U.S. Department of Energy Builders Challenge
The Builders Challenge is a program created by the U.S. Department of Energy designed to encourage the building industry to construct energy efficient homes. The goal of the Builders Challenge is to build 220,000 high performance homes by 2012. High-performance homes must score 70 or less on the EnergySmart Home Scale (E-Scale) in order to qualify. The E-Scale is based upon the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index, developed by Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). The E-Scale is designed so that a home built to existing code should score 100.
The Builders Challenge also provides Quality Criteria in the form of 29 requirements and recommendations for homes to qualify.
Requirements and Recommendations
(numbering corresponds to guidelines)
- Project Documentation
- Building Envelope Moisture Management — Design Phase
- Material-Efficient Framing
- Construction Waste Management
- Space Conditioning Design
- Space Conditioning Design
- Dehumidification
- Space-Conditioning System Installation
- Building Envelope Pressurization Testing
- Windows
- Whole Building Mechanical Ventilation I
- Kitchen Ventilation
- Bathroom Ventilation
- Clothes Dryer Venting
- Duct Leakage
- Air Barrier and Insulation Integrity
- Filtration
- Combustion Safety
- Carbon Monoxide
- Carbon Monoxide
- Garage Exhaust Ventilation
- Air Handler Location
- Building Envelope Moisture Management – Field Verification
- ENERGY STAR Equipment
- Whole Building Mechanical Ventilation II
- Pressure Balancing
- Low VOC Interior Coatings
- Low VOC Adhesives
- Low-Emission Cabinets
PROCESS
The Builders Challenge is administered by qualified third party verifiers. Builders select a local program partner and either comply with the Builders Challenge criteria or the partner's criteria if it has been deemed equivalent to the challenge criteria.
There are three compliance paths for builders to take part in the Builders Challenge:
Performance
- Builder and third party verifier register with DOE
- Third party rates, tests, and verifies E-Scale score and Quality Criteria
- Third party submits required information to DOE
- DOE provides E-Scale to builder
Prescriptive
- Builder chooses Technology Information Package (TIP)
- Builder and third party verifier register with DOE
- Third party tests and verifies that home meets TIP and Quality Criteria
- Third party submits required information to DOE or partner program
- DOE Provides E-Scale to Builder
Partner/HERS Provider
- Establish equivalency and operations with DOE
- Builder and third party verifier register with DOE
- Third party rates, tests, and verifies equivalent E-Scale score and Quality Criteria
- Third party submits required information to partner program
- Partner or DOE provides E-Scale to builder
COST
The program is government funded, and many of the verifiers receive grants to administer the evaluation services required. Therefore, beyond any construction costs required for compliance there is no additional cost to the builder.
