WHY IT'S GREEN
WHAT MAKES IT GREEN?
NOLA100 is designed to give homeowners a renovated home that helps to provide a sustainable recovery. For many of these vulnerable populations the on-going costs of home occupancy and ownership are a critical factor. Utilizing the latest in energy conservation technology and sustainable materials in these homes not only makes sense environmentally, but brings years of astounding economic benefits to homeowners on a fixed income.
One of the programs the NOLA100 utilizes is the Louisiana HERO program guidelines. For an existing home to qualify for HERO, it must have its level of energy efficiency improved by at least 30 percent. This is determined by doing ‘before’ and ‘after’ energy ratings on the homes. The on-site inspection includes testing the home for air infiltration and duct leakage using an instrument called a blower door. All ratings are performed by private sector Energy Raters.
HERO Home Energy Ratings
In Louisiana, the Home Energy Rating system is administered by Energy Rated Homes of Louisiana (ERHL), a section of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources. The DNR website describes the energy rating process like this:
A home energy rating lets one compare the energy efficiency of their home to other homes, estimate future energy bills, and evaluate improvements that will save money. It is a standard measure of home energy efficiency. According to national standards, the energy efficiency of a home is measured on a 500-point index. Homes rated at 100 points are deemed to meet the requirements of the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Homes rated at 0 points, are "net zero", or generate as much energy as they consume annually. To qualify for HERO, the home must be 30 percent more efficient than the base house as tested, or must rate 30 points less than the original house (prior to improvements) on the rating scale.
How it Helps Our Clients….and the Environment
In our previous projects, it was estimated that incorporating just five elements – double pane Low-e windows, Compact Fluorescent Lighting, low VOC paint, high efficiency hot water systems and proper insulation- offered operating savings potential of $5,000 per house, while also improving quality of life and the home’s environmental footprint.
Project partner The Salvation Army realized the benefit that these improvements, even with a slightly higher upfront cost, could bring to the homeowner’s recovery. The “premium” per house for using these more sustainable materials, a $750 investment over conventional materials, will result in a 600% return in energy savings over the life of the materials. In the NOLA100, The Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative is providing the project and our partners with expertise and resources to incorporate even more sustainable components and technologies into the rebuilding process. Selected NOLA100 homes will incorporate solar hot water heaters or foam in place insulation and all homes undergo the full energy rating.
Case Studies
Here are a few of the first houses completed. Each Case Study presents the before ratings and proposed ratings if all recommendations are achieved, what has been the experience during construction and what were the challenges the construction team faced in gaining energy efficiency.
We also profile the client, so they you can see why it is we, and all the wonderful volunteers at NOLA100, do what we do!
Click on the names below to view project and construction information.
1. Case Study 101
2. Case Study 102
3. Case Study 103
4. More Coming Soon
Helpful Guide and Resources
The wonderful folks at EcoBuilder and USGBC have worked with the NOLA100 and Rebuilding Together field supervisors to create a guide to an Energy Efficient rebuild on a budget.
Here is a draft of the NOLA100 report from EcoBuilder:
http://web.me.com/ecobuilder/nola/home.html
And the blog from Fine Homebuilding:
http://blogs.taunton.com/fh-greenblog
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