ENERGY STAR and Zero Energy Ready
Summary
ENERGY STAR certifies new homes and multifamily buildings, and the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program builds on it with a climate-specific HERS Index target. ZERH requires ENERGY STAR certification first, so the ENERGY STAR version in force sets the starting requirements.
Cols
Scope
- Prerequisite: ZERH Version 2 requires certification under ENERGY STAR Single Family New Homes Version 3.2; ZERH also accepts versions 3, 3.1, and 3.2 or ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction versions 1, 1.1, and 1.2 depending on state and program
- HERS target: a HERS Index target per home, set from a target home and a size modification factor; a 2018 DOE slide showed ranges around 48 to 55 by climate zone, which is dated and climate dependent
- Renewable ready: a California ZERH document includes a renewable-ready section referencing the DOE PV-Ready checklist; national requirements were not confirmed
- Multifamily: DOE has a Zero Energy Ready Multifamily program; townhomes can participate in Version 2
Coordination
- PHIUS projects: PHIUS+ requires ENERGY STAR Certified Homes and DOE Zero Energy Ready Home criteria
- Version check: confirm the current ZERH version and HERS targets on the DOE requirements page
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy: ZERH Version 2 national program requirements, https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-10/DOE ZERH V2 (Rev. 1) National Program Requirements.pdf
- Building Science Institute: Zero Energy Ready Homes, https://buildingscienceinstitute.org/?p=2111
- Henry Company: ENERGY STAR 3.2, what builders need to know, https://henry.com/knowledge-center/residential-blog/energy-star-3.2--what-builders-need-to-know
- Wikimedia Commons: Earth Day - Energy Star Home Advisor (17236274745).jpg, by USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency (Public domain), https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earth_Day_-_Energy_Star_Home_Advisor_(17236274745).jpg