was most unfortunate to have to write a letter like this. The energy consultant obviously did not get the point to the GC that QII had to be done and documented by a HERS rater in order to pass. Once the insulation was covered over with drywall the opportunity to inspects was gone.
Please read the energy report and CalGreen. Spend a few minutes reading the mandatory requirements in each. The reference above equipment can last 30 years. Energy consumers are poorly served when equipment from the 70s or 80s is thoughtlessly put into a house designed for the next generation.
