“Build tight, ventilate right” is a universal mantra of high-performance home designers and scientists. Tight construction is one of the most important cornerstones of high-performance homes, but is only possible with ensured dilution of indoor contaminants. And, this ensured dilution is dependent on an effective base standard for whole-house and spot ventilation. This is why the ASHRAE 62.2 residential ventilation standard is critical to transforming the residential sector to high-performance homes. This 2014 Top Innovation describes Building America research and support that was instrumental in developing and gaining adoption of this vitally important standard.

The U.S. Department of Energy goals call for zero energy ready homes that are 50% more efficient than the 2009 IECC and whole-house retrofits that reduce energy use 25% in existing homes by 2025. By specifying minimum ventilation rates, ASHRAE 62.2 is a critical enabling innovation that will contribute to DOE’s long-term goal of saving the nation $2.2 trillion in energy-related costs through a 50% reduction in building energy consumption.