New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Exterior Building Solutions To Insulation

TO4 8.2.2: Space Cond. for Deep Energy Retrofits

The purpose of this project for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is to find new or improved strategies for exterior building solutions in regard to insulation that will provide extensive energy-savings benefits for homeowners. Deep energy retrofits (DER) is one of the solutions. In the past, DERs have been expensive and hard for the average homeowner to budget. The DER solutions that IBACOS and GreenHomes America (GHA) are proposing will be market friendly, affordable, and easily repeatable. The insulation strategies that will be used on nine test homes include the following:

• Rigid foam insulation
• Four homes will have approximate center-of-wall R-values of R-28, including furring strips for siding, with additional systems approach work to supply the complete integrated DER solution.
• Spray foam insulation
• Four homes will have approximate center-of-wall R-values of R-30, with additional systems approach work to supply the complete integrated DER solution.
• HPwES upgrade
• One home will include criteria from the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program, including dense pack walls and window upgrades for this retrofit strategy.

In addition to the insulation, the strategies will include treatment where needed in the attic, mechanical systems, ventilation and basement band joist, walls, and floors.