NCEEA Quantification Project

NCEEA Quantification Project Uncovers Evidence Supporting
Positive Impacts of ENERGY STAR® Qualified Homes

The NCEEA Quantification project comparing ENERGY STAR® qualified homes with non-qualified homes is under way and has discovered supporting third party generated research.  The NCEEA hopes to quantify the added value an ENERGY STAR qualification brings to homes beyond the well-known savings on monthly utility bills.  During our investigation, third party generated information supporting the positive role ENERGY STAR qualification can play has surfaced.  A market analysis conducted by Atlanta, GA based EcoBroker Carson Matthews found in 2009 green certified homes, including ENERGY STAR homes, sold for a higher percentage of their asking price (94.5% vs. 90.9%) and spent an average of 31 days less on the market.  Matthews’ findings can be found at http://greentothescene.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/atlanta-2009-green-sales-nar.pdf.  Additionally, a market analysis of the Triangle MLS in North Carolina conducted by Quick Turn Quality Appraisals, LLC, found in 2010 new high performance homes with certification sold for 12.9% more overall, an average of $13.82 more per square foot, and were on the market 42 less days compared to non-certified homes.  Quick Turn Quality Appraisals, LLC has posted its finding on their website and can be found at http://www.raleighquickappraisals.com/High+Performance+Homes+Sell+Better+in+the+Triangle.   A more in-depth investigation conducted by Ann Griffin of the Earth Advantage Institute found statistically significant evidence that green certifications including that of ENERGY STAR played a positive role in a home’s market performance.  Specifically, Griffin found in Portland, OR certified homes sold for an average of 4.2% more and sold 18 days faster.  Additionally, certified homes in Seattle, WA were found to sell for an average of 9.6% more, but did not have a difference in time spent for sale.  These findings are encouraging for the NCEEA’s quantification project and suggest that ENERGY STAR qualified homes do have a market advantage compared to non-qualified homes, meaning there is a significant financial return on investing in the ENERGY STAR program.  Check back for more information as we move forward with our quantification project.

North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance hosts Energy Efficiency Summit

Last Tuesday, March 15 2011, the NCEEA hosted a Summit pulling together industry leaders in order to discuss barriers and solutions to market issues associated with energy efficient hosing industry in North Carolina.  The event was a huge success. Stay tuned for a recap of the event in upcoming posts over the next couple of weeks.  For now we will leave you with a few pictures from the event.

Chuck Perry Program Director of the NCEEA addresses the crowd.

Attendees worked hard to identify market barriers and solutions throughout the event.

*all sticky notes were recycled at the conclusion of the event.

Attendees enjoy a great lunch while having the opportunity to network with each other.

NCEEA Quantification Project: Status Update 3/21/11

The NCEEA Quantification Study is underway and has selected a representative sample of ENERGY STAR® qualified homes.  This data was generated from the MLS database of homes sold in and around the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina in 2010.  These homes will serve as the basis of comparison that will quantify the differences between an ENERGY STAR qualified home and non-qualified homes along the dimensions of sale price, ratio of sales price to listing price, and the number of days the home spent on the market prior to sale.  In the next phase of the project this sample will be analyzed and a sample of comparable non-qualified homes will be generated.  The non-qualified homes will be as similar as possible to the ENERGY STAR qualified homes.  Similarities of particular importance include size, location, number of bedrooms and baths, date sold, quality of construction, and age.  Check back soon for further updates on our progress.

Advanced Energy Recognized by RESNET

Advanced Energy - RESNET Market Transformation Award

For almost a decade, Advanced Energy has been positively transforming the affordable housing market in North Carolina through its SystemVision program. As the only guaranteed affordable housing program in the nation, SystemVision homes are proven to be at least 15 percent more energy-efficient than code-built homes. In 2001, less than 10 percent of affordable single-family homes built in North Carolina had energy-efficient certifications. Now, more than 75 percent are SystemVision certified. These homes have diverted more than $1.7 million in energy costs from affordable housing homeowners in North Carolina.

Read more here:
http://www.advancedenergy.org/corporate/news/2011/files/2011%20RESNET%20Award%20PR.pdf

New York Times Gives Tips

The New York Times ran an article identifying some simple ways to reduce the leakiness of a house.

The tips included checking attic doors and baseboard heaters, and identified products such as inflatable plugs that could be used to seal up a drafty fireplace.

Low-cost methods of identifying and reducing leaks, from using the smoke of an incense stick to raising the threshold of your front door, were highlighted.

Follow the story as a house goes from an air expulsion rate of 75% per hour to 40%.

President Obama's speech on Energy Efficiency

NCEEA Begins Quantification Study Investigating Added Home Value of ENERGY STAR® Qualification

In today’s tough economic climate it is more important than ever to get your money’s worth.  Home builders and buyers alike are concerned with the financial return on their investment and in identifying the benefits of owning an ENERGY STAR qualified home.  While an average monthly utility savings of 20-30% for ENERGY STAR qualified homes is well-known and highly documented, little is known about the value an ENERGY STAR qualification adds to the homes total value and its ability to sell quickly.  For instance, will an ENERGY STAR home sell for more than a similar non-qualified home?  Will it spend less time on the market?  These are important questions when building and buying a home and the NCEEA has begun a quantification study to answer them.  The investigation conducted by the North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance will compare homes with ENERGY STAR qualification to similar non-qualified homes sold in 2010 to see if an ENERGY STAR qualification translates into faster sales and higher prices.

2011 RESNET conference summary

We at the North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance are back, fresh from the annual 2011 RESNET conference in Orlando Florida.  We are getting back in the swing of things here in the office and I thought I would share a few highlights from the trip.  

Some of the Highlights for me were Sam Rashkin's "ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes: Version 3 Myths vs. Reality", in which the head of EPA's ENERGY STAR program gave us some facts about the upcoming changes to the current version of ENERGY STAR.  We needed a bit of clarification as I assume most of you do, and he did a great job getting us up to date. 

My other personal favorite was John Tooley's presentation on "Mixing the Quality Serum".  John is a fantastic speaker and had the audience laughing a lot while still staying on task.  He encouraged us all that the  only way to do things was the correct way the first time, and that fixing the same defects from one house to the next should not be happening.  We as home energy raters should be helping drive change to a point where those mistakes are fixed, and those changes becomes standard construction for the builders that we work with.

These were just a few of the great presentations that the conference offered attendee's the chance to be apart of.  Lessons were learned, continuing education credits were had, and a successful conference has come to an end. 

Our partner organizations had presenters Southern Energy Managements, and Advanced Energy.  I did not get a chance to attend all of them; however, I heard nothing but positive comments about each of your presentations.

I want to highlight that a former college and all-star of Appalachian State University organized the conference.  Laurel Elam thanks for your hard work.  We look forward to next year.

Landon Williams