Woodruff+Rating

Final Report Feb. 22, 2011

2. Determined a schedule for the completion of the project. ||
 * **TASK STATUS REPORT** ||
 * **Project Description:** |||||||| Determine the rating on the current house built--Woodruff.  ||
 * **Project Sponsor:** |||| Habitat for Humanity || Sponsor Rep: ||  ||
 * **Program Manager:** |||| Rich Wells || **Project Manager:** || Emilia Faraj ||
 * Period covered by the report: |||||| Week: Jan18- Jan 25 ||
 * **Accomplished This Period:** ||
 * 1. Completed online modules for audit training--total of 32 hrs
 * **Planned But Not Accomplished This Period:** ||
 * Everything was accomplished. ||
 * **Objectives To Next Reporting Period:**
 * 1) Feb 1: Get in touch with Habitat for Humanity, and ask for details on the house built, (i.e. insulation used)
 * 2) Feb 8: Audit the house
 * 3) Feb 15: Analyze and recommend changes, if any
 * 4) Feb 22: Report completed ||
 * **Risks/Outstanding Issues/Problems:** ||
 * 1. Time constraints ||

Having a house with a good energy efficient rating not only captivates people’s attention nowadays, but increases the comfort and well being for the people who live in it. This task is designed to discover the rating of the house in Woodruff Avenue built by Habitat for Humanity. To measure the rating, several areas need to be inspected.

My assigned task was to measure the energy rating of a house from Habitat for Humanity. In order to accomplish this measurement I took into consideration the following factors :
 * solar orientation of the house
 * wall to window ratios
 * window efficiency
 * performing blower door tests
 * check the insulation levels
 * lighting for the house
 * Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioner (HVAC system)
 * and locating air leaks

After evaluating all factors together, an analysis can be done to calculate the energy rating of the house.

It is important to know the energy rating of the house because overall it adds value to the house. For example, it adds surplus value to the house and it helps in saving money to the house owners, it also improves the health and comfort of the people living in it.

Taking into consideration the energy performance of a house during a design phase, have an overall positive effect in all the houses to be build for a low cost.

The main question to answer through this measurement, is to determine the right value in the HERS Index for the Woodruff house. Once having that value, one can observe the different ways it can be improved either for that same house, or for new houses to be built. Another question, is to determine what is the appropriate equipment necessary to do the inspection.

A blower door test picture is viewable for a better understanding. [1]

This table shows how to perform an assessment by yourself.[2]



<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">For a self assessment, the equipment can be improvised, and use simple methods. With an expert rater, special equipment is necessary-as seen in the blower door picture, a big fan with a pressurizer; for insulation on walls, the thermographic inspection can be well done with an infrared scanner, etc.

<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">To accomplish this purpose, one needs an audit that fulfill these tests. I found an online course that trains an introductory auditor training, for free [3]. The course is an intensive week training listening to speakers and performing exercises, as well as doing quizzes. At the end of the course, a final test is done and a certificate of completion is awarded. I am a module away from completion, due to time constraints.

<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">Most of the information given we have discussed in class, or some classmates have been assigned to those projects, i.e. overhangs, insulation, etc. In this course, calculations concerning with temperature, pressure, and cost are taught. <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">It is discussed that there is a free software that does all of these calculation, rather than by doing them by hand.The software is eQuest, and is also free [4].

Apart from the course, I also found a “do it yourself home energy assessment” [2] by simply walking through the entire house looking for several details.

<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">The only decision made so far, is taking this course, which I think is a really good foundation to make this walk-through. I looked into several websites and researched different sites to get constant information.

<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">By knowing what the expert raters look for, one can easily follow their steps to do it without having him be there.

<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">For this project to be completed, the following must be fulfilled.
 * <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">First, obtain the certificate. This will happen in no longer than a week, now that I have more time to dedicate to it.
 * <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">Next, complete the list of the equipment necessary, if it they available to us, and if they are not, make them available-that is, talk to the right people.
 * <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">Thirdly, schedule a day, either the entire class or just me, to complete this walk-through around the Woodruff Ave. house. If we make it a workday, we can split different areas for inspection. For example, the person in charge of a certain task that corresponds to a certain area in the house can be in charge of it, and they can point out the improvements that would be necessary or would agree with how it is built; furthermore, I will be the person who will collect the information and make it into a whole report for the rating to be given.
 * <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">When the information has been gathered, more detailed studies on the software, eQuest, will have been made, and observed if that is an appropriate software for our purposes, or research before that time for any other software that will complete the report.
 * <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">Once the report is complete, the rating will be the only thing to be determined which by that time will be easy to identify.
 * <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">An option to end with, could be how to improve the design of the house, along with it, how to improve the rating just obtained.

<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; text-decoration: none; widows: 2;">One can see it is not hard to find out how energy efficient houses are. A simple “recipe” anyone who is interested in doing can do for their houses, and it does not take a lot of time. Besides, n owadays, everyone is “going green” and helping the environment. When one has their houses being energy efficient, they are slowly impacting the world, making it a better place a house at a time.

References <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">[1] //<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-weight: normal;">Saving Money on Heating Oil and Energy Bills with a Home Energy Audit // <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">, New York, NY: Heating Oil. web site: [|__http://www.heatingoil.com/articles/home-energy-audits/__]<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">, downloaded Dec. 13, 2010 <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">[2] //<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-weight: normal;">Do it Yourself Home Energy Assessments // <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">. Washington, D.C., NY:Energy Savers, U.S. Department of Energy. web site: [|__http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11170__]<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">, downloaded Nov. 15, 2010 <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">[3] //<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-weight: normal;">Residential Energy Efficiency Auditor Training // <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">. International Center of Appropriate & Sustainable Technology, Denver, CO: .web site: [|__http://training.icastusa.org/login/index.php__]<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">, downloaded Nov. 29, 2010 <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">[4] //<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-weight: normal;">eQuest. // <span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">DOE,. web site: [|__http://www.doe2.com/download/equest/eQUESTv3-Overview.pdf__]<span style="background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-origin: initial; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">, downloaded Dec. 13, 2010

<span style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5in; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;">2. Cost for n ecessary equipment ||
 * **TASK STATUS REPORT** ||
 * **Project Description:** |||||||| Determine the rating on the current house built--Woodruff.  ||
 * **Project Sponsor:** |||| Habitat for Humanity || Sponsor Rep: ||  ||
 * **Program Manager:** |||| Rich Wells || **Project Manager:** || Emilia Faraj ||
 * Period covered by the report: |||||| Week: Nov 15- Nov 19 ||
 * **Accomplished This Period:** ||
 * <span style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5in; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. "Recipe for Do-it Yourself Inspection"
 * **Planned But Not Accomplished This Period:** ||
 * <span style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5in; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: -0.25in;">1. Get in touch with an expert rater. ||
 * **Objectives To Next Reporting Period:**
 * 1) Plan a day for the inspection to be accomplished ||
 * **Risks/Outstanding Issues/Problems:** ||

Sources: [] (Online Training) []

2. Find sources to help develop the rating. ||
 * **TASK STATUS REPORT** ||
 * **Project Description:** |||||||| Determine the rating on the current house built--Woodruff.  ||
 * **Project Sponsor:** |||| Habitat for Humanity || Sponsor Rep: ||  ||
 * **Program Manager:** |||| Rich Wells || **Project Manager:** || Emilia Faraj ||
 * Period covered by the report: |||||| Week: Nov 8- Nov 12 ||
 * **Accomplished This Period:** ||
 * 1. Determine areas for an inspection checklist.
 * **Planned But Not Accomplished This Period:** ||
 * Everything was accomplished. ||
 * **Objectives To Next Reporting Period:** ||
 * # Get in touch with an expert rater.
 * 1) Start a confirmed rating, where all the data is gathered from an inspection.
 * Might use testing results from the 'Energy Requirements' section for the entire house leakeage and duct leakage. ||
 * **Risks/Outstanding Issues/Problems:** ||
 * # There is no preliminary rating to compare with.
 * 1) Insulation might be covered with the sheetrock already. ||