March 29, 2010
PITTSBURGH, PA - The Best Practices Research Alliance, a collaborative research-based organization looking at strategies to improve quality and performance in American homebuilding, today announced the official launch of the Zero Energy Lab Home program. The Alliance's Zero Energy Lab Home program is a multi-year research initiative focused on developing design, construction and financial approaches to deliver affordable, zero energy homes at the production level throughout the U.S. This effort is being led by IBACOS®, the founder of the Alliance and a team leader for the Department of Energy's Building America program. Construction of the first lab home, which explores strategies for the cold climate, will begin next month in Pittsburgh.
IBACOS selected Pennsylvania-based S&A Homes as the builder of the Pittsburgh lab home, which will be constructed just a few miles north from downtown in the Cobblestone community of Ohio Township. S&A is a founding member of the Alliance, and builds all of its homes to exceed ENERGY STAR standards.
"Our business model of providing high quality, high performance and high value homes fits perfectly with the Lab Home program's goals," said Chris Schoonmaker, Vice President of S&A Homes. "We plan to use the lab home project as a means to stay on top of the latest technology and construction practices."
By taking a whole house systems approach and combining energy conservation with renewable strategies, a net zero energy home is able to produce as much energy as it consumes in a given year. With legislation pushing builders toward greater levels of energy efficiency and homebuyers looking for more value for their dollar, the lab home program manager, Kevin Brozyna of IBACOS, believes the time is right to look at production-focused strategies. "Based on research and energy modeling that we've done, we believe that although it's not always cost effective, it's technically possible to deliver zero energy homes in most areas of the country with existing technologies."
Homebuilders are farther along on the path toward zero energy in a few states, due to advancements in codes, utility incentives, and local government programs, as well as greater availability of renewable energy resources. "But in general, there's a gap in the knowledge and experience needed to deliver these homes on a major scale in a way that makes sense for a builder's business and is affordable for the homeowner. We plan to bridge that gap with this program," Brozyna added.
Production homebuilders account for more than half of the homes built in the U.S. each year. "Delivering net zero energy homes isn't just a design challenge, it's a business and construction problem at the production level," said Betsy Scott, manager of the Best Practices Research Alliance. "Open collaboration with homebuilders, trade contractors, and leading product and material suppliers will be critical to finding design and construction practices that builders can leverage to take zero energy homes from one-off projects and small communities to a core product offering. That's where the Alliance comes in. We're tackling the problem from the technology and business ends and engaging the industry in the discussion."
Through the course of the Zero Energy Lab Home program, lab homes will be evaluated against three criteria: Performance (energy, safety, health, durability, comfort and environmental friendliness), ease of construction (material availability, trade capabilities, and installation time), and cost-effectiveness (affordability to build, own, and operate, and value over time).
Construction of the Pittsburgh lab home is set to break ground in March, and be completed before the end of 2010. It will be maintained - unoccupied but constantly monitored - for a three-year period in order to fully measure and evaluate its long-term performance in terms of energy efficiency, safety, comfort, durability, and resource efficiency. IBACOS building performance specialists will use various methods to simulate normal operation of the home, accounting for things like water and energy use from clothes washing, dishwasher operation, and showering; energy use from lighting, heating and cooling; etc.
"We'll be measuring the value that these homes will provide and sharing that information within the Alliance, with the industry and with homebuyers," Scott explained.
About the Best Practices Research Alliance and IBACOS
The Best Practices Research Alliance® is a research-based community of production homebuilders collaborating with building performance specialists, quality and business management experts, and product and material manufacturers. Our ultimate goal is to identify and share how to deliver high quality, zero energy homes as an everyday part of mainstream America. Homes that produce as much energy as they consume, while offering higher levels of comfort, durability, safety, and earth friendliness. The Alliance was created and is operated by IBACOS®, a consulting firm specializing in home quality and performance and a research team leader for the Department of Energy’s Building America program. The Alliance is supported in part by leading industry suppliers – Carrier Corporation, Dow, DuPont, Johns Manville, Panasonic, and Progress Lighting – and outreach and education partners Scripps Networks and BuildIQ. To learn more, visit www.theresearchalliance.org.
Contact
Elizabeth (Betsy) Scott
escott@ibacos.com
Phone: 412-325-1514
2214 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
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