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It's true: teamwork makes the dream work. -Natalya Neidhart It used to be that designing and building a Net Zero home was a far-fetched idea. Now, there are several Net Zero competitions with utilities, raters, builders and home owners working together to raise public awareness of this accelerating trend showcasing the benefits of building beyond code requirements. Join us to hear Mike Loughlin pr...

Real, sustainable community change requires the initiative and engagement of community members. -Helene D. Gayle RESNET plays a big role in the Home Energy ecosystem. Part of RESNET's role is to give a voice to the variety of organizations involved. Some of these organizations are suppliers of materials and equipment essential to the management and control of energy and other factors in homes.    ...

What is the RESNET Index Adjustment Factor (IAF) with Philip Fairey of the Florida Solar Energy Center   Taste as you go. When you taste the food throughout the cooking process you can adjust as you go. -Anne Burrell   Feedback (tasting) and adjusting make a better recipe. RESNET is all about feedback.   Join us as Philip Fairey, Deputy Director of the Florida Solar Energy Center and Secretary of...

 I have always believed in helping your fellow man is profitable in every sense, personally and the bottom line.   -Mario Puzo For some, a broader definition of housing includes more than just rental cost.   It also includes energy, water, transportation and healthcare – where in many cases the location has impact on Indoor Air Quality.   Listen in as RESNET Board member Abe Kruger (SK Collaborati...

Moving Towards the Integrated Home – Connected, Interactive, Interoperable, AND Efficient   Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. -John F. Kennedy   Tim Carter (Georgia Power) & Shon Richey (Alabama Power) join us today to discuss two very forward-thinking Smart Neighborhood projects that address grid balancing and consumer engage...

California Dreamin' - RESNET HERS® Ratings Soon to be Recognized in California   It's shown and proved that hard work pays off. Make goals, achieve them, make new goals. -Lance Gross Ryan Meres (RESNET) and Matt Christie (Associate Director, TRC) join us to review the five-year journey where RESNET and the California Energy Commission (CEC) have been working together to bring the California and RE...

"Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others." – Jonathan Swift Efficiency is invisible, yet energy efficiency represents the largest, cheapest and healthiest means of reducing the global temperature increase. Achieving good energy efficiency also results in better occupant comfort, health, and productivity as well as creating jobs and equity. The United States is one of 190 nations th...

I'm not trying to 'cause a big s-s-sensation (talkin' 'bout my generation) I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (talkin' 'bout my generation) ~ My Generation (The Who)     Generational differences: they can be hard to ignore, and sometimes cause unnecessary conflict.   However, those of different generations working together often speak of more enriching experiences.   Listen in as we talk a...

"I learned no detail was too small. It was all about the details." – Brad Grey   In this episode we speak with Ryan Meres, Program Director at RESNET about his experiences at the recent committee action hearings of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)   Out of the 37 proposals identified for RESNET Board review, 13 were determined to be RESNET's top priorities. Ryan tracked and testif...

The North Star - For some it is a compass direction. The direction to follow.   For others following your North Star means sticking to an important mission.   Let's follow the important mission happening in green housing in the North Star State. Listen in as we discover the team work that has been rallied to create the Minnesota's Green Path.   Tom Gavaras of the BATC-Housing First Minnesota and R...

Access to clean, abundant water is critical to the maintenance and growth of society. And this is not just a regional or US theme, it is a global issue.   In this joint podcast with ICC Pulse, RESTalk host Bill Spohn interviews RESNET Program Director Ryan Meres and Code Council Executive Director of Sustainability Programs Dave Walls about the new water ratings standard, water efficiency and cons...

Attention to detail is important in so many facets of life. Certainly, in dealing with people. And also, when dealing with things.   Listen in as we hear about how the details of proper air sealing can make such a difference in the comfort, performance and energy efficiency of the thing we all hold so near and dear; the home.   Our guest in this podcast, Charlie Haack is the Director of Technical...

At times we all wish we had a crystal ball. You know, something to help you see into the future.   What if the crystal ball was a gateway into your imagination, your own personal vision of what you could help accomplish in the future? Pretty awesome, right?   That's the spirit of our conversation today with these fine "fellows" in this podcast   Elizabeth Sanfelippo, Jonathan Gensler and Xavier Wa...

Perspective.   While the first dictionary definition may come first to mind for our technical listeners: the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point.   It is the second dictionary definition we will pivot from today : a particular attitude t...

 ***NOTE: While the podcast mentions an upcoming session at the 2019 RESNET Conference, the podcast was recorded before the conference took place and published after the conference took place. ***   Big Sky, Montana: literally one of the biggest sky views on earth.   A great place for great ideas to be born.   At the 2018 HabitatX Conference an idea germinated from conversations between Steve Bade...

HVAC systems usually consume a large chunk of the energy in any home.   So, it follows that optimizing HVAC systems can lead to lower home energy consumption, hence a lower HERS score/better HERS rating.   But how are points awarded for a better-quality HVAC design and Installation?   Is there are better way than nameplate information?   Listen in as we chat with Wes Davis (ACCA) and Dean Gamble (...

Lately we hear a lot of buzz words in the home building community: Sustainable. Healthy. Smart. Flexible.   What would it be like to actually execute on all these parameters? All at once. In one home.   Well KB Home did it in the KB Home Projekt!   Listen in to my conversation with Jacob Atalla, VP of Sustainability Initiatives with KB Home as he expands on KB's vision, strategies and execution of...

New horizons, new perspectives.   In today's episode our guests Tony Lisanti (Integral Building & Design, Inc.) and Chris McTaggart (The BER) discuss how HERS Raters should consider pursuing the ICC Residential Energy Inspector/Plans Examiner certification.   On a timely note, you can learn more about training and testing for this going on just before the 2019 RESNET conference at this link: http:...

It's the new year where we all set some goals and priorities for ourselves.   RESNET is no different and has set their goals and priorities for 2019.   In this episode Steve Baden, RESNET Executive Director, covers the programs and initiatives that are rolling out in 2019 and beyond.   From increasing consumer awareness and demand for ratings to sustaining and enhancing the quality of ratings RESN...

Tune in to this episode where RESNET Executive Director, Steve Baden and staff member Emma Bennett give you the lay of the land for what should be the best conference of the year; the upcoming Annual RESNET Conference themed Going Forward Together.   From policy to pitot tubes, mega-trends to Mardi Gras; the over 100 conference sessions, 50 exhibitors, plus the local atmosphere of New Orleans will...

  Time for your annual checkup, RESNET!   So, open wide (your ears) and listen as we join RESNET staff members Laurel Elam, Scott Doyle and Billy Giblin for their insights into what is happening on the quality assurance front.   You will gain a clearer picture of how this experienced and thoughtful team engages on several levels with raters, providers and others to achieve the best possible produc...

What's the most effective way to conduct an energy rating on a multifamily building?     Join us as Gayathri Vijayakumar (Steven Winter Associates, Inc.) discusses the efforts of a dedicated group of individuals that has moved multifamily building energy ratings from guidelines to become a part of the existing HERS standards 301 and 380.   We also learn of Gayathri's passion for her work, her love...

You may know ventilation fan performance is dependent on several factors, yet some of these factors may surprise you.   In this episode, we speak with Russell Pope, Industry Development Manager for Panasonic and learn the intricacies involved in delivering proper ventilation in a residential setting.   Russell educates us as to the evolution of ventilation fans, including test protocols to insure...

When will there be a tipping point in the common use of energy ratings for homes?     Join us as David Heslam (Earth Advantage) and Ryan Meres (RESNET) discuss how they are teaming up to seamlessly deliver Home Energy Ratings information to the real estate community.   Listen in as David describes his career journey from builder, to green builder, then into education and research in the housing ma...

How can HERS raters influence the development of the IECC? (International Energy Conservation Code)     Join us as Eric Makela of the New Buildings Institute (www. NewBuildings.org) takes us on a journey through the world of energy codes.   Eric is the perfect tour guide, as he has spent the last 30 years training on this topic to practitioners in the building, design and enforcement industries in...