A More Affordable and Comfortable Home Through Energy Conservation

Rieger Homes has been working hard for the last few years to make our homes as affordable and comfortable as possible through implementation of newly available technology and practices to save energy.  With the introduction of New York State’s new 2010 Energy Conservation Code, residential home builders across the State are now being tasked to create more comfortable living environments that use less energy. With high fuel prices, a troubled economy, and the unpredictable New York weather it is increasingly more important to keep your utility expenses under control. The state has adopted this new energy code, in December 2010, to help accomplish just that.  The improvements we are incorporating into our homes really separate the performance of our new homes from older, less efficient homes.

   Controlling air infiltration, or the amount of heat and A/C that leaks out of a house, is foremost on the list of new code requirements. We have been focusing on this for some time.  Now, the Code requires that quite a bit of time be spent sealing up the spaces between the construction framing and the outside. This includes spaces between plywood sheets, gaps around windows and doors, and holes for wiring and piping. A follow up building department visual inspection OR a blower door test is now mandatory. The blower door test checks for the tightness of a home, and is done by an independent energy consultant with the necessary equipment and expertise. A duct blaster test must also be performed. This again requires specialized equipment and checks for leaks from air conditioning and heating ducts. Great care is taken to seal up all of the duct outlets and inlets. A blower is then directed into the duct spaces, and the “leakage” can be measured over a period of time. This will help insure that the money spent to keep the home comfortable is efficiently going into the living space where it’s needed.

   There are several other new requirements that deal with improved energy efficiency for your new home, as well as providing specific information to the home owner and the building department. A label is now required on the electric panel that lists the predominant R-values of insulation installed in ceilings, walls, basement and heating ducts, as well as glass and mechanical system efficiencies.

   The result is a tighter, more energy efficient, more comfortable home. Through improved construction practices, and a better understanding of building science, we can create a more comfortable living space that better helps us combat the rising price of energy.   The savings versus the cost of operating an older home is substantial.