Abstract
This paper evaluates the performance of 1,346 homes in Alachua County, Florida that were Home Energy Rating System (HERS)-rated between February 1998 and December 2009 for participation in various energy-efficiency programs for new residential construction. The primary analysis objective is to measure the energy-efficiency performance of these HERS-rated homes against conventionally built homes using metered energy consumption data for calendar years 2000–2010. A secondary objective is to assess performance of the four major builders of HERS-rated homes. In calendar year 2000, average energy savings for all HERS-rated homes was 18 %. However, over the following decade average savings degraded steadily, stabilizing around 7 % in the last 5 years of the analysis. We conclude that, while HERS-rated homes in the study area are performing better than similar conventionally built homes, the average HERS-rated home is not achieving the level of savings anticipated based on its HERS score and related energy-efficiency program participation. Differences in savings among builders of HERS-rated homes suggest that variations in program implementation and construction practices can yield significantly different energy performance results. Of the four builders tested, the least efficient averaged 3 % less energy consumed than conventionally built homes, while the most efficient averaged 21 % less. Overall, findings of this study indicate the need for re-examination of the HERS-rating process as a primary benchmark and for increased emphasis on direct measurement and verification of performance using historical energy consumption data.
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Notes
There is currently no national database available for homes that received the EPA’s ENERGY STAR designation or that were built under DOE’s Building America framework. This information and the rights to distribution reside with the various program administrators throughout the country.
Builders were allowed to score homes permitted for construction before the end of calendar year 2006 under the original scoring criteria. The last homes in the study population rated under the original criteria were registered on August 1, 2007.
Florida’s building code has advanced faster and is more stringent than codes in many other states; nevertheless, the general premise that these HERS-rated homes offer superior performance is promoted in marketing materials for various energy-efficiency programs for new residential construction and for the EEM industry without mention of variations in conventional practice.
Due to a change in the utility’s billing system in 2007, metered consumption data for calendar year 2007 were not reliable and were excluded from the analysis.
Natural gas consumption (originally metered and billed in therms) was converted to British Thermal Units (BTUs) and then to equivalent kilowatt hours, with 1 therm equal to 3,414 British Thermal Units or 29.3 kW h.
Year 2007 data were excluded from both analyses because of data reliability concerns explained previously. Builders are only evaluated for years in which they have at least 30 occupied homes.
Year 2007 data were excluded from both analyses because of data reliability concerns explained previously. Builders are only evaluated for years in which they have at least 30 occupied homes.
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Taylor, N.W., Jones, P.H., Searcy, J.K. et al. Evaluating ten years of energy performance of HERS-rated homes in Alachua County, Florida. Energy Efficiency 7, 729–741 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-013-9251-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-013-9251-5