Building America Update: Building Science Advisor Testers, Race to Zero Deadline, and New Resources
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Building Science Advisor: Seeking Beta Testers
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are developing an innovative design tool that will put building science expert advice in the hands of every building designer who needs to manage moisture risk in high-R walls. As modern buildings become increasingly more airtight, are constructed with modern labor-saving materials, and equipped with air conditioning, they have become less forgiving to moisture intrusion. They may not dry out as easily as old, leaky structures used to, and cooler interior surface temperatures from air conditioning increase condensation potential throughout the year. To remain durable, modern buildings need to be engineered to last. This requires a level of building science expertise that is not common in the housing industry.
To help change that, the Building Science Advisor (BSA) will provide a user-friendly online tool that will take some of the guesswork out of complex high-performance wall design decisions. The BSA will provide building science knowledge and advice based on expert experience, field measurements, laboratory tests, and probabilistic computer simulations.
Beta testers are needed before September 15, which is the deadline for input. Visit the BSA website to test this new tool.
Apply to Compete in the Race to Zero!
The next U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Race to Zero Student Design Competition (Race to Zero) is April 21–22, 2018, at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado.
To prepare for the event, the new Race to Zero Competition Guide is available, and the team application website is open. Start your application to gain access to additional competition information and resources. The application deadline is Nov. 7, 2017, at 5 p.m. EST.
The competition challenges collegiate teams to apply sound building science principles to create cost-effective, market-ready designs that meet DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home program requirements and the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K–12 School Buildings—Achieving a Zero Energy Building.
WaterSense Checklist Added to the Building America Solution Center
In the 10 years its WaterSense® program has been in existence, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the program has saved more than 2.1 trillion gallons of water—that’s enough water to supply every household in the United States for more than 75 days.
To help builders meet the requirements of this voluntary water efficiency program and construct homes that earn the WaterSense label, DOE has added the WaterSense checklist to the Building America Solution Center, DOE's online interactive resource for high-performance home construction. The WaterSense checklist links to two dozen interactive guides, providing builders, contractors, and installers with step-by-step instructions for achieving each requirement on the WaterSense checklist. Each guide includes a scope of work; how-to installation instructions; codes and standards information; climate-specific notes; training aides such as graphics, videos, and CAD drawings; references; and guidance for installation in existing homes. The linked checklist allows builders to quickly find the information they are looking for.
The WaterSense checklist is one of several program checklists builders can use to navigate through the Solution Center's content. Other navigation tools include the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home checklist, the ENERGY STAR® Certified Homes checklist, the EPA Indoor airPLUS checklist, and a building components tool. The guides, images, videos, CAD files, case studies, code briefs, and references are also fully searchable by key words.
Check out additional resources in the Building America Solution Center.
Upcoming Webinar on Comfort Systems and Smart Ventilation
Variable Capacity Comfort Systems and Smart Ventilation Systems in High-Performance Homes
Time: Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at 3–4:30 p.m. EDT
Learn more about Building America research that focuses on balancing needs of low-load, high-performance homes with variable capacity comfort systems and smart ventilation systems with the Florida Solar Energy Center.
It can be challenging to maintain comfort, moisture control, and indoor air quality in high-performance, low-load homes while also striving to achieve low space conditioning energy costs. Presenters will discuss research results from evaluating variable capacity comfort systems and smart ventilation systems that can help practitioners and industry partners balance these objectives. Space conditioning system and ventilation system manufacturers will benefit from insights provided into potential equipment refinements and innovations that add value to the growing low-load home market sector. An emphasis is placed on needs of the hot, humid climate.