RESTalk

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...

Just as anyone else, building experts buy homes, too. Yet what are the differences in the way these insiders make their choices in finding the best homes to live in?   Listen in as C.R. Herro, Vice President of Energy Efficiency and Sustainability at Meritage Homes shares with us his very thoughtful perspectives on the gaps that exist between the way buyers and experts make choices about the homes...

How do you get folks to understand the increased value in high performing, energy efficient homes?     Sandra Adomatis of Adomatis Appraisal Service is making it her mission to answer that question by helping the US real estate industry appreciate that you need to measure it, market it and sell for it.   Listen in as Sandy, describes her career journey which lead her to the point of being a highly...

Build it Tight. Ventilate Right. We hear a lot about the former, what about the latter?   Listen in as we chat with Scott Grefsheim a Senior Product Engineer at Research Products (AprilAire) as he shares his 25-year passion for building products that improve health and comfort in homes and buildings.   We discuss his complex role as a product engineer to define product specifications to satisfy bu...

Similar to what is happening with shifting demographics across the trades and construction industries, RESNET, too, is looking towards who will be their future leaders. Matt Gingrich, VP of the RESNET Board of Directors and Valerie Briggs, Communications Director for RESNET join host Bill Spohn to discuss the measures that RESNET is taking to address this trend. Learn about the newly formed ELC, o...

Where does the Home Energy Rating industry meet every year? At the RESNET conference, of course!   Listen in as Emma Bennett, RESNET staffer, fills us in on all the aspects of the upcoming 2019 conference.   Mark your calendars and save the dates for this fun, engaging and educational event to be held February 25 -27, 2019 in New Orleans, LA.   This coming year's conference theme is: Go Forward To...