EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual Draft — June 2008

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual Produced by Natural Resources Canada Office of Energy Efficiency EnerGuide is the official Government of Canada mark associated with the labeling and rating of the energy consumption or energy efficiency of household appliances, heating equipment, air conditioners, houses and vehicles. The EnerGuide Rating System (ERS) provides for the energy evaluation of newly-built homes by unbiased, qualified and licensed energy advisors retained by service organizations in communities across Canada. Energy advisors use their expertise in combination with energy modeling software to help homebuilders and homebuyers make informed decisions while choosing energy upgrades before building a new house. The service includes consultation and advice, an evaluation of house plans, a report, and an EnerGuide rating label. Visit our Web site at newhomes.gc.ca. Aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Système de cote ÉnerGuide : Manuel des procédures du conseiller en efficacité énergétique. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2008 June 2008 This document describes in detail NRCan’s energy efficiency evaluation protocols and procedures for newly-built homes. It is intended for energy advisors and has been developed for use during energy advisor workshops and as a reference manual. It is not for general distribution. For more information about this publication, or to obtain authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part, please write to: EnerGuide Rating System Housing Division Natural Resources Canada 580 Booth Street, 18th floor Ottawa ON KlA 0E4 Telephone: (613) 1 (800) 387-2000 Fax: (613) 996-3764 You can visit the EnerGuide Rating System web site at newhomes.gc.ca. You can also view or order several of the Office of Energy Efficiency’s publications on-line. Visit our Energy Publications Virtual Library at oee.nrcan.gc.ca/infosource.

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual i

Contents

Module 1 Introduction to the EnerGuide Rating System................................................. 1

Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1

Why was the EnerGuide Rating System developed? ................................................... 1

What is the EnerGuide Rating System?........................................................................... 1

How will the EnerGuide Rating System affect your business? ................................. 3

Who administers the EnerGuide Rating System? ........................................................ 4

How to become an energy advisor? ................................................................................. 4

Energy advisor workshop .................................................................................................... 5

Energy advisor suggested equipment list ...................................................................... 6

Module 2 Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Combustion Spillage............................. 9

Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 9

Indoor air quality .................................................................................................................... 9

Indoor air quality and energy efficiency .......................................................................... 9

Moisture .................................................................................................................................. 10

Absolute vs. relative humidity .......................................................................................... 12

Controlling moisture and indoor air pollutant problems .......................................... 13

Ventilation and air leakage terminology ........................................................................ 15

Can we rely on natural ventilation to control moisture and indoor air pollutants?................................................................................................................................................... 16

Why do we make houses airtight and then mechanically ventilate them? .......... 17

How much ventilation is required? ................................................................................. 18

What kind of mechanical ventilation system is required? ........................................ 18

The dangers of combustion spillage .............................................................................. 20

When is combustion spillage a problem? ..................................................................... 21

What are some of the signs of combustion spillage? ............................................... 21

Designing to reduce the potential for combustion spillage ..................................... 22

Dealing with combustion spillage ................................................................................... 23

Module 3 Preparing for the Plan Evaluation ..................................................................... 25

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 25

Conducting the pre-evaluation interview with the homebuilder in preparation for the plan evaluation .............................................................................................................. 25

Module 4 Conducting the Plan Evaluation and Developing Upgrade Packages .... 27

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 27

Data accuracy and precision ............................................................................................ 27

Dimension conventions and energy simulation software data interpretation .... 28

File-naming protocol ........................................................................................................... 30

Creating the “P” file............................................................................................................. 30

Developing upgrade recommendations......................................................................... 30

Windows, doors and skylights ..................................................................................... 32

Heating and cooling systems ....................................................................................... 32

Thermostats................................................................................................................... 3837

Fuel switching ............................................................................................................... 3837

Air conditioning ............................................................................................................ 3837

Ventilation ...................................................................................................................... 3938

Drain water heat recovery .......................................................................................... 4645

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual ii

Low-flush toilets ........................................................................................................... 4746

Summary ............................................................................................................................ 4746

Module 5 Preparing for the As-Built Evaluation .......................................................... 5049

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5049

Conducting the pre-evaluation interview with the homebuilder in preparation for the as-built evaluation .................................................................................................... 5049

House description ........................................................................................................ 5150

Access............................................................................................................................. 5150

Heating system ............................................................................................................. 5150

Reporting results ......................................................................................................... 5150

Closing the interview .................................................................................................. 5150

Module 6 Conducting a Blower Door Test .................................................................... 5453

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 5453

What is a blower door?................................................................................................... 5453

Conducting a blower door test ..................................................................................... 5554

Blower door test procedures .................................................................................... 5655

Results of the blower door test .................................................................................... 6261

Blower door test data .................................................................................................. 6261

Blower door test criteria............................................................................................. 6261

Air change per hour..................................................................................................... 6261

Equivalent leakage area (ELA) ................................................................................. 6261

The exponent n ............................................................................................................. 6362

Correlation coefficient r ............................................................................................. 6362

Relative standard error ............................................................................................... 6463

Normalized leakage area (NLA) ................................................................................ 6463

Communicating test results to the client .................................................................. 6463

Technical Specifications for Blower Doors .............................................................. 6564

Module 7 Conducting the As-Built Evaluation and Preparing the As-Built House File ............................................................................................................................................ 6665

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 6665

Conducting the as-built evaluation ............................................................................. 6665

Arrival .............................................................................................................................. 6665

Exterior evaluation....................................................................................................... 6766

Interior evaluation ........................................................................................................ 6766

Blower door testing and combustion spillage ..................................................... 6766

Preparing the as-built house file .................................................................................. 6968

Module 8 The Energy Efficiency Evaluation Report and Label ............................... 7069

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 7069

The EnerGuide Rating System report......................................................................... 7069

House and customer information ............................................................................ 7069

Rating .............................................................................................................................. 7069

Typical ratings .............................................................................................................. 7069

Estimated annual energy consumption ................................................................. 7170

Environmental message............................................................................................. 7170

Estimated energy consumption by end use ......................................................... 7170

Estimated heat loss ..................................................................................................... 7170

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual iii

Energy-saving tips ....................................................................................................... 7271

Other comments or observations ............................................................................ 7271

Notice to homeowner .................................................................................................. 7271

Notice to homebuilder ................................................................................................ 7271

The EnerGuide label ........................................................................................................ 7372

Module 9 Reporting Evaluation Results ........................................................................ 7675

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 7675

Exporting files ................................................................................................................... 7675

Quality assurance auditing ........................................................................................... 7776

Appendix 1 Energy Efficiency Rating Calculation Procedure ................................. 7877

Appendix 2 Calculation of the Required Amount of Ventilation to be Added during and EnerGuide Rating (New Houses) Run .................................................................... 8281

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual iv

Disclaimer

Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Natural Resources (“Canada”) makes no representations about the suitability for any purpose of the information (the “Information”) contained in this document. All such Information is provided on an “as is” basis and Canada makes no representations or warranties respecting the Information, either expressed or implied, arising by law or otherwise, including but not limited to, effectiveness, completeness, accuracy or fitness for a particular purpose. Canada does not assume any liability in respect of any damage or loss incurred as a result of the use of the Information. In no event shall Canada be liable in any way for loss of revenue or contracts, or any other consequential loss of any kind resulting from the use of the Information.

Foreword

The EnerGuide Rating System (ERS) is a service developed by the Office of Energy Efficiency of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to encourage energy efficiency improvements in new homes. NRCan has published this manual for use by service organizations in preparing energy advisors to implement the EnerGuide Rating System. It is supplemented by instructor training material, administrative procedures, and technical and reference material.

Acknowledgement NRCan gratefully acknowledges the following organizations for contributing some illustrations and information used throughout this document: • Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) • Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) • Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) • National Energy Conservation Association (NECA)

Note to Reader

The information contained in this document applies only to the energy efficiency evaluation of newly-built homes.

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual 1

Module 1 Introduction to the EnerGuide Rating System Introduction Although many Canadians are already taking steps to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, many homeowners, homebuyers and homebuilders wonder if there is more they can do to reduce energy consumption. The EnerGuide1 Rating System measures the energy performance of houses, assists in developing energy efficiency upgrade packages that can be offered to new-home buyers, and provides energy ratings so that homebuyers can compare the energy efficiency of different houses. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • explain the EnerGuide Rating System to homebuyers and homebuilders; • list the objectives of the EnerGuide Rating System and its benefits to the

environment; • list the benefits of the EnerGuide Rating System to homebuyers and

homebuilders; and • list the benefits of becoming an EnerGuide Rating System energy advisor.

Why was the EnerGuide Rating System developed? NRCan has a mandate to promote energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy and to reduce the environmental impact of energy use. The residential sector accounts for about 17 percent of secondary energy use in Canada. Canadians are among the highest per capita consumers of energy in the world, in part because of the country’s climate and size, but also because of inefficient energy use. The housing sector as a whole has been encouraged to reduce its energy consumption and reduce its impact on climate change through initiatives such as NRCan’s EnerGuide Rating System and the R-20002 Standard. The EnerGuide Rating System encourages homebuyers to choose more energy-efficient homes and homebuilders to increase the energy efficiency of the houses that they build. EnerGuide is a highly recognized trademark, already well known by consumers as an energy efficiency rating for home appliances. Its extension as the identifier of a rating system for houses was a logical next step. What is the EnerGuide Rating System? The EnerGuide Rating System provides energy evaluations of new houses at the plan 1 EnerGuide is an official mark of Natural Resources Canada.

2 R-2000 is an official mark of Natural Resources Canada.

Homeowners, homebuyers and homebuilders are referred to as “the client” within this manual. The homebuilder is the owner until the transfer of possession takes place. The “client” is generally the person who requested the EnerGuide Rating Service.


stage prior to construction. Its purpose is to improve the energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of the new housing stock in Canada by identifying opportunities for energy savings. A properly executed energy evaluation determines the amount of heat loss from each component of the house, estimates energy consumption and makes recommendations to the client on how to improve energy efficiency. The EnerGuide Rating System evaluation is conducted by an energy advisor who collects data from the homebuilder, the plan specifications and building plans. This data is entered into a specially designed software program called HOT20003. Default air change per hour (ACH) and orientation values are used at the plan evaluation stage to determine conservative projected ratings for various upgrade options. The energy advisor works with the homebuilder to identify where energy efficiency upgrades can be made to the house specifications, prior to the home being built, while considering the comfort, health and safety of occupants, and maintaining the structural integrity of the home. Once the upgrade package has been developed and chosen, and the house has been completed and is habitable, the energy advisor performs an on-site, as-built evaluation to verify house orientation and to confirm the applied energy upgrades. The energy advisor also performs a fan depressurization test (“blower door test”) to determine the airtightness of the building envelope and an exhaust devices depressurization test, if applicable, to determine if there is a potential for combustion spillage caused by exhaust devices. Once the as-built evaluation has been completed, the energy advisor enters the actual values for ACH, orientation and any other data that reflects the house as-built into the HOT2000 software. A report and rating label are then generated that contain information on the house’s rating and its estimated energy usage. The builder provides the report and label to the homebuyer as unbiased and third-party “proof” of the energy efficiency of the home. To be eligible for an energy evaluation, the house must:

be covered under Part 9 (low-rise, detached, semi-detached and row houses) or under Part 2 (for mobile homes on a permanent foundation only) of the National Building Code of Canada;

not be older than 6 months starting from the date of occupancy by the first owner; be complete and habitable at the stage of the as-built evaluation (i.e., complete

building envelope, functional mechanical systems in place, etc.); and meet provincial/territorial and local building codes or requirements or, in the

absence of such codes or requirements, the requirements of the current version of the National Building Code of Canada.

Low-rise multi-unit residential buildings are also eligible provided that they are either, duplex, triplex or apartment buildings, up to three (3) stories above grade and one-hundred percent of the building is used for residential purposes. For more information on the eligibility requirements and evaluation procedures for low-rise multi-unit residential buildings, refer to the document entitled Evaluation Procedures for Low-Rise Multi-Unit Residential Buildings. 3 HOT2 is a registered trademark of Natural Resources Canada.


The EnerGuide Rating System is based on the “house as a system” concept. Upgrades could affect heat loss, indoor air quality and the operation of mechanical systems. Consequently, the energy advisor works with the builder at the plan evaluation stage to recommend construction materials, details or techniques, as well as mechanical systems to avoid problems such as heat loss, poor indoor air quality or combustion spillage once the house has been constructed. The energy advisor must identify and inform the client of any condition that may become a problem as a result of a change in building plans or problems that are noted during the as-built evaluation, such as combustion spillage. In order to compare one house to another, the energy rating is based on standard operating conditions rather than the actual operating conditions of a house. The rating is based on: • four occupants (two adults and two children) who are present 50 percent of the time; • a temperature set-point of 21°C for the main and upper floors and 19°C for the basement; • a consumption of 225 litres of domestic hot water per day; • an electricity consumption for lighting and appliances of 24 kilowatt hours (kWh) per day; and • a total minimum monthly average ventilation rate of 0.30 air change per hour during the heating season, including natural air infiltration and mechanical ventilation.

The EnerGuide Rating System is also fuel-neutral; i.e., it is not biased toward the use of any particular fuel source, construction material, equipment or building technology. The program rates energy use by volume, among other factors, so that large houses, which use larger amounts of total energy, can receive ratings that are similar to smaller houses, which use less total energy. How will the EnerGuide Rating System affect your business? Programs similar to the EnerGuide Rating System, such as the R-2000 Standard, have been shown to have a marked effect on the housing sector. The R-2000 Standard is a voluntary initiative and has relatively stringent requirements for energy efficiency, environmental responsibility and quality assurance. Since not all builders construct houses that meet the R-2000 Standard, the EnerGuide Rating System can be an alternative to some builders who are interested in increasing the energy efficiency of their houses towards R-2000 levels. Some companies use the evaluation to generate business; others offer the evaluation as an added service to work they are already undertaking. The EnerGuide Rating System can be a powerful sales tool for new-home builders. The evaluation is objective and clearly demonstrates to the client the areas of greatest heat loss in the home, what upgrades would be most beneficial, and what the energy savings would be if recommended upgrades were undertaken. The use of the computer program and the blower door test increases the client’s confidence in your upgrade recommendations


because of the objectivity of these tools. For example, when performing an evaluation on a house in the presence of the homebuilder, with the blower door test, the energy advisor can demonstrate the exact location of air leakage points in the house and determine how much air leakage is occurring. The client can actually visualize energy losses. Without the blower door test, air leakage is difficult to demonstrate. You can show homebuilders how energy efficient their houses already are and how much better they can be. You can also explain the impact that each of your upgrade recommendations will have on comfort, indoor air quality, increased durability and resale value. Also, in many cases, energy efficiency upgrades are much more cost-effective to do while the house is being built. Homebuilders can use this service to show reduced operating costs of the houses or to measure the energy efficiency upgrades they are selling. Some clients may be motivated by an environmental message. Burning fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases; the EnerGuide Rating System shows the potential energy efficiency of the house, and demonstrates how each house’s impact on the environment can be reduced. Who administers the EnerGuide Rating System? The EnerGuide Rating System was developed by NRCan with input from various stakeholders. NRCan sets the standards for implementation and authorizes various service organizations across Canada to implement the program according to these standards. These service organizations train energy advisors, administer the program according to established procedures, provide field supervision, and collate data from the house evaluations undertaken by their energy advisors. They make regular reports to NRCan so that the national database on energy consumption patterns and potential energy savings in the housing sector is updated. For more information on the administration of the EnerGuide Rating System, refer to the EnerGuide Rating System Administrative Procedures for Newly-Built Houses. How to become an energy advisor? The first step is to contact the service organization for your region. Each service organization may have their own procedures for individuals interesting in becoming energy advisors, but below is an overview of the minimum requirements. Individuals interested in becoming energy advisors should have knowledge and skills in the following areas:

low-rise housing, standard and energy-efficient construction practices; low-rise housing codes and standards; building materials (insulation types, sealants, etc.); residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; building science, including the principles of the “house as a system”; the use of computers, modems, the Internet and e-mail; basic arithmetic and geometry; client relations (writing and oral skills); and


blueprint reading. Energy advisor candidates must also attend a workshop, such as the R-2000 Builder Workshop, or obtain equivalent training on energy-efficient housing construction. In addition, the candidates must also successfully pass the R-2000 Builder Workshop exam. To become an energy advisor you must participate in training that covers all of the job functions of an energy advisor. During probationary field training, you must also perform a minimum of five house evaluations that will be assessed and quality assured by the field supervisor. These evaluations must be a combination of on-site and plan evaluations. In addition, you must perform a minimum of two on-site evaluations in the presence of the field supervisor. The field supervisor will either recommend that you be certified or that you complete additional evaluations under supervision until your performance meets the required standards. The training will give you the basic skills and knowledge you will require to be an energy advisor; the field evaluations will provide you with supervised practice in performing all the tests and evaluation procedures before you go out on your own. To perform the energy evaluation you will require the following equipment: • a PC with 300 megahertz (MHz) or higher processor speed recommended; 233

MHz minimum required (single or dual processor system); • Intel® Pentium/Celeron® family, or AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible

processor recommended; • 128 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended (64 MB minimum supported;

may limit performance); • MS Windows XP (Home or Professional), Windows 2000 or better (supports

retired MS Windows 98/ME); • 50 MB of available hard disk space required for software installation. Each house

file is 5 – 20 kilobytes; • Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor; • CD-ROM or DVD drive; • Internet and email access via dial-up or high-speed DSL/cable • keyboard and Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device; • an inkjet or laser printer (preferably colour); • a blower door (see “Technical Specifications for Blower Doors” in module 6); and • an equipment kit (see below in this module). Energy advisor workshop By the time you complete the energy advisor workshop you will have all the information you will need to start performing energy evaluations. Training is “hands on”; you will learn how to conduct all the required tests, collect all required data, and use the simulation software authorized by NRCan. You will practice entering data and producing reports, and you will develop upgrade recommendations for given case houses. As part of the workshop, you will perform at least one on-site evaluation of a completed house and two plan evaluations with other course participants.


By the end of the workshop, you will be able to: • conduct the pre-evaluation interview with the client and collect all necessary data; • conduct a plan evaluation and help homebuilders formulate upgrade packages that

they can promote to homebuyers; • conduct the on-site evaluation of a completed house, gather all required data,

perform the blower door test and an exhaust devices depressurization test; • enter data from the on-site evaluation and test results into the energy evaluation

software program, run an energy simulation and produce an evaluation report; • explain the report, your recommendations and their benefits to the client; and • identify the information required to be reported to NRCan. Energy advisor suggested equipment list • Name tag/identification card • Overalls • Protective gloves • Half-mask respirator, fit-tested by a certified industrial hygienist, or disposable face

mask (N100 rating or HEPA filter) • Goggles • Work boots • Hard hat (to wear in attic) • Shoes to wear inside the house • Equipment belt • Clipboard with checklist, graph paper, notepad, pen, pencil and eraser • Digital camera • Compass (for directional orientation of the house) • Flashlights (pen light and flashlight) • A flexible mirror • Knife (retractable utility) • Tool kit: multi-driver set, hammer, pliers, needle-nose pliers and battery-operated

drill • Tape measure (preferably 10 metres or longer) • Non-metal probe such as a plastic crochet hook (to check for insulation around

electrical outlets) • Smoke pencil, atomizer bottle, feathers with fluffy quills or other device (to detect

air leakage locations) • Ladder (2.7 metres with extension) • Stud finder • Masking tape • Interior caulking and caulking gun (for attic hatch if caulking must be removed to gain access) • Lighter or matches • Thermometer • Aluminum foil (to prevent pilot light on furnace and hot water heater from going out

during the blower door test) • Tissues and disposable moist towelettes


• Knitting needle (to measure insulation thickness in attic) • Hygrometer • Plastic garbage bag and duct tape (to use to prevent any ashes in the fireplace

from spilling into the house during the depressurization test) • Plastic tarp (to protect flooring when opening attic hatch)


Module 2 Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Combustion Spillage Introduction As an energy advisor, you must be knowledgeable about indoor air quality, ventilation and combustion spillage so that you can: • develop an upgrade strategy that responds to the client’s concerns and needs (e.g.,

comfort, health and safety), taking into account building plans and energy efficiency upgrades; and

• pre-determine, at the plan evaluation stage, the effects that your upgrade recommendations could have on indoor air quality, ventilation, and the potential to cause combustion appliances to spill exhaust gases into the home.

This module focuses on indoor air quality and combustion spillage, and the role that ventilation plays in maintaining a healthy, comfortable and safe house. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • understand the causes and signs of moisture problems; • understand the causes and symptoms of indoor air pollutants; • understand and explain to clients why natural ventilation in most situations is

inadequate and inefficient; • explain to clients the need and purpose of mechanical ventilation; • understand the potential causes of combustion spillage; and • develop a strategy for maintaining good indoor air quality. Indoor air quality Indoor air quality is best defined by describing what constitutes poor indoor air quality. A house with sufficiently high concentrations of one or more pollutants that adversely affect the health or safety of the occupants has poor indoor air quality. These pollutants can include mould spores, suspended particles in the air, gases given off by new products, and combustion gases spilling into the house. Some signs of poor indoor air quality may be obvious, such as mould growth on walls; others may be less obvious, such as radon gas, carbon monoxide or suspended particulates in the air. These conditions can often be inferred from health symptoms of the occupants or can be identified by visual observation and specialized tests. Some common air pollutants found in homes, including a description of the pollutant, sources and adverse health symptoms are listed in Table 2.1. If you suspect that the home has indoor air quality problems, your report to the client should include a recommendation for further investigation by a qualified specialist. Indoor air quality and energy efficiency What does indoor air quality have to do with energy efficiency? Upgrades that you recommend to clients will affect air, heat or moisture flow — or all three — and, therefore, will affect indoor air quality. For example, a house that is not airtight may not have any moisture problems; however, your upgrade strategy, which is aimed at ensuring an airtight and energy-efficient house, may result in increased humidity,


leading to condensation and mould growth. Therefore, you need to understand the sources and signs of poor indoor air quality and anticipate how your recommendations will affect indoor air quality. This module focuses on indoor air quality and combustion spillage, and the role that ventilation plays in maintaining a healthy, comfortable and safe house.

Moisture Excessive levels of moisture can lead to indoor air quality problems. High humidity levels can produce ideal growing conditions for mould and mildew, some of which can be toxic or allergenic. Occupants may experience allergic reactions, respiratory problems, or even the degeneration of their immune systems. High humidity levels can also cause problems with the structural integrity of the house or its components. Condensation can lead to the rotting of wooden parts of windows, corrosion of metal components, deterioration of drywall, painted surfaces, and structural components (such as studs, beams, and joists). Many problems related to high humidity are unseen, as they occur within the building envelope itself.


Evidence of moisture problems inside a house is easiest to see during the colder months. Condensation on windows or cold walls, mould on walls in “dead air” zones (e.g., the top, outside corners of the room, and in closets on exterior walls) and peeling paint or wallpaper are some of the obvious signs. In warmer months, signs include peeling paint, rotting wood on window sills, or dark areas in the corners of exterior walls. The presence of a dehumidifier in the home may be an indication of excessive moisture generation. Table 2.2 lists some common signs of excessive moisture levels found in houses. Moisture sources Remember that the moisture level in a newly-built house is often high because the construction materials, such as poured concrete foundations, plaster or drywall, paint and other finishes, have a high moisture content. It is recommended that the house be over-ventilated for the first year to exhaust the moisture that is emitted from construction materials. Keep in mind that if the house is occupied, the house’s occupants themselves produce moisture — four occupants produce approximately 7 to 10 litres of moisture per day from cooking, bathing, washing, respiration and perspiration, and this can increase to as much as 18 to 23 litres per day on washdays. A family with teenagers produces even higher moisture levels because teenagers typically shower more frequently and for longer periods of time. Items such as a humidifier (either a stand-alone or one attached to the furnace), fish aquariums, wood storage inside the house, an indoor clothes line, an abundance of indoor plants or an unvented dryer can all contribute to high moisture levels. Gas stoves and spillage from combustion appliances can also contribute to high moisture levels because water is one of the by-products of combustion. Damp basements, porous foundation walls and crawl spaces with no moisture barrier over the soil can contribute significantly to moisture inside the living space.


Absolute vs. relative humidity Understanding the concept of humidity and how it is measured is useful for understanding how moisture can adversely effect the indoor environment. Humidity is the amount of water vapour (moisture) in the air. Humidity can be described in several ways. However, ‘absolute humidity’ and ‘relative humidity’ are most relevant to indoor air quality. There is a limit to the amount of moisture air can hold at a given temperature. As the temperature of air increases, its ability to hold moisture increases. As the temperature of air decreases, the air is able to hold less moisture. If the air is saturated (i.e. can hold no more water vapour) at a given temperature and the temperature is then decreased, the water vapour will turn to a liquid and condensation will occur.


Relative humidity is the most commonly used method of measuring humidity and is regularly used in weather forecasts. Relative humidity is the proportion of actual moisture that is present in the air compared to the amount of moisture that the air could hold if it was saturated at a given temperature reported as a percentage. For example, if

a one-litre container of air contains 20 mg of water vapour at 30˚C, and the air is known

to be saturated if 40 mg of water vapour are present, then the relative humidity of the air is 50% (i.e., 20 mg/40 mg X 100%). If an additional 20 mg of water vapour were added to the one-litre container of air, the air would have a relative humidity of 100% (i.e., 40 mg/40 mg X 100%). Any additional moisture added to the one-litre container would condense into a liquid since the air would be saturated and unable to hold any additional moisture. Warming the one-litre container of air increases its capacity to hold moisture. For example, if the temperature of the one-litre container of air that contains

40 mg of moisture is increased from 30˚C to 40˚C, and 40˚C air is known to be able to

hold 50 mg of moisture when saturated, the relative humidity of the air would be 80% (40 mg/50 mg X 100%). Absolute humidity is the quantity of the actual amount of moisture that is present in the air and is typically represented as a measurable mass of moisture per volume of dry air (i.e., mg of water vapour/litre of dry air). Using the above example, a one-litre container of air containing 20 mg of water vapour has an absolute humidity of 20 mg/l. If we add more water vapour, the absolute humidity will increase. Controlling moisture and indoor air pollutant problems There are several approaches to improving indoor air quality. They can be divided into three principal “lines of defence”: 1) Control the source of pollutants. 2) Treat the indoor air. 3) Install mechanical ventilation. If the first line of defence does not solve the problem, try the second and, if necessary, the third. Control the source of pollutant(s) Controlling a pollutant source means either removing it or encapsulating it. Examples of advice to homebuilders are: • avoid installing a humidifier; • avoid or limit the installation of carpeting; • use low- or no-emission construction materials, carpets, flooring, finishes,

adhesives, paints and cabinetry; • install tight-fitting doors on fireplaces or wood stoves (where permitted by the

appliance rating); • install sealed combustion space and water heating appliances or avoid combustion

appliances altogether; • avoid the installation of unvented fuel-fired appliances; • avoid complicated duct runs and duct materials that collect dust and resist air flow

(i.e., flexible metal or plastic ducts); and


• air seal the building envelope to prevent gases from entering the home from an attached garage or from the soil.

Examples of advice to homeowners are: • store firewood outdoors; • don’t hang wet clothes to dry inside the home; • vent the dryer directly to the outside; • reduce the number of plants in the house; • use low- or no-emission furnishings; • use environmentally friendly cleaning products; • avoid storing glues and solvents indoors; • limit smoking to outdoors; and • avoid venting basements and crawlspaces during the non-heating seasons in

regions with a high relative humidity (as warm humid air enters a cooler space, it will begin to condense).

Treat indoor air Treating indoor air means filtering, humidifying or dehumidifying the air. Examples of air treatment include: • upgrading filters in the furnace to medium efficiency to reduce the level of dust in

the air; • in midwinter, maintaining indoor air at a relative humidity of about 30 percent

(indoor relative humidity in summer is usually higher than 30 percent; this is acceptable as long as it does not create moisture problems); and

• dehumidifying air that has a high relative humidity; i.e., greater than 60 percent (e.g., basements during the summer months).

Install mechanical ventilation Some people confuse mechanical ventilation with air movement, such as that created from using the blower on a furnace or an oscillating fan in the summer months. Mechanical ventilation is not simply air movement but the controlled exchange of outdoor air with indoor air. Mechanical ventilation removes polluted, stale, moisture-laden indoor air and replaces it with (usually) drier outside air, which can be filtered before it enters the house. Well-designed mechanical ventilation systems distribute and circulate air to all areas of the house. Ventilation solutions include: • installing exhaust fans (vented to the outdoors) in high moisture-producing areas

such as bathrooms and kitchens; • running an exhaust fan during the “shoulder seasons” (spring and fall); and • installing a heat- and moisture-recovering balanced ventilation system that

tempers the incoming air (i.e., warms or cools the air, depending on the season).


Ventilation and air leakage terminology Air transfer between the inside and outside of the home can be explained using several different conventions and terms. Air leakage is typically defined as the pressure-induced movement of air between the inside and outside of the home through natural or mechanical means (i.e., wind and stack effects, exhaust fans). Natural air leakage can be communicated as an air change rate (i.e., natural air changes per hour or ACH) or as a “natural” ventilation rate in litres/second (L/s) or cubic feet per minute (cfm) when the house is under natural pressures. Mechanical air transfer between the inside and outside of the house can be similarly represented as an air change rate (i.e., mechanical air changes per hour) or as a ventilation rate in L/s or cfm. Air change rates used to communicate blower door test results are represented as ACH@50 Pascals (Pa). Using blower door-specific software, the ACH@50 is calculated based on the relationship between the air pressure difference (ΔP) (i.e., between the inside and the outside of the house) and the air flow rate through the blower door fan (ΔQ). See Module 6 for further information on how to conduct a blower door test and interpret the results. It is important for the energy advisor to understand and be able to communicate the various terms used to explain ventilation and air leakage. The following provides additional terminology definitions used to communicate air transfer between the inside and outside of a house:

ACH – Air changes per hour;

Air Change Rate (Natural) or ACH (Natural) – Natural air change rate expressed in air changes per hour between the inside and outside of the house at normal house pressures;

Air Change Rate (Mechanical) or ACH (Mechanical) – Continuous mechanical air flow rate (L/s or cfm) divided by the house volume expressed as air changes per hour (ACH);

Air Change Rate (Natural plus Mechanical) or Air Change Rate (Total) – Sum of ACH (Natural) and ACH (Mechanical);

ACH@50 – Air change rate per hour at 50 Pa as calculated by blower door software based on blower door test results (using the ΔP vs. ΔQ relationship);

Critical Month – Calendar month during the heating season that has the lowest natural ventilation rate because of inherent small pressure and temperature differences (i.e., reduced stack and wind effects) between the inside and outside of the house;

Critical Month ACH (Natural) – Air change rate (Natural) at normal house pressures that occurs during the critical month;

Critical Month ACH (Total) – The sum of the Critical Month ACH (Natural) and ACH (Mechanical);

Target Air Change Rate or Target ACH – NRCan’s recommended air change rate requirements for a house under normal pressures. This value is typically 0.3 ACH but it can be higher or lower if the house volume is very small or very large, respectively);

Ventilation Air Change Rate (VAC) – Target ACH expressed as a flow rate (i.e., L/s)


at normal pressures (i.e., 0.3 ACH is converted to flow rate in most cases);

Monthly Average Ventilation Rate (Natural and Mechanical) – Monthly ACH (Total) expressed as a flow rate (i.e., L/s or cfm). This value will vary from month to month;

Additional Required Monthly Ventilation – Additional mechanical ventilation required to achieve Target ACH. This value will vary from month to month; and

Total Minimum Average Ventilation Rate – The minimum additional mechanical ventilation, expressed as a flow rate (i.e., L/s or cfm), required to reach the 0.3 ACH target during the critical month. This is calculated based on the difference between the Target ACH and Critical Month ACH (Natural).

Can we rely on natural ventilation to control moisture and indoor air pollutants? Natural ventilation is the exchange of air between the outside and inside of a house through intentional openings (windows, doors, dryer vents) and unintentional openings (air leakage points, cracks) in the building envelope. Natural ventilation occurs as a result of stack effect and wind effect. Wind effect causes pressure-induced natural ventilation and is dependant on wind direction, velocity, air density, and the shape and height of the house. Stack effect is based on the heat transfer and the air movement mechanism of convection. Warm air is lighter than cool air because it is less dense. As warm air rises in a house it expands creating a high, positive pressure at the top of the house. The high pressure air is forced out of the house through openings in the upper house envelope. The air leaving the upper level of the house creates lower, negative air pressure in the lower levels causing air from the exterior to infiltrate into the home. Stack effect is dependant on the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the house as well as the height of the house. Large temperature differences between the inside and outside of the house create larger pressure differences and therefore increased stack effect. The combination of these pressure-induced effects can have a significant impact on natural ventilation rates in a home. Many people think that houses that are “leaky” are healthier than houses that are “too tight.” They believe that natural ventilation will provide sufficient fresh air and will remove indoor air pollutants. Many older, leaky houses have sufficient air changes, due to the stack and wind effect during the colder months, to eliminate or reduce moisture and pollutant problems. In fact, because of the increased stack and wind effects during the winter, these houses are often over-ventilated. This results in wasted energy, high heating bills, discomfort from drafts and low levels of relative humidity, which causes static electricity and dry skin and throats. Infiltration can also bring pollutants into the living space from the exterior and from within the building envelope. Furthermore, some parts of the house may not be ventilated while others are over-ventilated because of the location of unintentional openings or leakage areas. During months in which there is little temperature difference between the inside of the house and outside (i.e., in the shoulder seasons), the house may be under-ventilated. There is little, if any, stack effect and if the wind is not blowing, there is no wind effect to cause a pressure difference across the building envelope. As a result, the air change


rate may drop below a safe number of air changes per hour. Natural ventilation, therefore, cannot be relied upon to maintain good indoor air quality.

The graph above shows a profile of average normal air change rate in a typical two-storey house located in Ottawa, with an airtightness of about four air changes per hour at a 50-pascal (50-Pa) pressure difference. The light bars show the natural air change rate due to the building’s airtightness characteristics. It shows that during the months of May, September and October, the natural air change rate is significantly lower than the required value of 0.30 air change per hour. Dark bars show the amount of added mechanical ventilation required to meet the minimum ventilation requirement of 0.30 air change per hour during the heating season. Between the months of May and September, it is assumed that some windows may be open and that the house has an adequate ventilation air change rate. As shown, the added mechanical ventilation rate is generally not required during the months of December, January, February and March for this house. If an outdoor temperature-controlled sensor is installed, the mechanical ventilation system will not operate during these months, thereby saving costs associated with running the equipment as well as heat losses associated with unnecessary ventilation. Why do we make houses airtight and then mechanically ventilate them? Many people question the logic behind tightening a house and then ventilating it. They don’t understand the relationship between ventilation, indoor air quality, the integrity of the building envelope and energy efficiency. Reasons for making a house airtight and then adding mechanical ventilation are to: • control where air enters and exits the building; i.e., ventilating the house where,

when and in the amount wanted;


• eliminate or greatly reduce unintentional openings in the building envelope, thereby decreasing the amount of warm, moist air that infiltrates into the envelope cavity and which reduces the effectiveness of the insulation and can generate mould and mildew growth (mechanical ventilation also maintains the building envelope’s integrity and the house’s durability);

• eliminate most drafts, making the house more comfortable; • increase energy efficiency by preventing the house from being over-ventilated;

installing a heat recovery ventilator further increases energy efficiency because heat is recovered from exfiltrating indoor air, and infiltrating outdoor air is warmed prior to entering the house;

• ensure adequate air change per hour, thereby removing moisture and other pollutants from the house, thus improving indoor air quality; and

• maintain the ventilation rate at a desirable level rather than having the house under- or over-ventilated.

Airtightening a house and adding a balanced ventilation system means that the homeowner has control over where, when and how much air enters and exits the house, rather than leaving this to the forces of nature. An airtight house with mechanical ventilation enables the homeowner to better manage indoor air quality, increase indoor comfort, maintain the integrity of the building envelope and reduce energy consumption. Installing mechanical ventilation is almost always necessary in newly-built houses because they are generally built more airtight than older houses. In addition, new construction materials can contain a high level of moisture and pollutants that are emitted into the interior living space. Without sufficient air change rates, moisture builds up in the house until the relative humidity increases to the point where condensation occurs on cold surfaces. Pollutant concentrations may increase to the point where they begin to cause health problems. How much ventilation is required? An acceptable air change rate is between a 0.2 and 0.35 air change per hour, with 0.30 being the usual recommended level (depending on the source strength of the indoor air pollutants). This means that every hour, between 20 and 35 percent of the indoor air is exchanged with outdoor air, and that between every three to five hours the house has a total change of air. NRCan assumes at least a 0.30 air change per hour for all houses through a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation. Check applicable building codes for specific ventilation requirements for the location where the house is being built. What kind of mechanical ventilation system is required? The requirements as to the type of ventilation system to be installed in a new house vary depending on the building codes for a specific province, territory or region. Check applicable building codes. Below are descriptions of different types of ventilation systems and their advantages and disadvantages. Exhaust-only ventilation


Exhaust-only ventilation systems consist of fans that exhaust air from the inside to the outside of the home. Fans are usually located in areas of high moisture production, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Exhaust-only ventilation systems depressurize the house; replacement air infiltrates into the home through intentional and non-intentional openings in the building envelope. Incoming air is not tempered or filtered. Because exhaust-only ventilation systems suck air out of the house, they can increase drafts because of the airflow back into the house through intentional and un-intentional openings in the building envelope. If the exhaust fan is strong enough, it can depressurize the house, causing problems with airflows in the chimneys of combustion appliances (i.e., combustion spillage into the home) and causing soil gases to infiltrate through openings in the foundation. A house with between 0.2 and 0.30 air change per hour in winter may, based on the capacity of exhaust fans, tolerate exhaust-only ventilation because there is sufficient natural ventilation during the heating months, due to stack and wind effects, to maintain indoor air quality and to provide sufficient “make up” air to replace what is exhausted to the outside. The exhaust ventilation can be operated during the shoulder seasons to maintain a sufficient air change rate when there is insufficient natural ventilation. However, the homeowner must be instructed to turn on the exhaust fan when the outdoor temperature reaches the ventilation temperature. The ventilation temperature is the outside temperature above which stack effect no longer provides sufficient natural ventilation. When the outside temperature is equal to or above the ventilation temperature, additional mechanical ventilation is required. Alternatively, the exhaust fan can be equipped with an outside temperature sensor so that the fan turns on when the ventilation temperature is reached. IMPORTANT: An exhaust-only ventilation system should not be installed in a house with a natural air change rate less than 0.2 per hour or where there is potential for a combustion spillage problem. Doing so will likely depressurize the house and can cause combustion appliances to spill their products of combustion into the house. In addition, an exhaust-only system should not be installed where radon levels are known or suspected to be high. In these cases, a balanced mechanical ventilation system is required. Supply-only system With a supply-only system, air is brought into the house mechanically and leaves the house through intentional openings or through leakage paths through the building envelope. Many houses in Canada have a duct connecting outdoor air directly to the return air plenum of the furnace, which is a type of supply-only system. Every time the furnace fan turns on, outside air is brought into the house. A supply-only system may pressurize the house, forcing air to move through the building envelope. Moisture problems may result from warmer air leaking into the cooler building envelope or the attic due to condensation. When operating, a supply-only system can reduce the infiltration of soil gases and can be designed to filter and temper


incoming air. With supply-only systems, it may be recommended to connect the bathroom exhaust fan to the furnace fan and a humidistat, so that the bathroom fan and the furnace fan come on whenever the relative humidity reaches the set point. In this way, the system is more balanced. Balanced mechanical ventilation system A balanced mechanical ventilation system consists of exhaust and supply fans. Exhaust fans remove indoor air to the outside under positive pressure and supply fans bring in an equal amount of outdoor air to the inside at an equivalent negative pressure. To maintain comfort, the outdoor air being brought into the home should be filtered and preheated. To reduce energy loss, the heat from the indoor air should be captured before it is exhausted from the house. A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or energy recovery ventilator (ERV) performs these two functions; however, it must be properly installed and balanced. A balanced ventilation system should not have any effect on the pressure balance of the house; it does not pressurize nor depressurize the house because air that is exhausted is replaced with an equal amount of air brought in at equal, but opposite pressures. A balanced system, therefore, does not cause combustion spillage as long as it has been properly designed, installed and tested. However, even with a balanced mechanical ventilation system, spillage from combustion appliances may still be a concern because of stack and wind effect or other exhaust appliances (e.g., dryers, central vacuum cleaners and indoor barbecues) not considered part of the balanced mechanical ventilation system. This topic will be discussed further in the next section on combustion spillage. A house that has less than 0.2 air change per hour (natural) needs a balanced mechanical ventilation system (preferably an HRV or ERV) because an exhaust-only system would likely depressurize the house, potentially causing combustion spillage issues. If the air change rate is less than 0.15 air change per hour (natural), an HRV must be recommended. You should recommend that the client hire a heating/ventilation specialist — such as a mechanical contractor certified by the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) – or equivalent certification — to design, size and install the ventilation system. The dangers of combustion spillage Tightening a house reduces air infiltration, possibly to the point where there is insufficient make-up air to replace exhausted air. If an exhaust device is turned on under these conditions, it could depressurize the house and cause the chimney of any naturally aspirated combustion appliance to act as an air intake; i.e., outside air will come down the chimney. If a combustion device (e.g., fuel-burning furnace or hot water tank) turns on when the chimney is backdrafting, the airflow may not reverse back up


the chimney and the combustion device will spill its combustion products into the house. This is called combustion spillage. Combustion gases contain water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, particulates and low levels of carbon monoxide (CO). Combustion gases from oil-burning appliances also contain sulphur dioxide, and wood smoke contains numerous chemicals that should not be released into indoor air. If the heating appliance has a poorly tuned or defective burner, or if the spilled gases are recombusted, large quantities of CO can be produced. CO is an odourless, colourless gas that combines with the blood in the lungs and prevents the uptake of oxygen. Low oxygen content in the blood produces symptoms of headaches, nausea and dizziness. The symptoms of long-term, mild CO poisoning are similar to those of the common flu; often victims do not recognize the true cause. There is only a small difference between a harmless concentration of CO and concentrations that can result in unconsciousness or death. When is combustion spillage a problem? Spillage is more likely to occur if the combustion appliance is poorly tuned; however, even a properly tuned combustion appliance can pose a hazard if it is located in a small, tightly enclosed space or if spillage occurs frequently. The amount of risk depends on the amount of gas spilled (i.e., the concentration levels), the tuning of the appliance (how clean the combustion products are), and the sensitivity of the occupants. Any level of spillage presents a potential risk. There can also be poor chimney draft when appliances have long or convoluted connections (lots of bends) en route to the chimney creating additional resistance, which can lead to combustion spillage. In a house with a wood-burning appliance, there is the potential for an unsafe situation when the fire dies down. As the chimney cools, house depressurization can draw combustion gases back into the house. These gases can then be distributed throughout the house. This situation is made even more dangerous because it most often occurs after the house occupants have gone to bed for the night; they have either stacked up the wood in the wood stove or have retired before the fire has completely gone out. Remember that blocked or badly built chimneys are more frequently the cause of serious combustion spillage problems than house depressurization. What are some of the signs of combustion spillage? In new houses, it is usually more difficult to identify signs of combustion spillage because of the prevalence of more efficient, sealed combustion space and water heating equipment. In addition, at the time of the as-built evaluation the house may not yet be occupied and combustion spillage has likely not yet occurred. However, in houses that have been occupied for some time and have conventional space or water heating equipment, chimneys and combustion appliances may reveal visual signs of spillage such as discolouration or soot around the burner air inlet, draft


hood or barometric damper and vent connections. When hot combustion gases spill, they darken the paint on the appliance and sometimes burn the plastic grommets around the cold and hot water pipes on the top of a fuel-fired water heater. Melted pipe insulation on the hot and cold pipes from a fuel-fired water heater can also be a sign of combustion spillage. Other signs are water stains, rusted vent connectors to the chimney, or dripping on the top of the water heater and on the baffle just inside the air inlet of the furnace. This is caused by moist indoor air or humid combustion gases condensing on surfaces that have been cooled by the backdrafting outside air. If a fireplace is present, soot or discolouration over the fireplace opening is a sign of combustion spillage. If the house is equipped with a carbon monoxide detector and it sounds an alarm whenever combustion equipment operates, this can be a serious sign of combustion spillage and the problem should be investigated as soon as possible. Designing to reduce the potential for combustion spillage Ensuring an airtight building envelope may limit air infiltration to the point where there is insufficient air for sufficient chimney draft, especially when exhaust appliances are operating. The installation an exhaust-only ventilation system may contribute further to combustion spillage problems or may “send the house over the edge” by inducing combustion spillage. A balanced ventilation system should not contribute to excessive house depressurization, but neither will it compensate for the depressurization caused by a large kitchen fan or clothes dryer. Remember that a balanced ventilation system brings in the same amount of air that is exfiltrated by the system (without creating a pressure difference), not by all of the exhaust appliances in the house. Another exhaust appliance being turned on may cause pressure-induced combustion spillage. To reduce the potential for combustion spillage in a house, consider making the following recommendations to the builder at the plan evaluation stage:

Install high efficiency, sealed combustion space and water heating equipment or avoid combustion appliances altogether;

Avoid running a warm air supply duct to an attached garage from the forced air heating system;

Install a whole-house ventilation system, such as a heat recovery ventilator, that is properly designed, installed and balanced by a ventilation specialist (certified by HRAI or an equivalent association);

Avoid installing powerful exhaust appliances, such as large kitchen exhaust fans; Avoid installing gas- or wood-fired fireplaces or stoves that are not equipped with a

sealed combustion feature; Avoid the installation of unvented fuel-fired appliances; and Avoid the installation of gas-fired kitchen ranges, whenever possible.

You should also recommend that the client install a carbon monoxide detector when


there is a fuel-burning appliance in the house, including a gas range, or if the house has an attached garage. Airflows of Various Air Exhaust Devices Exhaust Devices Range of Airflows L/s cfm* Bathroom Fans 20 – 50 40 – 100 Standard Range Fan 50 – 100 100 – 200 Grille-Top Range Fan 60 – 500 120 – 1000 Clothes Dryer 40 – 75 85 – 160 Central Vacuums 45 – 65 90 – 130 (exterior exhaust) *cubic feet per minute Dealing with combustion spillage The potential for combustion spillage is a serious condition that you should report to the client. If the exhaust devices depressurization test results show a depressurization greater that 5 Pa when all of the exhaust equipment is functioning, you should also recommend that the client investigate further. You can direct the client to seek assistance by way of contacting a reputable HVAC contractor, their fuel supplier or utility, or an R-2000 inspector. An R-2000 inspector can perform a more in-depth depressurization test as defined by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB 51.71) or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA-F326-M91). To find an R-2000 inspector in your area, have the client go to http://r-2000.gc.ca and contact the R-2000 service organization for their area. They can also call 1 800 387-2000 to ask for the phone number of their regional R-2000 service organization. In addition, your client can also contact the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) to find a heating and/or ventilation contractor in their area that is a member in good standing. In Module 6, you will learn to perform an exhaust devices depressurization test that will alert you to the potential for combustion spillage.


Module 3 Preparing for the Plan Evaluation Introduction Before you perform the plan evaluation of a house, you will need to gather information about the house to help you prepare. Upon completion of this module you will be able to: • explain the evaluation procedures to the homebuilder; and • explain what information is required from the homebuilder for the plan evaluation. Conducting the pre-evaluation interview with the homebuilder in preparation for the plan evaluation In some cases the service organization may have already contacted the homebuilder and will then provide the information to the energy advisor. If not, when communicating with the homebuilder, reconfirm that an energy evaluation has been requested under the EnerGuide Rating System. Explain the purpose of your call and inform him or her of the objectives and the eligibility requirements of the program. Only detached, attached and row houses, as well as certain configurations of low-rise multi-unit residential buildings can be considered for an energy efficiency evaluation. On that basis, you must confirm with the client that the house meets the eligibility requirements for an evaluation to be completed. The eligibility requirements are discussed in Module 1 and in the document entitled Evaluation Procedures for Low-Rise Multi-Unit Residential Buildings. Once you have confirmed that the house is eligible, explain the procedures that must be followed, from the initial plan evaluation to the final as-built evaluation, and what is required for the evaluation. The key items and information that you require for the plan evaluation of the builder’s base-case house, reflecting the builder’s standard building practices, are: • the house plans and specifications • general Information (house type and number of storeys) • geometry details (orientation, foundation type) • building envelope dimensions and characteristics (windows, doors, foundation,

walls and ceiling) • insulation value of all house components (attic, above grade walls, foundation

walls, exposed floors, etc.) • construction methods: type of framing, stud spacing, number of studs per corner,

floor joist material, etc. • type of mechanical systems (space and water heating, ventilation, energy sources,

efficiencies, type and capacity of systems) You should also make note of or obtain information on potential energy efficiency upgrades that the builder has expressed an interest in implementing. Come to an agreement with the homebuilder on how and when he or she will provide you with the necessary information. If it is necessary to meet with the builder to discuss


the plan evaluation in more detail, make the necessary arrangements. Agree with the homebuilder on when you can complete the plan evaluation of the house, future meetings to discuss the plan evaluation and the proposed upgrade packages, and any other necessary arrangements. Negotiate and confirm with the homebuilder the cost of the plan evaluation service and the as-built evaluation service if this is also to be provided. It is important to establish a good rapport with the client right from the first contact and to maintain this rapport in all your interactions. Be responsive and attentive to any questions or concerns the homebuilder may have.


Module 4 Conducting the Plan Evaluation and Developing Upgrade Packages Introduction In the planning stage, prior to the start of construction, the plan evaluation (“P”) file and upgrade packages are developed in one of two ways. Either a third-party energy advisor develops the “P” file and the upgrade packages in cooperation with the homebuilder or a member of the builder’s own staff who has received the proper training develops them. As a licensed energy advisor, you are expected to be fully knowledgeable about client interaction, data interpretation and calculations, energy simulation modeling as it applies to this program, field data collection procedures and report-writing functions necessary to perform a properly conducted energy efficiency evaluation in accordance with NRCan procedures. You are also expected to understand proper field protocols, proper use of field equipment, and the intended purpose and end use of the information that you are collecting. In addition, in order to advise the builder and recommend energy efficiency upgrade packages, you must stay current in the following areas:

low-rise housing, energy-efficient construction practices; low-rise housing codes and standards; building materials (insulation types, sealants, etc.); and residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

This module is intended to provide energy advisors with an overview of the proper procedures and protocols for conducting an energy efficiency evaluation. Your most valuable training lessons will not come from this module but from hands-on experience under the supervision of an experienced energy advisor or trainer. Nonetheless, it is the responsibility of new and experienced advisors to read and understand these procedures and apply this knowledge during interaction with clients as well as house-modeling and report-writing activities. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • use the EnerGuide Rating System file numbering protocol; • generate upgrade recommendations that will result in increased energy efficiency and respond to client concerns; and • determine the implications of the upgrade recommendations. Data accuracy and precision The energy evaluation is an energy efficiency assessment only. It is not a detailed energy performance and heat loss audit, and it does not include a detailed consideration of the overall physical condition of the house. The intent is to rate the house and its permanent equipment, not the occupants or their lifestyle-related energy consumption. For these reasons, the procedures detailed in this module have been developed to optimize the time required for field data collection and energy simulation modeling. Data collection and modeling procedures are not intended to be mathematically rigorous or time-consuming; they are provided to highlight the


importance of representing the collected data in a manner that facilitates performing a reasonable, reproducible energy simulation of the home, helps promote consistency amongst energy advisors, and reflects the overall intent of the program. Dimension conventions and energy simulation software data interpretation One significant component of the energy simulation being performed as part of the evaluation consists of determining the estimated heat loss through the building surfaces that separate the internal conditioned (heated) components of the home from the external environment and/or adjacent attached dwellings (i.e. building envelope). On that basis, internal partition walls and intermediary floors and ceilings within the conditioned portions of the home are disregarded for the purpose of calculating the surface areas for which heat loss occurs. In addition, in the case of row houses, it is assumed that no heat loss occurs through adjoining party walls that separate attached dwellings.

When a home’s linear dimensions, surface areas and volumes are calculated, all dimensional reference is made to the inside boundaries of the building envelope. This includes floors, walls and ceilings that separate the interior heated spaces of the home from the exterior. On that basis, all dimensional calculations are based on internal measurements, and interior partition walls, stairwells and intermediary ceilings do not have to be considered, although the volume they occupy must be considered. This means that prior to any calculations of interior surface areas and volumes, the thickness of exterior walls, including drywall, must be subtracted from the exterior dimensions measured.

Wall height is the total distance between the top of the floor surface and the lower ceiling surface for a particular level in a home. In multi-level homes and homes with closed or vented crawlspaces, the surface area and heated volume of space occupying the headers that separate floor levels (i.e. space between the ceiling of one level and the floor surface of the above level) must be considered in the building envelope surface areas and volume calculations. Header spaces between levels are typically concealed, and therefore the header height dimension will typically be defaulted in the energy simulation software unless it is known by the energy advisor. Refer to the HOT2000 Procedures Manual for further information regarding different crawlspace type conventions when considering their inclusion in the heated volume of the home. The energy simulation HOT2000 software House Wizard utilizes an integrated geometry details calculator to assist the user with calculating the relevant building envelope surface areas and house volumes required to complete an energy simulation. These calculation tools are applied to the collected house dimension data on a level-by-level basis for the entire dwelling. The resulting surface areas and volumes calculated by the geometry details calculator for each level of the dwelling are utilized either independently or in conjunction with similar calculations completed for the other levels of the dwelling.


Using the House Wizard reduces the number of parameters and dimensional measurements that have to be collected, entered into the energy simulation software and manually calculated in order for geometry calculations to be completed. In addition, in order to simplify the data collection and modeling procedure, many of the parameters and fields contained within the energy simulation software are defaulted or deactivated when an energy simulation is performed in accordance with the procedures outlined in this module. This is in contrast to the more detailed data collection, measurement, manual calculations and data entry that would be required for the energy advisor to perform a more detailed energy assessment or audit in order to generate a more exact estimate of energy consumption in a home. However, it is very important to note that, although the geometry calculation features of the House Wizard provide a convenient and quicker method of determining the relevant geometrical components of the home, improper or inaccurate data collection and entry will lead to potentially significant errors and inaccuracy in the energy simulation. It is therefore essential for the energy advisor to be meticulous while collecting data. This information, which must be clear and legible, will be required for future quality assurance purposes.

Geometry calculations performed by the House Wizard take into consideration the following factors:

The width and depth and/or the perimeters and floor areas of the different levels of the house (i.e. basement/crawlspace, first level, second level, third level);

Wall height and wall surface area of each level above grade;

Above- and below-grade foundation wall heights and wall surface areas;

Flat and sloped ceiling areas;

Pony wall areas;

Exposed floor areas; and

Foundation attachment lengths in row or semi-detached houses. A relatively accurate representation of the home’s relevant geometry details (i.e. building envelope surface areas and house volume) can be calculated when information on these factors is input into the energy simulation software.

Calculations of building envelope wall surface areas for foundation and above-grade-level walls are based on the interior perimeter of the building envelope for a particular level multiplied by the height of the wall associated with that level. The energy simulation software automatically subtracts the estimated surface areas of windows and doors from the calculated building envelope surface area to obtain the net surface areas for heat loss calculations. Flat and sloped ceiling areas are calculated by the energy simulation software based on the initial user inputs. In most situations, however, they require manipulation in the geometry details section of the software to ensure accuracy of actual measurements. House Wizard calculations of volume are based on the floor area and wall heights of each level and header space between levels. The calculated volumes for each level, including floors and headers that separate levels, are then totalled to determine the overall heated volume of the home.


More detailed information regarding house modeling and geometry detail calculations are provided in the document entitled HOT2000 Procedures Manual as well as the HOT2000 modeling software help menu. File-naming protocol NRCan uses a file-naming protocol for all house files to make data management more efficient. All service organizations and energy advisors use the same file-naming protocol. The file-naming protocol should be used in the file identification of HOT2000 and the file name to ease file manipulation. All house documentation, such as the “Pre-Evaluation Questionnaire for As-Built Evaluations” and the EnerGuide Rating System Data Collection Forms should also contain the house file name. A typical file name looks like this – 9001N00001 – where

90: the first two digits identify the service organization (this number is assigned by NRCan);

01: the second two digits are assigned by NRCan at the service organization’s request to identify energy advisors;

N (or P): The letter indicates whether this is the evaluation of plans prior to construction (“P”) or the as-built evaluation of the same house (“N”); and

00001: the final five-digit number is the number assigned by the service organization (or the energy advisor at the service organization’s discretion) for the specific house. Each service organization and/or energy advisor will start his or her house-numbering system with the five-digit number “00001” and continue in sequence thereafter.

Creating the “P” file After obtaining all of the information (as described in Module 3) from the homebuilder on the base case house, the energy advisor can proceed with the plan evaluation and the creation of the “P” house file. The “P” file should reflect the builder’s standard building practices and not the local or provincial building code requirements. For rating purposes, the “P” file should also use the worst-case scenario for the house orientation (in relation to the windows) and the air change rate (ACH) so that, if these are different when the house is built, it will not have a negative effect on the rating. For the ACH of the “P” house file, use 5.5 ACH or the ACH @ 50 Pa of the least airtight of the builder’s last five houses. For information on modeling houses using HOT2000, refer to the HOT2000 Procedures Manual. Developing upgrade recommendations Once you have created the “P” file, you can then develop upgrade packages in collaboration with the builder, who can offer them to the homebuyer to choose from in order to increase the energy efficiency of the house. The purpose of the upgrade strategy is to assist builders in the development of their builder upgrade packages and to compare the baseline energy efficiency level of the house (“P” file) with various upgrade packages and the as-built (“N” file). The upgrade strategy that you develop is one of the most important components of the EnerGuide Rating System — the objectives of the program will be met only if clients implement the energy efficiency


upgrades that you recommend. There are no standard or set upgrades that will automatically apply to each house, nor are there any “cookie cutter” approaches to developing upgrades. Each house will be different and you will base your upgrade recommendations on the builder’s standard building practices, the builder’s or homebuyer’s priorities and on the “house as a system” principle. Work with the homebuilder and develop upgrade packages that make financial sense for their business and for the homebuyers. You can use the EnerGuide Rating System upgrade report generated by the HOT2000 software as a basis for the upgrade packages. Upgrade recommendations may range from more energy-efficient windows and doors, to higher insulation levels in the attic, to a more efficient furnace. Your recommendations must also meet any requirements of local and provincial building codes and relevant standards. To increase the likelihood that the homebuilder will choose to implement the upgrade packages that you formulate, your upgrade strategy should: • include some low-cost measures; • respond to options proposed by the homebuilder or homebuyer; • include some upgrades with a short pay-back period; and • respond to concerns such as comfort and safety. The following may assist you in developing upgrade packages: • You must ensure that the structural integrity of the house and the health and safety

of the occupants will not be compromised by the recommended energy efficiency upgrades. Upgrades must be developed based on the “house as a system” concept.

• You should provide the builder with a variety of upgrade packages, but at least one

of them should result in the house achieving a minimum rating of 80 on the EnerGuide rating scale. Even if some of the upgrade recommendations don’t result in a better rating, they may still reduce energy consumption, improve comfort, or help to preserve the integrity of the building structure.

• Check Figure 2 of the upgrade report to determine which house components have

the highest estimated heat loss. If the basement seems to be the greatest heat loss area, for example, you may consider prioritizing upgrade recommendations for this area of the house.

• Consider the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of your upgrade recommendations.

Figure 2 of the upgrade report will help you determine the cost-effectiveness of various upgrades by providing the estimated heat loss of each house component.

• Use the Maps of Climate Data to determine the zone in which the house you are

evaluating is located. The locations in upper case letters on the maps are called climate sites. These climate sites are located in zones, the boundaries of which


are designated by dotted lines. Find the zone in which the house you are evaluating is located and, in HOT2000, select the table for the climate site in that zone.

• Table 4.1 lists the target insulation values for building envelope components based

on the Model National Energy Code for Houses. You can use this table as a guideline for choosing appropriate minimum target insulation levels with your upgrade recommendations, but also keep in mind any minimum insulation requirements of local or provincial building codes, if applicable.

Below are some upgrades that you may want to consider and determine their impact on the house energy consumption and rating when developing upgrade packages for the builder:

Adding exterior insulation to the walls Upgrading windows, doors and skylights to ENERGY STAR® qualified models Rotating the orientation of the house A fireplace with manual ignition Adding a slab edge thermal break Improving air tightness to 1.0 ACH The effect of ceiling height above grade Centrally located HVAC systems to reduce duct lengths Adding sub-slab insulation Upgrading space and water heating, and air conditioning equipment to ENERGY

STAR qualified equipment Windows, doors and skylights If you are recommending to upgrade windows, exterior doors or skylights, recommend models that are ENERGY STAR® qualified for the home’s particular climate zone. If possible, you may also want to recommend changing the orientation of the house so that there are fewer windows on the north side of the house and more on the south, south-east or south-west side, in order to reduce heat loss and increase solar heat gain. You may also want to provide recommendations in order to reduce overheating and cooling demands during the summer (i.e., roof overhangs, the planting of deciduous trees, and other shading devices). Heating and cooling systems Upgrading to a more energy-efficient heating and cooling system may be a quick and easy way of reducing the fuel costs and to increase the rating of the home. The cost of the equipment must be weighed against the annual reduction in heating costs. If upgrading the heating and cooling equipment is one of your recommendations, suggest that the homebuilder consider ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment and to have it properly sized and installed by a heating contractor who is a member of the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association of Canada (http://www.hrac.ca). In the case of forced air heating and cooling systems, you should


also consider recommending a system that has a DC variable-speed motor.

Table 4.1 (a) Suggested Building Envelope Insulation Targets (from the Model National

Energy Code for Houses) for Different Regions (Metric)

Minimum Effective Thermal Resistance (m2-oC/W) Energy Rating (W/m

2)

Province

Newfoundland

Nova Scotia

New Brunswick

.

Prince Edward

Island

Quebec

Ontario

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Administrative

Region

A

(Island)

B

(Northern Peninsula and

Labrador Coast)

C

(Goose Bay /

Happy Valley)

D (Western

Labrador)

A

A

A

A

B

C

A

<5000 DD

B

≥5000 DD

A

South

B

North

A

A

Calgary/

Lethbridge

Heating Source

Electricity

Propane

Oil

Electricity

Propane Oil

Electricity

Propane

Oil

Electricity Oil, Propane

Electricity

Oil

Propane

Electricity

Oil

Propane

Electricity

Propane

Oil

All

All

All

Electricity

Oil

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Above-Grade Assemblies

Roof Walls Floors

8.8 4.1 5.2

8.8 4.1 5.2

8.8 4.1 4.6

10.6 4.7 8.1

10.6 4.7 8.1 8.8 4.1 5.2

7.0 3.0 4.6

7.0 3.0 4.6

10.6 4.1 5.2

4.9 2.1 4.6 10.6 4.1 5.2

8.8 3.9 5.2

7.0 3.0 4.6

8.8 3.9 5.2

7.0 3.0 4.6

7.0 3.0 4.6

8.8 4.1 5.2

10.6 4.7 7.1

8.8 4.1 5.2

7.0 3.0 4.6

7.0 4.1 4.6

7.0 4.1 5.2

8.8 4.7 7.1

8.8 4.4 5.2

7.0 3.0 4.6

5.6 2.9 4.6

10.6 4.7 7.1

8.8 4.1 4.6

7.0 3.3 4.6

8.8 4.1 4.6

8.8 4.1 4.6

7.0 3.0 4.6

10.6 4.4 5.2

10.6 4.4 5.2

8.8 4.1 4.6

10.6 4.1 5.2

10.6 4.1 5.2

5.6 3.0 4.6

8.8 4.1 5.2

8.8 4.1 4.6

5.8 3.0 4.6

Below-Grade

Assemblies

Walls Floors

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 2.8

3.1 2.8 3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

1.7 - 3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.5

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.5

3.1 1.6

3.1 1.6

2.1 1.6

3.1 1.6

3.1 1.6

3.1 1.6

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

2.1 -

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

2.1 -

Windows and Other

Glazed Areas

Openable Fixed

-10 0

-10 0

-13.0 -3.0

-6.0 4.0

-6.0 4.0 -13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0 -10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-6.0 4.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-6.0 4.0

-6.0 4.0

-6.0 4.0

-3.0 7.0

-3.0 7.0

-3.0 7.0

-10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

Heat

Recovery

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Not Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required


Table 4.1 (a) Suggested Building Envelope Insulation Targets (from the Model National

Energy Code for Houses) for Different Regions (Metric) (cont’d)

Minimum Effective Thermal Resistance (m2-oC/W) Energy Rating (W/m

2)

Province

Alberta

British Columbia

Yukon

Northwest

Territories

Administrative

Region

B

Edmonton/

Red Deer/

Grande Prairie

C Fort McMurray

A

≤3500 DD

excluding Lower

Mainland

B

≥4500 DD

Northern Interior

C

≤3500 DD

Lower Mainland

D and E

A

Southern Yukon

B

Central Yukon

C Northern Yukon

A

Southwest

Northwest

Territories

B

Heating Source

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas


Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil

Propane Wood

Electricity

Oil

Propane

Wood

Electricity Oil

Wood

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Electricity


Roof Walls Floors

8.8 4.1 5.2

8.8 4.1 5.2

5.8 3.0 4.6

10.6 4.1 5.2 8.8 4.1 5.2

5.8 3.0 4.6

7.0 3.1 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

5.4 2.0 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

5.9 2.9 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

5.9 2.9 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

7.0 3.1 4.8

5.9 2.9 4.8

10.6 4.7 7.1

8.8 4.1 4.6

10.6 4.1 5.2 7.0 3.0 4.6

10.6 4.7 8.1

8.8 4.1 4.6

10.6 4.7 7.1

8.8 4.1 4.6

10.6 6.7 8.1 10.6 7.1 7.1

10.6 5.2 5.2

10.6 4.7 8.1

7.0 3.0 4.6

10.6 4.7 8.1

Below-Grade

Assemblies

Walls Floors

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

3.1 1.1 3.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

1.7 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

1.7 1.1

2.1 1.1

2.1 1.1

1.7 1.1

3.1 1.5

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1 3.1 1.1

3.1 1.9

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.1

3.1 2.8 3.1 1.5

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.5

3.1 1.1

3.1 1.9

Windows and Other

Glazed Areas

Openable Fixed

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0 -13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0 -13.0 -3.0

2.0 12.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

2.0 12.0 -10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-6.0 4.0

-13.0 -3.0

2.0 12.0

Heat

Recovery

Required

Required

Not Required

Required Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Required


Table 4.1 (b) Suggested Building Envelope Insulation Targets (from the Model National

Energy Code for Houses) for Different Regions (Imperial)

Minimum Effective Thermal Resistance (ft2-

oF/Btu) Energy Rating (W/m

2)

Province

Newfoundland

Nova Scotia

New Brunswick

.

Prince Edward

Island

Quebec

Ontario

Manitoba

Saskatchewan

Alberta

Administrative

Region

A

(Island)

B

(Northern

Peninsula and Labrador Coast)

C

(Goose Bay /

Happy Valley)

D

(Western Labrador)

A

A

A

A B

C

A

<5000 DD

B

≥5000 DD

A

South

B

North

A

A

Calgary/ Lethbridge

Heating Source

Electricity, Propane

Oil


Oil


Oil

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Electricity

Oil

Propane

Electricity Oil

Propane

Electricity

Oil

Propane

All All

All

Electricity

Oil

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas


Roof Walls Floors

50 23 30

50 23 26

60 27 46

50 23 30

40 17 26

60 23 30

28 12 26

60 23 30

50 22 30

40 17 26

50 22 30

40 17 26 40 17 26

50 23 30

60 27 40

50 23 30

40 17 26

40 23 26 40 23 30

50 27 40

50 25 30

40 17 26

32 16 26

60 27 40

50 23 26

40 19 26

50 23 26

50 23 26

40 17 26

60 25 30

60 25 30

50 23 26

60 23 30

60 23 30

32 17 26

50 23 30

50 23 26

33 17 26

Below-Grade

Assemblies

Walls Floors

18 6

18 6

18 16

18 6

18 6

18 6

10 -

18 6

18 6

18 6

18 6

18 6 18 6

18 6

18 9

18 6

18 6

18 6 18 6

18 9

18 9

18 9

12 9

18 9

18 9

18 9

18 6

18 6

18 6

18 6

18 6

12 6

18 6

18 6

18 -

18 6

18 6

12 -

Windows and Other

Glazed Areas

Openable Fixed

-10 0

-13.0 -3.0

-6.0 4.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0 -13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-6.0 4.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0 -13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-6.0 4.0

-6.0 4.0

-6.0 4.0

-3.0 7.0

-3.0 7.0

-3.0 7.0

-10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

Heat

Recovery

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required


Table 4.1 (b) Suggested Building Envelope Insulation Targets (from the Model National

Energy Code for Houses) for Different Regions (Imperial) (cont’d)

Minimum Effective Thermal Resistance (ft2-

oF/Btu) Energy Rating (W/m

2)

Province

Alberta

British Columbia

Yukon

Northwest

Territories

Administrative

Region

B

Edmonton/

Red Deer/

Grande Prairie

C Fort McMurray

A

≤3500 DD

excluding Lower

Mainland

B

≥4500 DD

Northern Interior

C

≤3500 DD

Lower Mainland

D and E

A

Southern Yukon

B

Central Yukon

C

Northern Yukon

A

Southwest

Northwest

Territories

B

Heating Source

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas


Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Natural Gas

Electricity

Oil

Propane Wood

Electricity

Oil

Propane

Wood

Electricity

Oil

Wood

Electricity

Oil, Propane

Electricity


Roof Walls Floors

50 23 30

50 23 30

33 17 26

60 23 30 50 23 30

33 17 26

40 18 27

40 18 27

31 11 27

40 18 27

34 18 27

40 16 27

40 18 27

40 18 27

34 16 27

40 18 27

40 18 27

34 16 27

60 27 40

50 23 26

60 23 30 40 17 26

60 27 46

50 23 26

60 27 40

50 23 26

60 38 46

60 40 40

60 30 30

60 27 46

40 17 26

60 27 46

Below-Grade

Assemblies

Walls Floors

18 6

18 6

12 6

18 6 18 6

12 6

12 6

12 6

10 6

12 6

12 6

12 6

12 6

12 6

10 6

12 6

12 6

10 6

18 9

18 6

18 6 18 6

18 11

18 6

18 6

18 6

18 16

18 9

18 6

18 9

18 6

18 11

Windows and Other

Glazed Areas

Openable Fixed

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0 -13.0 -3.0

-13.0 -3.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-24.0 -15.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0 -13.0 -3.0

2.0 12.0

-13.0 -3.0

-10.0 0.0

-13.0 -3.0

2.0 12.0

-10.0 0.0

-10.0 0.0

-6.0 4.0

-13.0 -3.0

2.0 12.0

Heat

Recovery

Required

Required

Not Required

Required Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Not Required

Required

Required

Required Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required

Required


If the homebuilder or homebuyer has expressed an interest in an earth-energy system (i.e., ground- or water-source heat pump), it is strongly recommended that the design and installation be performed by a professional accredited by the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition. For information on earth energy systems, including a current list of accredited installers, designers and drillers, refer the homebuilder to the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition at http://geo-exchange.gc.ca or 514-807-7559. Recommend to the homebuilder that the system be certified by the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition and that it meet the following standards: • CAN/CSA-C448 Design and Installation of Earth Energy Systems; and • CAN/CSA-C13256-1-01 Water-Source Heat Pumps – Testing and Rating for

Performance - Part 1: Water-to-Air and Brine-to-Air Heat Pumps or • CAN/CSA-C13256-2-01 Water-Source Heat Pumps – Testing and Rating for

Performance - Part 2: Water-to-Water and Brine-to-Water Heat Pumps If the homebuilder has expressed an interest in installing an air-source heat pump, recommend an ENERGY STAR qualified split-system, with a manufacturer’s matched outdoor condenser coil and indoor evaporator coil, that meets or exceeds SEER 14. If the homebuilder has expressed an interest in having a wood-burning appliance installed, recommend the installation of an appliance that meets either CSA-B415.1-M92 (Performance Testing of Solid-Fuel-Burning Heating Appliances) or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wood-burning appliance standards (40 CFR Part 60). Wood-burning appliances that meet these standards are considered to use advanced combustion wood-burning technology that reduces air polluting emissions. Wood pellet stoves, including those that burn corn, grain and cherry pits, are also clean burning and energy efficient. Wood-burning appliances should be installed according to the CSA-B365 Installation Code for Solid-Fuel-Burning Appliances and Equipment. Thermostats If the house is heated with electric baseboard heaters, recommend that the homebuilder install baseboard heater electronic thermostats. If the house has a central heating system, recommend an electronic programmable setback thermostat. Electronic programmable setback thermostats can significantly reduce heating costs compared to standard thermostats. However, electronic programmable setback thermostats should not be recommended for air-source heat pumps. Fuel switching At the client’s request, you can perform a run with a different fuel; for example, convert electric baseboard heating to natural gas. Ensure to specify in your report that the fuel switch has been modeled as per the client’s request. Remember that when calculating fuel costs in the second run, you must include the new fuel cost rates as well as the flat rate charge per month. Fuel switching may change the EnerGuide rating. Air conditioning If the homebuilder has expressed the intent to have a central air conditioning system

http://geo-exchange.gc.ca/


installed, recommend the installation of an ENERGY STAR qualified unit. Recommend split system air conditioners with the manufacturer’s ENERGY STAR qualified matched condenser coil (outdoor unit comprised of condenser coil, compressor and cooling fan) and indoor evaporator coil (typically located with the furnace/air handler) that provide an SEER 14 or greater. It is recommended to choose air conditioning packages that meet a minimum of SEER 14 with the matching outside condenser and inside evaporator coil only, and not in combination with an energy-efficient motor from a furnace.

Ventilation You will not be able to calculate an accurate air change rate until the blower door test has been performed on the as-built house. For the sole purpose of estimating the ventilation requirement at the plan evaluation stage, without underestimating it, use ACH @ 50 Pa of the most airtight of the builder’s last five houses. If a builder has not yet had any of his houses evaluated under the EnerGuide Rating Service, it is recommended that you perform blower door tests on houses previously built by the builder to determine a benchmark ACH; otherwise, use the default value of 5.5 ACH @ 50 Pa. The type of mechanical ventilation that should be recommended depends partly on the location of the house; the critical month for ventilation (i.e., “shoulder season”) differs because of climate. The critical month is September for regions “north of 60o”, November in British Columbia and October for the rest of Canada. HOT2000 contains monthly and annual weather data for various locations in Canada. The software automatically calculates the required additional balanced mechanical ventilation capacity in litres per second (L/s) to meet the EnerGuide rating ventilation requirements. You can use this figure and the following tables (4.2) to guide you in recommending the proper type of ventilation system to the builder. (Note: An exhaust-only ventilation system should not be installed in a house where there is potential for a combustion spillage problem or where radon levels are known or suspected to be high; in these cases, a balanced ventilation system should be installed.) The software assumes a balanced non-heat-recovery system to ensure that a house without adequate ventilation will not receive a better rating than a properly ventilated house. The ventilation will also be adjusted to the house’s volume. For the purpose of the rating, mechanical ventilation is added, if needed, only during the heating months (e.g., October through April). This is when the total minimum average ventilation rate, which combines natural air leakage and mechanical ventilation, is lower than the ventilation target as calculated in Appendix 2 at the end of this manual. HOT2000 provides the L/s value and the volume of the house. You will need to perform a simple calculation to determine the unknown required mechanical ventilation rate or rate of air change per hour. The example below shows how to perform this calculation. Calculating required mechanical ventilation rate Required mechanical ventilation rate = [known mechanical ventilation rate (L/s, provided


by the software) X 3600 s/hour] ÷ [1000 L/m3 x house volume (m3)] Example: ach = (30.65 L/s X 3600 s/h) ÷ (613 m3 x 1000 L/m3) = 0.18 When you have calculated the air change rate, look up this rate in Column 4 on the table for the house’s location. Column 5 gives the suggested type of mechanical ventilation and Column 6 gives the ventilation temperature for turning on the exhaust-only ventilation system. You should recommend to have balanced mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, especially if the annual average air change rate, with combined natural and mechanical ventilation, is lower than 0.15 air change per hour during the critical month. NRCan does not permit the labeling of a newly built house that has an ACH rate of less than 0.15 during the critical month.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has issued the following warning regarding compliance with Part 9 of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC), 1995: It is possible for the levels of unbalanced exhaust permitted in the NBC to cause significant levels of combustion-appliance spillage, particularly in small or airtight houses. It is possible that depressurization will exceed the levels permitted in the codes regulating the installation of vented combustion appliances (e.g. CAN/CGA B149 – “Natural Gas and Propane Installation Codes Series”). The most effective ways to avoid this risk are to • install combustion appliances that are resistant to pressure-induced spillage • avoid using unbalanced exhaust appliances • install make-up air systems so that exhaust airflows are balanced at all times by an equal supply of make-up airflow. Additional information is available in the CMHC document entitled Complying with Residential Ventilation Requirements in the 1995 National Building Code (Cat. No. NHA 6451E).


Table 4.2 Mechanical Ventilation Tables by Location

Note: An exhaust-only ventilation system should not be installed in a house where there is potential for a combustion spillage problem or where radon levels are known or suspected to be high; in these cases, a balanced ventilation system should be installed.


Table 4.2 Mechanical Ventilation Tables by Location (cont’d)



Domestic hot water heating As part of the upgrade packages, you may also want to recommend:

A tankless or condensing gas water heater with an energy factor (EF) of 0.8 or more;

A tankless oil-fired water heater with an energy factor (EF) of 0.8 or more; or

A solar hot water pre-heating system (or rough-in for future installation). If the house will have a good orientation for solar panels and limited shading, and the homebuilder or homebuyers have expressed an interest in a solar water heating system, recommend the installation of this type of system. Information on solar water heating systems and a list of installers/dealers are available from the Canadian Solar Industry Association at: • [email protected]; • www.cansia.ca; or • (613) 736-9077

Recommend to install solar collectors that meet the following standard: • CAN/CSA-F378-87 - Solar Collectors In addition, solar water heating systems should meet: • CAN/CSA-F379 – Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems (Liquid to Liquid Heat

Transfer) (one or 2 panels designed for single-family dwellings) and • CAN/CSA-F383 Installation Code for Solar Domestic Hot Water Systems (for the

installation and commissioning) The homebuilder should also contact their municipality for any necessary permits, if applicable. Drain water heat recovery Before the basement is finished and while the main plumbing stack is accessible, this is the ideal time to install a drain water heat recovery system. A drain-water heat-recovery (DWHR) system provides a simple, maintenance-free way to reclaim some of the heat from shower-water lost down the drain and can save up to 40 per cent on water heating costs. Here's how it works. In a conventional system, cold water enters a hot water heater where it is turned into hot water. When someone showers, the hot water proceeds from the heater to the shower where it is lost down the drain. In a DWHR system, cold water first runs through copper coils wound tightly around the vertical plumbing drain that serves the shower. Copper is an excellent heat conductor that conducts the warmth of the drain water to the cold water in the coils without mixing the water sources. As the cold water continues to wind up through the coils around the plumbing drain, heat exchange continues to take place between the drain water and cold water. The cold water is preheated and continues to the hot water heater. Alternatively, the preheated water can be diverted to the cold-water line that also serves the shower. The amount of hot water required from the water tank is then reduced. You may want to recommend such a system to reduce water heating energy

mailto:[email protected]


consumption. Note that currently there are systems that have been tested to have efficiencies between 30 and 42 percent and others between 43 and 54 percent. Low-flush toilets Although they won’t affect the house rating or energy consumption, recommend the installation of low-flush or dual-flush toilets that are rated at 6 litres per flush or less in order to reduce water consumption. Recommend models that meet the Los Angeles Supplementary Purchase Specification (SPS) and that have a flush performance of 350 g or more. A list of models that meet these requirements can be found at http://veritec.ca. Summary Remember that there is no “cookie cutter” approach to developing upgrade recommendations. There are no hard and fast rules, and a recommendation for one house may not be appropriate for another house. Take into consideration the “house as a system” concept when developing your upgrade recommendations and packages. Review your upgrade recommendations and think about what will happen to heat, air and moisture flows as a result of these recommendations. If there is a potential negative effect, either develop a new recommendation or find a way to deal with the effect of the upgrade you are recommending. Communicate with the client and listen to his or her concerns. Upgrades that respond to the client’s needs, concerns and plans have a much greater chance of being acted upon. Summary of HOT2000 Procedures to Create a “P” File 1. Create a house file. It is recommended that you create a folder in the C directory in

which to put all your individual house files. This will ensure that if you are upgrading to a newer version of HOT2000, none of your house files will be deleted.

2. Create a fuel rates record in the fuel-cost library. 3. Enter the fuel costs. 4. Use the HOT2000 Procedures Manual as a guide for inputting data into HOT2000.

The builder should provide you with the house plans and specifications required to input the necessary data into the software. This data should reflect the builder’s current construction practices and not the minimum code requirements. If needed, the HOT2000 Help files provide more information on how to complete the screens. The EnerGuide Rating System Data Collection Forms can be used to gather the information required for the "P" file. The form is organized in the same chronological order as the software screens to make data entry as easy as possible.


5. Once you have entered all of the house data, you must use the orientation for

which the energy consumption of the house is the greatest and assume an ACH of 5.5 @ 50 Pa or the ACH@50 of the least airtight of the builder’s last five houses in order to generate the "P" file.

6. Save the file with the appropriate letter designation (e.g. 0199P00101). Choose

the appropriate fuel-cost library. Run an energy analysis to determine the house rating. Verify that the house, as specified, has enough ventilation. It is recommended to run the file with the lowest ACH from the last five houses (i.e. most airtight house) that the builder has built to ensure that the house meets the EnerGuide Rating System ventilation requirements. The "Calculation Result" screen can assist you in defining the ventilation capacity required for the house.

7. When developing upgrade packages for the builder, you must use a default value

of 5.5 ACH (or the highest ACH of the builder’s last five houses) and the worst-case scenario orientation. Upgrade packages can be created from within the "P" file using the "Energy Upgrade" function or as a separate file.

8. When you do the calculation on the house file, a "Calculation Result" screen will

come up, showing the result for the base case and comparing it to the one model with upgrades. In collaboration with the builder, consider whether you have entered a satisfactory level of upgrades, or whether you can improve the energy use of the house further. Once you are satisfied with an upgrade package, you can use the "EnerGuide Upgrade Report" function to generate a report comparing your base case to the upgrade case. This report can show the impact of the energy efficiency upgrades on the house rating and energy consumption. You have the capability to enter written upgrade characteristics in the report. The builder may also be interested in working with you to determine the most cost-effective upgrades.

Produce report(s) and discuss results with the client. Once you have developed different upgrade packages, you can produce a report for each of the packages to discuss with the homebuilder or homebuyer. Explain that the homebuyer/homebuilder decides which upgrades will be undertaken. After estimating the increased energy efficiency of the home, explain apparent anomalies such as increased energy costs after the installation of mechanical ventilation. Review the report and put the results into context. Provide advice on other aspects of home energy use, including household appliances, lighting, etc.


Module 5 Preparing for the As-Built Evaluation Introduction Before you perform an as-built evaluation of a house, you will need to gather information about the house to help you prepare. Upon completion of this module you will be able to: • explain evaluation procedures and how to prepare for the evaluation to the client; • collect data using the pre-evaluation interview questionnaire; and • prepare for the as-built evaluation based on the interview with the client.

Conducting the pre-evaluation interview with the homebuilder in preparation for the as-built evaluation The first step to be taken is to confirm that the house is at an appropriate stage of completion so that the site verification and testing can be done. The following items should be considered and confirmed with the builder when scheduling an as-built evaluation: • The house is easily identifiable; • The house has electrical power; • The building envelope is complete and intact, and can be air tested; • All mechanical equipment, including exhaust appliances, is installed and

operational (except for the dryer); • Full access to the home is required, including the attic and crawl space; and • The homebuilder will need to have someone unlock the home for the energy

advisor and lock-up after the as-built evaluation is completed. If any of these items are missing, the trip to the job site will be wasted and must be rescheduled. In some cases, new homes may be set up as sales centers or show rooms with doors or walls between the house and garage missing. If this is the case, mention to the homebuilder that the final as-built evaluation can be completed and the label issued only after the house has been returned to condition ready for occupancy. For the as-built evaluation of the house you will require the plan evaluation ("P") house file and a list of all of the energy efficiency upgrades that were included in the house. In most cases you will have been involved at the plan evaluation stage and will already have the "P" file and have access to the builder’s house plans. If the builder has performed the initial plan evaluation or has had it performed by someone else, ask the homebuilder to provide you with the "P" file. Mention to the homebuilder that you will require the base case reflecting the builder’s standard building practices and a list of all of the energy efficiency upgrades that have been included in the as-built home. The house file should comprise the following: • The complete set of plans and specifications, including specifications for the HVAC

equipment; • A HOT2000 output report for reference during the site visit; • An electronic copy of the base case house file (“P” file);


• An electronic copy of the upgraded house file, if one has been created; and • A list of upgrades or changes, if any, beyond those shown on the plans and

specifications. This data will give you an opportunity to review the builder’s work and to prepare for the site visit. House description If you have not been involved in the plan evaluation of the house, confirm with the homebuilder that the house meets the eligibility requirements, as described in Module 3, “Preparing for the Plan Evaluation”. Access Advise the client that you will need access to every room in the house. Ask whether there is access to the attic and to any crawl space, and advise that you will need access to these places as well. Ask the client to clear the area around these access points before you arrive. For example, the access to the attic may be in a closet that will have to be cleared out if the house is occupied. Knowing the location of the access points is also important so that you can bring the appropriate equipment or plan extra time if required. For example, if the attic is accessed from the outside of the house, you will need to bring an extension ladder. Heating system If you know what kind of space and water heating appliances are in the home prior to conducting the evaluation, this may alert you to whether there will be a need for an exhaust devices depressurization test. (Refer to module 6, step 11.) If the home has a wood-burning appliance and is occupied, ask that it not be used for at least 24 hours prior to the evaluation and to have the appliance cleaned before your arrival. Reporting results Advise the client that results from all energy evaluations made across Canada will be compiled by NRCan to determine the overall effectiveness of the EnerGuide Rating System and to assure the quality of the evaluations. Explain that you will require the written permission from the homebuilder or a representative to provide data from the home to NRCan for statistical purposes and possible quality assurance by having him or her sign a waiver form. The data may also be transferred to provincial or territorial partners for the purposes of the administration of their residential energy efficiency programs, but these partners are required to safeguard the information according to federal information protection standards. Assure the homebuilder that the data will be protected and will not be shared with other parties, except those stated above. If the home is occupied, the homeowner as well as the homebuilder must sign the release form when the blower door test and as-built evaluation are completed. Closing the interview Confirm the cost of the as-built evaluation service with the homebuilder. Make the


appointment, confirm the address and location of the house and obtain directions if required. The homeowner or homebuilder may also be needed to answer questions about the house (e.g., the insulation values in the walls or an inaccessible attic) and to give permission for some of the procedures (e.g., accessing the attic, inspecting the level of insulation in walls). Tell the client how long it will take to perform the as-built evaluation. Thank the client for his or her time. A pre-evaluation questionnaire is included at the end of this module. The service organization that you work with may develop its own version, but it will gather similar kinds of data as the sample provided in this manual. The rationale for collecting the information in the pre-evaluation interview is explained in this module.


Sample Pre-Evaluation Questionnaire for As-Built Evaluations File ID ___________________________________________ Name __________________________________ Home tel. __________________ Work tel. __________________ Address ________________________________ City ___________________________ Postal code ________________ Explain to the client that: • you will require the “P” file with the base case according to the builder’s standard building practices and a list of all of the energy efficiency upgrades included in the as-built house; • the home must have electrical power; • the building envelope must be complete and intact; • all exhaust appliances must be installed and operational (except for the dryer); and • for show homes, the attached garage may form part of the show home and the intermediate wall will be completed only after the sale of the home. Mention to the homebuilder that the final as-built evaluation can be completed and the label issued only after this has been done. House description Type __ Single detached __ Duplex __ Row __ Mobile home __ Double/Semi-detached __ Triplex __ Apartment building Number of storeys __ One __ Two __ Three __ One and a half __ Two and a half Square footage _________ ft

2/m

2 Year of construction ___________

Access Access to attic Access to crawl space, if applicable __ Outside __ Yes __ Inside __ No __ No access Presence of solid-fuel fired equipment __ Yes __ No Is house occupied? __ Yes __ No Upgrades Implemented: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Closing the interview: Confirm the cost of the evaluation: $___________ Inform the homebuilder that: • the advisor will require access to every room in the house, including the attic, basement and crawl space, if applicable; • wood-heating appliance(s) must not be used at least 24 hours prior to evaluation; ask to have the appliance(s) and fireplaces cleaned before the evaluation, if the house is occupied; • the homebuilder will need to have someone unlock the home for the energy advisor and lock-up after the as-built evaluation is completed; and • once the as-built evaluation has been completed, the homebuilder representative will be required to sign the release form on behalf of the builder; if the house is occupied, the homeowner will also need to sign the release form. Appointment details Appointment date: _______________________________________________ Appointment time: __________ A.M. __________ P.M. Who will be there? _______________________________________________ Directions____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Module 6 Conducting a Blower Door Test Introduction Module 2 explained the relationships between indoor air quality, ventilation and pressure-induced combustion spillage. To determine how airtight a house is and whether or not air sealing and ventilation are required, you will conduct an airtightness test on the house once it is completed. You will also use the airtightness test equipment to check whether the ventilation system and exhaust appliances depressurize the house, creating the potential for pressure-induced combustion spillage. A blower door is used to conduct the air depressurization test; hence, the test is commonly called a blower door test and is referred to as such throughout this manual. It is mandatory that a blower door test be conducted for all energy evaluations. There are four reasons to conduct a blower door test: • to determine the amount of air leakage in the house; • to determine locations of air leakage to help educate the builder and trades; • to determine the average annual air change rate; and • to determine whether exhaust appliances are likely to cause pressure-induced

combustion spillage. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • understand blower door test requirements; • prepare a house for the blower door test; • install the blower door; • conduct an “as-operated” blower door test (i.e., a test made under the normal

operating conditions of the house) and locate air leakage points; • determine the maximum house depressurization by the mechanical exhaust

systems; • analyze results of the blower door test; and • explain the results to the client. What is a blower door? A blower door has the following components: • a powerful fan; • a “door” made of fabric or a solid panel into which the fan is inserted; • one or two manometers (gauges) that measure the difference in air pressure

between the inside and outside of the house and the airflow through the fan (manometers can be digital or analogue); • flexible plastic tubing that connects the air pressure manometer to the outside

environment and the airflow manometer to the fan; and • a computer software program that analyses the data and produces a blower door

report. Technical specifications for blower doors are found at the end of this module.


The blower door is installed in one of the outside doorways of the house so that the fan blows air from the inside of the house to the outside. This depressurizes the house. A 50-Pascal (50-Pa) pressure difference between indoors and outdoors simulates a 35 mph (56 km/h) wind blowing on the house equally in all directions. The airflow through the fan and the difference in pressure between the inside and outside are read from the manometers. The air pressure manometer is calibrated in Pascals (Pa) of pressure; the airflow manometer is calibrated in litres per second (L/s), cubic feet per second (cfm) or Pascals (Pa). These readings are entered into the energy simulation software program that analyses the data and produces a report. During the as-built evaluation of newly-built houses, the verification of air leakage points is mandatory only for a builder’s first house being evaluated under the EnerGuide Rating System. For the first and even the subsequent houses built by the builder, it can be a valuable training and education tool for the builder and trades to demonstrate where air leakage can occur and to help them improve the airtightness of other houses built in the future. Because the fan depressurizes the house, air will flow from the outside to the inside through all air leakage points. Once you have completed the initial part of the blower door test, turn on the fan so that the pressure difference is approximately 30 Pa, walk around the inside of the house and, using a smoke pencil or other device, locate the air leakage points. You will find below an optional list of key air leakage locations in houses that you can verify. This will indicate where air is flowing to the inside of the house. Showing airflow in this way can be quite dramatic and is a good way of demonstrating to the builder and trades how much heat in winter or cool air in summer is lost to the outside, and to see where cold air drafts enter the house. Where to look

ceiling penetrations into attic or roof

attic hatch

light fixtures in the upper level ceiling

windows and exterior doors

exhaust vents

mail slot

service entries

sill and header along basement perimeter

floor drain

electrical outlets on exterior and interior walls

chimney

fireplace, if present

plumbing vent/stack

attached garage, if present Conducting a blower door test The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) has developed a standard, No. 149.10 M86, “Determination of the Airtightness of Building Envelopes by the Fan Depressurization Method.” The procedures outlined here are based on this standard,


except that you will conduct the blower door test under the normal operating conditions of the house; i.e., “as operated.” This measures the total air leakage of the house under normal operating conditions; the CGSB standard considers only unintentional openings. In the “as-operated” test, some intentional openings, such as dryer vents, combustion air inlets and fireplace chimneys, are left “as is”. These intentional openings are estimated by the energy simulation software, and automatically subtracted from the air leakage results to provide a reasonable estimate of the air leakage associated with the unintentional openings in the house envelope. The procedures for the “as-operated” airtightness test are explained in this module. You should follow these steps exactly every time you conduct a blower door test to ensure that test results are valid and reliable. If these steps are followed correctly, another energy advisor conducting a blower door test on the same house under the same conditions should obtain close to the same results. Experience has shown that when results are not accurate it is usually because of human error (e.g., leaving a window open by mistake, misreading a gauge or the temperature, or miscalculating the volume of the house). It is important to note that a blower door test must be conducted on every house that is being evaluated and it should be performed only on houses that are complete and habitable (i.e., building envelope complete and intact, functional mechanical systems in place, etc.). One additional step has been added to the blower door test for the energy efficiency evaluation. Before dismantling the manometer that measures the pressure difference between the inside and outside, you will test the level of house depressurization with all of the exhaust appliances and devices in the house operating and check whether any combustion appliance has the potential for spilling combustion products. As you proceed through the steps, you will record data on the “Depressurization Test Data” section of the EnerGuide Rating System Data Collection Forms. Note: You can also use the blower door to pressurize the house to 30 Pa before opening the attic hatch during the as-built evaluation procedures. This will help to minimize the entry of dust and fibres from the attic into the house. If pressurizing a house during cold weather, be careful not to freeze plants or harm pets if the house is occupied. Blower door test procedures The following provides a general step-by-step guide for completing the blower door test procedure. Specific procedures associated with different blower door manufacturers and equipment will vary. You should refer to the blower door manufacturer’s literature for specific instructions for blower door set up. Step 1 Prepare the house for the test The purpose of the blower door test is to determine the air change rate that is representative of conditions that would exist during the heating season (i.e., all windows, doors and other openings to the exterior with dampers and hatches closed)


under normal operating conditions. It also measures air leakage through unintentional openings (cracks and holes in the building envelope). You should prepare the house to simulate its operation during winter: • Wherever possible, close intentional openings; i.e., close all windows and exterior

doors, and close the fireplace or wood-burning appliance damper. The floor drains and plumbing traps should contain water.

• Ensure that any wood-fired or other solid fuel-fired appliances are not operating or contain any embers or ashes. If the appliance is not airtight, cover ashes with wet newspapers so that they are not drawn into the house. In the case of an open-hearth fireplace, ensure that steps are taken to avoid soot or ashes from entering the house. You may wish to ask someone to stand next to the fireplace during the blower door test to alert you of any problems.

• Make sure you turn down the thermostats for all combustion appliances (furnace and domestic water heater) so they don’t start up during the test, competing for air, and spilling combustion products into the house.

• Ask people in the house not to use hot water, exhaust fans or exhaust appliances (including the dryer) during the test.

• Open all interior doors so that airflow through the house is unrestricted. • Ask the client to remove combustible products away from combustion appliances. • Record the exterior air temperature. Use the “Checklist for House Preparation Conditions for Airtightness Testing” shown on the next page to assist you in preparing the house for the blower door test. Step 2 Connect the tubing to the exterior of the blower door and extend it away from the house Insert the long tubing through one of the tubing openings of the blower door before you install the blower door in the house doorway. Extend the tubing well away from the house so that it is not influenced by areas of high or low pressure next to the house. The air pressure inside the tubing will also be affected by wind, especially on very windy days. Some energy advisors have successfully reduced the wind effect by placing the end of the tube in a snow bank or a pile of leaves. If this is not possible, or if your blower door is not equipped with a pressure-averaging box with four pressure taps, you should reschedule the test for a less windy day. Make sure that the opening of the tube is not obstructed. Step 3 Install the blower door The fan should be installed in an exterior doorway so that it blows air out of the house. When installing the blower door in the entrance of the house, obtain as good a seal as possible between the blower door frame and the door frame; any leaks around the blower door itself will be calculated into the overall air leakage of the house.


Checklist for House Preparation Conditions for As-Operated Airtightness Testing

Building component Envelope condition Opening exists

Reset/Unsealed after test

Vented, fuel-fired appliance (furnace, boiler, water heater, stove)

switch off, or turn down thermostat

Pilot lights on gas-fired appliances leave as is

Flue connected to furnace, water heater, boiler no preparation

Flue connected to stove or fireplace with damper without damper

close

no preparation

Fireplace with firebox doors without firebox doors

close

no preparation

Woodstove doors and air inlet dampers close

Enclosed furnace room or boiler room close

Combustion air intake damper on fireplace/woodstove close

Make-up air intake for furnace with damper without damper

no preparation no preparation

Ventilation air intake with damper without damper

close

no preparation

Exhaust fan inlet grilles with motorized damper without motorized damper

close

no preparation

HRV intake and exhaust openings with motorized damper without motorized damper

close

no preparation

Clothes dryer vent no preparation

Ventilation systems connected to other zones1 seal

Windows latch

Window air conditioners (if 3 or more are present) cover and seal

Exterior doors close close

Interior doors to rooms without air exhaust or supply to basement

open open

Crawlspace vents to outdoors with functional dampers without functional dampers

close

no preparation

Attic hatch close

Crawlspace hatch close

Floor drains fill

Plumbing traps fill

Sump pit no preparation

Notes:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Applies to ventilation systems or ductwork serving more than one unit (i.e., a forced-air heating system serving two units of a duplex).


Step 4 Hang the manometer(s) and connect the tubing to the blower door and to the fan airflow meter Mount the manometer(s). Analogue manometers must be properly leveled vertically and horizontally (use a spirit level) to ensure accurate readings. Connect the piece of tubing that has been extended to the exterior to the manometer, and the other from the manometer to the airflow measuring device (fan). The manometer(s) are now configured to measure the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the house and to measure the airflow rate through the fan. Step 5 Set all gauges to zero When they are moved, analogue gauges often do not return to zero. Make sure that all the gauges are set to zero before you begin the test.

Step 6 With the fan off, seal the fan opening and record the indoor-outdoor pressure difference and indoor-outdoor air temperature To obtain a baseline measurement, record the indoor-outdoor pressure difference before starting the test. The house may already be under positive or negative pressure because of wind effects; this measurement determines the wind effect so that it can be considered as part of the airtighness calculations. Record the pre-test indoor-outdoor air temperature. Step 7 Turn the fan on and increase the speed until the indoor-outdoor pressure difference reaches 50 Pa on the manometer. Uncover the fan before turning it on. Increase the speed of the fan until the manometer reads a pressure difference of 50 Pa between the inside and outside of the house. Record the corresponding airflow rate through the fan or fan pressure at 50 Pa. If the house you are testing is very leaky, it may be difficult to get an indoor-outdoor pressure difference of 50 Pa. Some fans have multiple opening sizes or removable plugs, rings or plates. If you can’t reach 50 Pa at the smallest opening size, increase the size until you can obtain a 50-Pa reading. If you are still unable to reach 50 Pa, recheck the house to ensure that all windows and doors are closed, manometers are connected properly and that the tubing is not plugged or bent. If you still can’t reach 50 Pa, start from whatever maximum pressure you can reach and proceed with the test. However, if the pressure is less than 20 Pa, two blower doors are required. The procedure for using two blower doors can be found in the document entitled Evaluation Procedures for Low-Rise Multi-Unit Residential Buildings. Step 8 Record airflow or fan pressure at different pressure readings Under natural conditions (i.e., when the blower door and other exhaust devices are not operating), the difference between outside and inside air pressure will not be more than 4 or 5 Pa under most circumstances. Pressure differences this low, however, are difficult to measure. Therefore, the CGSB standard, the blower door and the computer program have been developed to use much higher pressure differences.


Once you have obtained a reading of 50 Pa, reduce the fan speed in 5-Pa increments and record the airflows or fan pressure at inside-outside pressure differences of 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20 and 15 Pa, in that order. Take the reading for a long enough duration to be within ±1 Pa (about 30 seconds to one minute). Fan flow readings are taken at different pressures in order to increase the accuracy of the test. Wind can greatly affect the pressure at the end of the tube or inside it; by taking readings at different pressures, an error as a result of wind gusts can be accounted for. In fact, if you are conducting the test on a fairly windy day or on a day with wind gusts, add readings at pressure differences of 47, 42, 37, 32, 27, 22 and 18. If there are large fluctuations in readings at the different pressures, the computer will drop the extreme readings and average the remainder. (Note: It is advisable to take more than the specified number of readings regardless of the wind or temperature conditions in case there is an error in any of the readings. In these cases, the poor readings may be dropped and those that remain will still give a valid test.) No single-point blower door test can be performed. The fan flow reading can also be affected by temperature. The computer program corrects the fan flow reading for temperature, but it needs to know the temperature of the air flowing through the fan (i.e., the temperature of the air in the house). Because the house tends to cool down during the test, the temperature reading of the air flowing through the fan (indoor air temperature) should be taken before and after the test and averaged. The outside air temperature should also be noted, but need be taken only once. See Steps 1 and 6 above. Step 9 Turn off the fan, seal the fan opening and record the inside-outside pressure difference Performing this step is an extra precaution to determine if the wind has changed since the beginning of the test and to ensure that the gauges are reading correctly. The pressure difference should be the same as or close to the starting pressure difference. If the readings before and after vary more than 3 Pa, consider repeating the test. Step 10 Check air leakage locations around the house This step is mandatory only for a builder’s first house being evaluated under the EnerGuide Rating System. Unseal the fan opening and increase the fan speed high enough to obtain a 30-Pa reading. Walk around the house and determine locations of air leakage with a smoke pencil or other device. Refer to the section entitled ‘Where to look’ at the beginning of this module for a list of optional locations to check for air leakage. Record these on a copy of the EnerGuide Rating System Data Collection Forms. Note: Identifying air leakage locations will not typically be done since in most cases the builder and trades will not be present. Occasionally the builder may choose to be present or have the trades present and to use this as a training opportunity to help improve the airtightness of other houses that are built in the future. Step 11 Check house depressurization with all exhaust fans operating For health and safety considerations, perform an exhaust devices depressurization test


of houses that have combustion appliances with flues attached to chimneys. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and perform the test. The following procedure will not necessarily confirm that backdrafting or combustion spillage will or will not occur. It will only alert you to a house depressurization of 5 Pa or more when all exhaust fans are operating. The depressurization limit of unsealed flues and chimneys is about 5 Pa. At the end of your blower door test, seal up the blower door opening and zero the inside-outside pressure difference. Then turn on the HRV (if there is one) to verify the pressure reading on the manometer to make sure that it does not show a difference in pressure since the HRV is supposed to be balanced. With the HRV running (if applicable), turn on the clothes dryer, and all house exhaust fans (e.g., range hood). If there is no clothes dryer, simulate an installed dryer using the blower door to exhaust 75 L/s to the outside. A down-draft cook top can be simulated at 110 L/s if planned but not installed at the time of the test. If the amount of depressurization with all of these appliances turned on is less than 5 Pa, no further action is required. If the house depressurization equals or exceeds 5 Pa, the house is at risk of combustion spillage. The 5-Pa limit is the threshold for naturally aspirated appliances. A depressurization greater than this will result in naturally aspirated appliances (e.g., water heaters, fireplaces, etc.) backdrafting at some point in time. If the depressurization equals or exceeds 5 Pa, a warning must be issued to the builder, and the builder is required to install a carbon monoxide detector, if one is not already present, before a label can be issued. In all cases where combustion-spillage susceptibility is noted, the energy efficiency evaluation report must state the existence of the problem. Recommend to the client that a complete CGSB 51.71 or CSA-F326-M91 spillage test be conducted for a more thorough vent safety evaluation. Step 12 Calculate the volume of the house The volume of the house includes the main floors and basement (i.e., all heated volumes) and is used to determine the air change rate per hour and the Equivalent Leakage Area of the house. The volume that is calculated by HOT2000 can be used for the blower door results calculations. Ensure that the geometry dimensions entered in HOT2000 are accurate, as incorrect house volume calculations represent one of the most common causes of inaccurate blower door test results. Step 13 Enter all data into the blower door test results section of the energy simulation software (HOT2000) Enter the data collected on the EnerGuide Rating System Data Collection Form into HOT2000, run the software program and produce a report. If possible, while still at the home and before removing the blower door, enter the blower door test data into HOT2000, and check the correlation coefficient to make sure it is 0.990 or greater. A correlation coefficient of less than 0.990 may indicate that the test was not reliable. Step 14 Remove the blower door and return the house to its pre-test condition Remember to unseal any intentional openings that you sealed to do the test. Return the thermostats on the heating system and hot water heater to their previous settings, and


check to see that the pilot lights on all gas appliances are on. If a pilot light has gone out, inform the builder and determine an appropriate course of action to follow. Open any floor drains or plumbing traps that you have covered over. It’s a good idea to go through the house preparation checklist and “undo” all of the steps on the list. Results of the blower door test The HOT2000 software should be used to generate the blower door results. In cases where this may not be possible, the data generated by the blower door software can be used. Blower door test data The blower door data of particular concern to the energy advisor are the average air change per hour at 50 Pa, the Equivalent Leakage Area (ELA), the exponent n, the correlation coefficient r, and the percent relative error of each of the readings. Blower door test criteria The results of the blower door test must comply with the following criteria: • n must be between 0.5 and 1.0; • r must be no lower than 0.990; • the relative error or each data point must be no greater than ±6 percent; and • the relative error in estimating equivalent leakage area (ELA) must be no

greater than 7 percent (when available). Air change per hour The energy simulation software will calculate the average monthly air change rate using the blower door results and house volume. The desired air change rate is between 0.2 and 0.35 air change per hour, with 0.30 being the usual recommended target level for combined natural and mechanical ventilation. A total air change rate (natural and mechanical) of less than 0.15 should alert you to potential indoor air quality problems, mechanical ventilation requirements and combustion spillage concerns. When the combined (mechanical and natural) ventilation is less than 0.15 ACH, the house cannot be labeled and you should recommend to the builder to have a heat recovery ventilator installed. Results over 5.5 air changes per hour may result in a lower EnerGuide rating for the house than anticipated. If this is the case, in order to avoid false expectations, a higher ACH@50 Pa should be used on the next plan evaluations performed for that builder until the ACH tests show better results. You should also try to locate the air leakage locations and provide advice to the builder on how to improve the airtightness of this and also the next houses that he builds. The ACH at a difference of 50 Pa as well as the ELA must be entered into the energy simulation software. Equivalent leakage area (ELA) The ELA is the size of the hole through which would pass the same amount of air that


passes through all of the air leakage holes in the building envelope when the pressure across all holes is equal. This value is entered into the energy evaluation software. Why do we need to know the ELA? The ELA tells us how tight a house is. A leaky house will have a large ELA, and a very tight house will have a small ELA. An energy-efficient house might have an ELA as low as 200 cm2 (0.215 sq. ft.); a very leaky house can have an ELA of more than 3000 cm2 (3.23 sq. ft.). The ELA can be a useful tool, especially for the first few houses tested for a builder, to compare the airtightness of houses of similar size and model, and to determine how different air sealing or construction techniques may be affecting the airtightness. The ELA can also alert you to an unusually large leakage area and whether further investigation may be warranted to find and seal the source of the air leakage. A factor to consider when assessing the ELA is the type of house you are evaluating. For example, a two-storey house with the same ELA as a one-storey house will likely have greater energy loss because of the increased stack effect during the cold months of the year. The stack effect increases the air pressure across the holes in the building envelope in the upper storeys of the house, thereby increasing the air change rate. Air sealing may be a consideration in a two-storey house and not in a one-storey house. ELA can also raise a cautionary flag. A house with a low ELA will typically have a low natural air change rate. If the house does not have mechanical ventilation, indoor air quality problems can be anticipated. Combustion spillage can also be a concern. The exponent n The exponent n is a correlation factor that indicates the relative size of the air leakage holes. The n value must be between 0.5 and 1.0 for the blower door test. An n value approaching 1.0 indicates that the house has many small holes; an n value approaching 0.5 indicates that the house has a few large holes. A house with few larger holes and the same ELA as the same house with several, smaller holes will have greater air leakage and a higher air change rate. Air leakage is driven by air pressure differences across the building envelope. The air pressure across larger holes is greater than across smaller holes; therefore, there will be more air leakage. Correlation coefficient r The correlation coefficient r indicates the reliability of the blower door test results. If the correlation coefficient is less than 0.990, discard the readings that are over six percent relative error one at a time, and recalculate. Repeat this until the correlation coefficient is greater than 0.990 and there are still at least five readings evenly distributed over the range of readings. If you are unable to obtain a correlation coefficient of 0.990 or greater, the test should be repeated. Ideally, the blower door test results should be entered into the blower door software on site at the time of the evaluation so that the correlation coefficient can be determined and the blower door test can be repeated, if necessary.


Relative standard error The relative standard error indicates the reliability of each reading. The relative standard error (“% Error” on the test report) for each reading must be no greater than 6 percent. Normalized leakage area (NLA) To compare the airtightness of two different houses, you can calculate the normalized leakage area (NLA). This is not a mandatory requirement, however, knowing the NLA can be useful when assessing the airtightness of a house. NLA is calculated by dividing the ELA in cm2 by the surface area of the building envelope in m2. The computer software performs this calculation automatically using the surface area measurements of the house. Additional manual calculations of the building envelope surface area, including the surface area of the above-grade and foundation walls is required to determine the NLA. Why do we need to know the NLA? The NLA enables us to compare the airtightness of houses of different sizes, or compare one house to a standard. For example, the R-2000 Standard requires an NLA of no more than 0.7 cm2/m2. This means that for every square metre of building envelope, the air leakage is only that amount that will flow through a hole the size of 0.7 cm2. Calculating NLA ELA (cm2) ÷ Surface area (m2) = NLA (cm2/m2)

Example 1500 cm2 ELA ÷ 1550 m2 surface area = 0.97 cm2/m2 NLA Two houses could have the same ELAs but very different NLAs. For example, a house with a 1500 cm2 ELA and a surface area of 1550 m2 has an NLA of 0.97 cm2/m2, whereas a house with the same ELA and a surface area of 520 m2 has an NLA of 2.88 cm2/m2. Similarly, two houses with very different ELAs could have the same NLA. For example, a house with a surface area of 1550 m2 and an ELA of 1100 cm2 has the same NLA as a house with a surface area of 520 m2 and an ELA of 379.60 cm2 (i.e., 0.73). Both houses in the second example are fairly tight, yet the larger house has a much greater ELA. The NLA gives an indication of the quality of the building envelope; the higher the NLA, the leakier the building envelope. Communicating test results to the client The results of the blower door test will be entered into the software program and can also be included in the final report. When you review this report, draw attention to the blower door test results. Refer to Module 8 for information on communicating the test results to the client.


Technical Specifications for Blower Doors

Component Specifications

F Fan

Variable speed control (solid-state control)

Must operate on 110 to 125 vac/60Hz supply

Minimum flow at maximum fan speed to be at least 2501 L/s (5300 cfm) at 50 Pa pressure difference

Must be able to both pressurize and depressurize the house

Calibration curves and test verification certificate must be included with each fan

Door Frame Width: adjustable from 81.3 cm to 99 cm (32 inches to 39 inches) to fit a wide variety of doors or a suitably close range

Height: adjustable from 129.5 cm to 221 cm (51 inches to 87 inches) or a suitably close range

Door frame edge seal: flexible gasket or inflatable edge seal

Door frame material: wood, aluminum or metal

Door frame cover: nylon bag or moulded plastic or fibreglass

Pressure and fan flow gauges

Analogue gauges (Dwyer Magnahelic) for measuring the building pressure and flow (one for low flow and second for high flow) or digital pressure gauge for simultaneous or switchable display of pressure and airflow readings

Pressure gauge unit: Pa

Pressure range: 0 to 60 Pa (suggested for building pressure)

Measurement resolution: 1 Pa for analogue gauges; 0.1 Pa for digital micro-manometers

Wind dampening should be built into pressure gauge or available as add-on

Calibration of pressure measurement as per CGSB Standard No. 149.10-M86

Flow measurement unit L/s or cfm

Flow measurement resolution: 1/100 times the reading

Flow range: capable of measuring a minimum airflow of 30 L/s (85 cfm) within its operating range

Calibration of flow measurement as per CGSB Standard No. 149.10-M86

Calculation procedures Calculation software based on current calibration data for blower door selected to determine airtightness results. Data analysis procedure and reporting must meet requirements set in CGSB Standard No. 149.10-M86

Calibration characteristics and technical manuals


Module 7 Conducting the As-Built Evaluation and Preparing the As-Built House File Introduction During the as-built evaluation of a newly-built house, you will collect all information required by the software to finalize the energy rating of the house and to estimate the consumption figures. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • demonstrate home evaluation etiquette; • confirm that the energy efficiency upgrades that were sold have been installed or included; and • gather appropriate information on the building orientation and blower door test results. Data on most components of the house, including the building structure, building envelope, mechanical systems, building area and volume have already been entered into the software at the plan evaluation stage and can be found in the “P” file. It is unnecessary to collect this data a second time. You will only be collecting data on upgrades that were included in the home. The field verification and testing of all as-built houses must be done by an independent energy advisor. An employee of the builder cannot do it, even if the builder did his or her own plan evaluation and created the "P" file. This provides for an unbiased final analysis of the house. The builder has six months to have the as-built evaluation of the house completed, following the transfer of possession to the first owner, although the as-built evaluation should be completed as soon as possible. Conducting the as-built evaluation The as-built evaluation consists of documenting the specifics of the house and doing the performance testing for air leakage and depressurization. It can be broken into 5 basic steps that include: • arrival; • exterior evaluation; • interior evaluation; • blower door testing; and • departure. Each of these steps is summarized in table 7.3 “Steps of an As-Built Evaluation”. You should use the EnerGuide Rating System: Data Collection Forms when conducting the on-site visit and collecting data. Arrival The first item to confirm is the location and model of the house. The EnerGuide label will be issued for a specific house at a specific address. While mix-ups are relatively rare, it is always necessary to confirm that the house as reflected in the "P" file was built at the


correct address so that an accurate rating label and report can be issued. In some new subdivisions, street signs and addresses may be missing. Exterior evaluation Confirm the orientation of the house. When the plans are evaluated, the worst-case scenario is used for the house orientation so that, if the orientation is different when the house is built, it will not have a negative effect on the rating. The actual orientation of the house must be documented. The house orientation is defined as the direction you would be facing if you looked out the front window toward the street. In some cases, the builder may construct a house that is identical to the model that has been evaluated, except that the mirror image of the house has been built. The front and back windows will be the same, but the left and right windows will be on different sides. You must verify this. Interior evaluation The interior evaluation requires the verification of the energy efficiency upgrades in addition to the base case house. It is not necessary for you to check and verify every component of the house. There is some trust involved between the builder and the energy advisor. If the builder says that he builds with R-40 (RSI 7.04) ceilings, then it is assumed that there will be R-40 (RSI 7.04) in the attic. Only the energy efficiency upgrades from the base house need to be verified and documented so that the "N" file can be created. Conditions noticed during the as-built evaluation that have the potential to be health risks or to affect the structural integrity of the home (i.e., structural problems, moulds on interior surfaces, the presence of pollutant sources) must be brought to be builder’s attention, preferably in writing. The final item to be confirmed inside the house during the site visit is the mechanical equipment. The type and efficiency of the space and water heating appliances and ventilation system must be documented. The capacity of the ventilation system should also be verified so that the appropriate air change rate can be properly modeled in the "N" file. Note that less common features, such as swimming pools, pottery kilns and workshops, cannot be taken into consideration when evaluating the house and calculating the rating. If some of these features are present, it should be noted in the report that these are not considered in the house rating. Blower door testing and combustion spillage Perform the blower door test and exhaust devices depressurization test as described in Module 6. If the air leakage rate is higher than the default used at the plan evaluation stage (i.e., 5.5 ACH), you should explain to the builder that the ACH is higher than anticipated and this may impact the EnerGuide rating of the house. In this case, the builder may decide to do additional air sealing.


Where there is evidence of combustion spillage or flue blockage or the house fails the 5-Pa depressurization test, recommend that a heating contractor investigate as soon as possible. Make sure you explain the consequences to the client and suggest that the client immediately install a carbon monoxide detector and either disconnect the exhaust fan that causes the pressure to exceed 5 Pa or turn off the furnace until the heating contractor is able to check the situation. The problem must also be noted in the house report. For more information on combustion spillage, refer to Modules 2 and 6 of this manual. If installed combustion appliances do not vent to the outdoors (except for gas ranges), a health and safety warning must be included in the house report. This includes gas fireplaces and alcohol-burning devices. Steps of an As-Built Evaluation Arrival • Don’t block the driveway or other entrance. • Announce your arrival to anyone who is present and explain the purpose of your

visit. • Advise anyone present not to use hot water during the next hour or so. Exterior evaluation • Confirm location and model of house • Determine the orientation of the house • Verify the general characteristics of the house, such as approximate size, style ,

grades, number of levels, window orientation, etc. to ensure that they match those found in the "P" file.

• Check for any unusual features such as walkout basements, sunrooms, etc. Interior evaluation (Basement, Living Space and Attic) • Bring all tools and equipment into house. • Change into shoes suitable for indoors and pay special attention not to cause any

damage. • If anyone is present, explain the test procedures. • Prepare the house for the blower door test while performing the walk-through

evaluation. • Verify that all energy efficiency upgrades, including insulation and window

upgrades, have been implemented, are present in the house and are indicated on the EnerGuide Rating System: Data Collection Forms.

• Verify the space heating system and document • Energy source • Type of venting • Capacity of heating system • Efficiency (AFUE) of heating system


• Verify the domestic hot water heater and document • Energy source • Type of heater • Verify and document the ventilation systems, including exhaust fans and the

central ventilation system, and note if the ventilation is continuous or intermittent and if it has heat recovery or not. Also document the capacity of the principal ventilation system.

Blower Door Testing • Perform the blower door test. • Walk around the house with the client to show air leakage areas. (This is optional

but can be useful as a training tool and to alert the client to problem areas.) • Perform the exhaust devices depressurization test (if required). Departure • Return the house to its pre-evaluation condition. • Pack up all of the equipment and notify anyone present that you are leaving. • Lock the house or ensure someone is responsible for its security. Preparing the as-built house file Once the house is completed and the as-built evaluation has been performed, generate the as-built ("N") file from the “P” file by using the “Save as” function and renaming it with an “N”. Then modify the file to reflect the as-built house characteristics, such as the ACH, the ELA, the orientation and all of the energy efficiency upgrades that have been implemented. Input or correct any house characteristics that were observed during the as-built evaluation that are not correctly reflected in the “P” house file. Only the actual characteristics of the building envelope and mechanical systems must be used when creating the “N” house file. Both the "N" and the "P" files will need to be submitted to NRCan via the service organization. Print the final report and label for the client. The EnerGuide rating label should be given to the client with the report, unless your service organization decides otherwise. Refer to the "EnerGuide Label" section in Module 8 for information about when a label should not be issued.


Module 8 The Energy Efficiency Evaluation Report and Label Introduction A standard energy efficiency evaluation report is automatically generated by the HOT2000 software and must be used by all service organizations and energy advisors. The report offers the client confirmation of the rating and a measure of the energy efficiency of their new house. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • guide the client through all aspects of the evaluation report; • communicate the benefits of the upgrades in terms of energy savings, increased

comfort, building integrity, resale value and environmental action; • explain the rationale of the upgrades in layperson’s terms; and • explain the EnerGuide rating label. Remember that for new houses, since a report and rating label are only produced following the as-built evaluation, the report should not include further upgrade recommendations. The energy advisor is responsible for explaining and providing the report and label to the builder, unless otherwise specified by the service organization. The homebuilder is responsible for explaining and delivering the report and label to the first homeowner in a similar manner to that which is described in this module. Alternatively, if the home has been sold, the report may be provided directly to the homeowner, at the discretion of the service organization and the homebuilder. Establish and agree upon reporting needs with the homebuilder or the service organization early on in the process. The EnerGuide Rating System report The as-built ("N") file is used to create the report for the client. The report contains the following sections. Refer to the sample report in the EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Workshop Kit as you read through this description of each of its sections. House and customer information This section provides the customer’s name, address, date of evaluation, year built, file number and builder name. Rating The bar graph shows the energy efficiency rating of the house. The higher the rating, the more energy efficient the house is. Explain that the rating is based on standard operating conditions so that houses can be compared with one another. Typical ratings This section gives a range of typical energy efficiency ratings for different house characteristics and helps to situate the actual rating of the house. Note that these ranges are provided for comparison purposes only and may not necessarily reflect minimum ratings that may be required for new houses by local or provincial building


codes, or applicable new housing programs. If a minimum rating is required for new houses where the house is located, point out to the homebuilder or homebuyer that the actual rating of the house meets or exceeds this rating. Typical Energy Efficiency Ratings 65-72 : New house built to building code standards 73-79: New house with some energy-efficiency improvements 80–90: Energy-efficient new house 91–100: House requiring little or no purchased energy Estimated annual energy consumption This section outlines the conditions upon which the EnerGuide Rating System evaluation is based; i.e., it explains that the rating is based on standard operating conditions so that houses can be compared with one another. The report provides the estimated annual energy consumption for the different types of energy sources that the house uses (i.e., electricity, natural gas, oil, propane) and the total estimated annual energy consumption in gigajoules. Explain to the homebuilder or homebuyer that since this estimate is based on standard operating conditions, the actual energy consumption may vary depending on occupant behaviour, such as thermostat settings, hot water usage, use of lights and appliances, etc. Environmental message Point out to the homebuilder or homebuyer the environmental message and how the house compares to similar houses in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases that it produces per year. Estimated energy consumption by end use The pie chart shows how energy is estimated to be used in the house; i.e., for space heating, hot water heating, lights and appliances. The homeowner may wish to know what potential savings are possible based on the home’s actual operating conditions rather than the standard conditions. You can generate a report based on the General run to show consumption and savings under these conditions. Be somewhat cautious in how you present dollar savings. These may not be exact and may vary depending on several factors such as occupant behaviour, weather, etc. Estimated heat loss The bar graph shows how much each component of the house contributes to heat loss. These figures represent the heat loss during the heating season. A long bar indicates where the house will lose more heat and a short bar indicates where it will lose less heat. An explanation of each component shown in the bar graph is provided as follows:

Air Leakage and Ventilation - includes heat that is lost from the house through cracks, crevices and other openings in the building, plus heat loss by exhausting air to the outside by fans, the heat recovery ventilator, kitchen fan, dryer vent, etc.;

Basement - denotes heat loss through the foundation walls;


Ceilings - denotes heat lost through the top of the house.

Main Walls - denotes heat lost through the above-grade exterior walls of the house, excluding the basement walls; and

Windows and Doors - denotes heat loss through windows and exterior doors. The heat loss figure for the windows does not include heat gains from solar energy. These heat gains are taken into account in the calculation of heating and cooling energy consumption.

You can use this figure to show which component of the house has the most heat loss and to relate it to any upgrade(s) that have been implemented. Emphasize that the relative extent of heat loss reduction reflects the impact of the improvements. Heat loss is in gigajoules (GJ) on the scale. Don’t be too concerned about explaining the units; the main point is to show which components are losing the most heat, not how much heat. Point out that the units shown in the figure may not be exact and may vary depending on several factors such as occupant behaviour, weather, etc. Be careful when explaining this graph to the owner of a very energy-efficient house. The bar graph will show “long bars” for some components because they represent the proportion of heat loss areas in relation to each other. The absolute values will be lower, compared to a less efficient house, but the proportions will likely be similar. Energy-saving tips This section contains suggestions on maintaining the efficiency of a new house. The intent of this section is to promote a wide range of energy-saving actions that could be implemented by the homeowner to reduce energy usage and costs. Ensure that only actions that are relevant to the house being evaluated are provided in this section. Other comments or observations Standard text is built into the software; you may wish to add additional comments or observations based on the house. These may or may not be energy-related. Explain your comments or observations, and why you have made them, to the homebuilder or homebuyer. Notice to homeowner This section describes the purpose of the evaluation and notifies the homeowner that the results of the evaluation have been provided to NRCan for statistical analysis and quality assurance. It also advises the homeowner that NRCan may contact them as part of their quality assurance program to ensure the evaluation was conducted according to NRCan procedures. The results of the evaluation will be confidential and handled according to the Privacy Act. By signing the notice, the homeowner agrees to the above. If the homeowner refuses to sign the notice, the house file cannot be sent to NRCan. The homebuilder is considered the homeowner until the transfer of possession to the first homeowner takes place. Notice to homebuilder


This section outlines the purpose of the evaluation and indicates that the homebuilder authorizes the service organization to release the energy simulation results to NRCan for statistical and quality assurance. This notice also outlines that it is the responsibility of the homebuilder to provide the report and label to the first owner of the new house, to have the “Notice to Homeowner” signed by the party who owns the house at the time of the evaluation and to ensure that the service organization receives a copy of the completed notices. This notice must be signed by the builder or the builder’s representative. If the homebuilder refuses to sign the notice, the house file cannot be sent to NRCan. Some builders may sign one copy that applies to a group of houses. The EnerGuide label To ensure uniformity across Canada, NRCan provides adhesive-backed template labels to be used by EnerGuide Rating System organizations in the delivery of “N” evaluations. EnerGuide rating labels are not issued following a “P” evaluation. The EnerGuide label template provides space for the following information to be over printed on the label by the service organization:

the energy efficiency rating of the house;

the date of the energy efficiency evaluation;

the year the house was built;

the name of the builder;

the house address;

the house file number assigned to the house;

the estimated annual energy consumption under standard operating conditions; and

the name, telephone number and/or address of the service organization or energy advisor, which can be printed in the box at the bottom of the label.

The energy efficiency rating on the EnerGuide label indicates the house’s energy performance and can be used to compare houses. The higher the energy efficiency rating, the further to the right the rating is on the energy efficiency scale and the more energy-efficient the house. The EnerGuide rating label should be provided to the client with the report unless your service organization decides otherwise. Service organizations have a right to decide not to issue a label if there is a severe condition in the house that should be remedied. If a label is issued for a house with a severe condition, the service organization must specify the concern or severe condition with a warning in the report. If the house has spillage-susceptible appliances and the exhaust devices depressurization test indicates a depressurization of 5 Pa or greater, a warning must be issued to the builder and the builder is required to install a carbon monoxide detector, if one is not already present, before a label can be issued. In all cases where combustion-spillage susceptibility is noted, the energy efficiency evaluation report must state the existence of the problem. Recommend to the client that a complete CGSB 51.71 or CSA-F326-M91 spillage test be conducted for a more thorough vent safety evaluation. If a house has an ACH rate (i.e. combined natural and mechanical ventilation) of less


than 0.15 during the critical month, a label cannot be issued. Be sure to point out the rating of the house and how it compares to the different ranges described in the report. Point out that an R-2000 house has a rating of about 80 and that 100 represents the ideal house — fully self-sufficient with no need for purchased energy. Point out the four bars and explain that the more efficient the house, the more difficult it is to achieve an even higher rating. Also point out your name or the name of the service organization as well as the phone number at the bottom of the label. If there are any questions about the evaluation, the energy advisor or service organization can be contacted. The label should be affixed on or near the main electrical panel of the house. Prospective purchasers of a house that has an energy efficiency rating label will know that a report was issued. Advise the homebuilder or homeowner that NRCan will not provide copies of reports to subsequent buyers. Reports must be obtained directly from the current owner.


Module 9 Reporting Evaluation Results Introduction To assist NRCan with determining the impact of the energy evaluation service, your service organization is required to submit data on the evaluations that you perform no more than 30 days, and preferably 2 weeks, after the as-built evaluation has been completed. You will send the data electronically to your service organization who will in turn submit it to NRCan. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to: • comply with NRCan’s reporting requirements; • provide the house data and any additional information required to your service

organization; • track and communicate software problems; • track and communicate feedback on the energy evaluation service; and • comply with NRCan’s quality assurance requirements. Exporting files NRCan requires electronic versions of the HOT2000 house files (.hse) and the NRCan database export files (.tsv) so that it can track the total energy savings of the energy efficiency evaluation service across Canada. A total of four HOT2000 files are required for each house: the .hse and .tsv files for the “P” file and the .hse and .tsv files for the “N” file. Note that the first three digits of the postal code and the energy consumption costs are mandatory for the submission of “P” and “N” files. For information on creating the HOT2000 electronic house file and NRCan database export file, refer to the document entitled HOT2000 Procedures Manual. You must transfer the electronic files (.hse and .tsv) to your service organization that will in turn transfer them to the NRCan database at [email protected]. All of the data required by the database will be automatically transferred from the NRCan database export file. If the homeowner release form, which provides permission for the transfer of data to NRCan, was not signed by the homeowner, the file must not be transferred to NRCan and neither a label nor a report can be provided. For information on transferring data to NRCan, refer to the document entitled Home Energy Evaluation User’s Guide for Electronic File Transfer. At the direction of your service organization, you should either retain or forward to your service organization all of the pertinent house file data so that it is readily available when requested by NRCan for quality assurance auditing purposes. This includes the report, release forms signed by the homebuilder and homeowner, the data collection forms, field notes and any other pertinent information. You should also track any software problems or glitches that you encounter so that these can be corrected in subsequent versions and updates. Forward to your service organization any comments on software, resources and any other information pertinent


to improving the program; include both positive feedback and constructive criticism. The service organization will compile this information and forward it to NRCan. Quality assurance auditing To meet NRCan’s quality assurance requirements, the service organizations may be asked to provide the following documents and information to NRCan’s quality assurance auditors, for each file being audited: • the electronic house files (.hse and .tsv) for both “P” and “N” evaluations; • a copy of the report given to the client; • a copy of the release forms signed by the homeowner and homeowner; and • data collection forms completed during the as-built evaluation. Written upgrade recommendations beyond those that are included in the software or other relevant documents must be provided to NRCan’s quality assurance auditors for each file being audited. Your service organization will instruct you on preparing this information; i.e., content, format, word processing program, etc., and will provide you with a schedule of when you should submit your electronic and paper files. For detailed information on the quality assurance auditing process and requirements, refer to the document entitled EnerGuide Rating System: Natural Resources Canada’s Quality Assurance Guidelines.


Appendix 1 Energy Efficiency Rating Calculation Procedure 1. Energy Efficiency Rating The energy efficiency rating is determined from the following equation: Energy efficiency rating = 100 – ((Annual Estimated Total Energy Consumption / Benchmark Total Energy Consumption) * 20) Note: i. A negative energy efficiency rating shall be reported to the client as zero; and ii. A rating for a house cannot exceed 100 and remain within the scope of this procedure. 2. Annual Estimated Total Energy Consumption 2.1 The Annual Estimated Total Energy Consumption is calculated using the following equation: Annual Estimated Total Energy Consumption = S + O where S = Space heating consumption O = Occupancy consumption 2.1.1 The Space Heating Consumption (S) is calculated using the following equation: S = (SE X BSE + SF X BSF) where SE = estimated space-heating electrical energy consumption, including fans (in MJ) BSE = base efficiency for electric space heating = 100 percent SF = estimated fossil-fuel energy consumption for space (in MJ) BSF = base efficiency for fossil-fuel space heating = 90 percent Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) for natural gas and propane, 83% for oil and 75% for wood Note: Credit is given when higher-efficiency equipment is used, and penalties are applied when lower-efficiency equipment is used. 2.1.2 The Occupancy Consumption (O) is calculated using the following equation: O = D + L where D = Estimated Domestic Hot Water Consumption L = Appliance energy consumption = 31 536 MJ per year D = 1.136 X (DE X BDE + DF X BDF)


where DE = estimated domestic hot water electrical energy consumption (in MJ) BDE = base efficiency for electric domestic hot water, energy factor (EF) = 0.88 DF = estimated domestic hot water fossil-fuel energy consumption (in MJ) BDF = base efficiency for fossil-fuel domestic hot water, EF = 0.57 1.136 = factor needed to adjust the domestic hot water load to represent its share of total consumption, including standby losses Note: The base efficiencies are intended to give houses that have the same insulation levels and thermal envelope characteristics equal energy efficiency ratings, assuming the most commonly available replacement equipment of each type. Credit is given if higher-efficiency equipment is used, and penalties are applied for lower-efficiency equipment. By applying the base efficiency factor to the estimated portion used for each purpose, mixed-fuel use can be accommodated. The furnace fan’s energy contribution to space heating is handled this way. 3. Benchmark Total Energy Consumption 3.1 The benchmark total energy consumption is calculated using the following equation: Benchmark Total Energy Consumption = Space Heating Benchmark + Domestic Hot Water Benchmark + Base Load Benchmark, in which 3.1.1 Space Heating Benchmark is calculated using the following equation: Space Heating Benchmark = S * ((49 * DD) / 6000) * (40 + (V / 2.5)) where S = 4.0 = (3.6/0.9) MJ for natural gas and propane space heating systems (base efficiency of 90%); S = 4.34 = (3.6/0.83) MJ for oil heated space heating systems (base efficiency of 83%); S = 4.8 = (3.6/0.75) MJ for wood heating systems (base efficiency of 75%); or S = 1.0 kWh, or 3.6 MJ, for electric space heating systems. DD = the number of long-term average degree-days for the locality relative to a base of 18°C V = the heated volume (in m3), including the basement. The heated volume is used to calculate the Space Heating Consumption. 3.1.2 The Domestic Hot Water Benchmark is calculated using the following equation: Domestic Hot Water Benchmark = 4745 * W * (55 – TW) / (55 – 9.5) where W = 1.72 kWh, or 6.19 MJ, for fuel-fired DHW systems; or W = 1.075 kWh, or 3.87 MJ, for electric DHW systems.


TW = local water mains or deep-soil temperature in degrees Celsius 3.1.3 The Base Load Benchmark is set at 31 536 MJ per year (based on a total of 24 kWh per day as illustrated below).

Default Data, kWh/day

Lighting 3.4 Appliances 9.0 Other devices 7.6 Exterior use 4.0 Total, kWh/day 24.0

3.2 Benchmark Total Energy Consumption for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings (MURBs) 3.2.1 The benchmark total energy consumption for multi-unit residential buildings is calculated using the following equation: Where: SumDHW comes from the “Base Load” column of the following table:


Baseload comes from the following table:

Type of Building Total (MJ)

Duplex 32,587

Triplex 47,566

4 units 59,918

More than 4 units/per unit 14,979

R = multi-unit space heating budget modifier R = 1, for A / V greater than or equal to 0.9 R = 0.55 + 0.45 (A / V), for A / V less than 0.9

A = exposed building envelope surface area of the heated space (including attic and basements), in square meters (m2)

V = interior heated volume, including basement, in cubic meters (m3) S = space heating fuel factor (dimensionless) DD = is the number of long term average degree days below the 18 oC base V = is the heated volume of the building in cubic meters.


Appendix 2 Calculation of the Required Amount of Ventilation to be Added during and EnerGuide Rating (New Houses) Run The EnerGuide Rating (New Houses) run determines the amount of ventilation required, as follows: 1 The monthly average ventilation rate (air leakage and mechanical ventilation) for

the house is determined for each heating month by the software.

2 The ventilation air-change (VAC) rate is calculated for the house using the following equation: VAC (L/s) = 0.30 ac/h * (1000 ∕ 3600) * Volume of house (m3)

3 The required monthly ventilation to meet the above conditions is calculated using the following process: If VAC < 25 L/s then VAC = 25 L/s If VAC > 100 L/s then VAC = 100 L/s Difference (L/s) = VAC (L/s) – monthly average ventilation rate (L/s)

If the difference is less than 10 L/s (monthly average ventilation rate is close to VAC) then no additional ventilation is required. If the difference is greater than 10 L/s then the additional ventilation requirement equals the difference and is added to the EnerGuide rating calculation.

EnerGuide Rating System: Energy Advisor Procedures Manual

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