Tech Tip – CMFNH

06Jun 2019 by Amy Barr

Quality Insulation Inspection

The California Energy Commission (CEC) has set a standard insulation installation in a home. This standard, called Quality Insulation Installation (QII), requires that insulated framing areas resist thermal bridging of the assembly separating a conditioned space from an unconditioned space. For more general information on QII, please follow this link. Low-rise CMFNH projects that follow QII installation procedures and employ a HERS rater to verify the installation are eligible for a $45 per-unit incentive kicker. Why QII? The Insulation Institute conducted a survey of more than 100 of the nation’s top production builders to identify the 5 most common insulation install flaws. The study also asked builders to identify their biggest challenges in working with insulation contractors. Most responses pointed toward use of incorrect materials and improper installation. The top five…

08Jan 2019 by Amy Barr

CABEC’s Associate Energy Analyst Accreditation

Tech Tip, Training, Uncategorized

The California Association of Energy Consultants (CABEC) has a new accreditation available, the Associate Energy Analyst (AEA). This accreditation is targeted to professionals who work closely with the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards as they gain the work experience or energy modeling expertise needed to become full Certified Energy Analysts (CEAs). This would include, but not be limited to candidates new to the energy industry, California Energy Commission staff, utility staff, Building Officials, Architects, Engineers, Manufacturers and similar. As with the CEA certification, there will be separate AEA accreditation for the residential and nonresidential energy standards. The AEA provides professional recognition for passing the multiple choice portion of the rigorous CEA exams without the modeling exam or requirements for CEU’s or direct work experience. The AEA program has been designed…

01Oct 2018 by Amy Barr

Testing the 2019 Code Software

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

The 2019-Code goes into effect January 1, 2020 - just around the corner considering construction timelines. CMFNH and CABEC strongly encourage all energy consultants to test out the 2019-Code beta software (also called research versions) before the code change. Testing will help gain familiarity with software and the new code, test how certain building designs fair, and surface bugs, errors, and missing features to inform the development team ahead of final release. For residential buildings, the new code includes: More stringent wall insulation values, including QII in the reference baseline A new baseline for electric water heating The Energy Design rating - a brand new method of code compliance that requires a user adhere to both an Efficiency-EDR and a Final-EDR simultaneously (see CMFNH’s EDR Fact Sheet here for more…

01Oct 2018 by Amy Barr

2019 Code Energy Design Rating Fact Sheet

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

The 2019 residential energy code (2019-Code) will use a new energy efficiency metric to gauge code compliance: the Energy Design Rating (EDR) will replace compliance percent for low-rise multifamily buildings. Each metric accomplishes a similar task – determining if a proposed-building uses less energy than a prescriptive-building of the same size and in the same climate zone. The difference between compliance percent and EDR is simply the mathematical construct used behind the scenes in the modeling software and the inclusion of all energy end uses within EDR. CMFNH participants may be familiar with the EDR already as it’s being used for low-rise program compliance with the 2016-Code program. For the full write up, please follow this link.

12Sep 2018 by matt flores

Three reasons California multifamily builders want to incorporate HPW before 2020

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

California’s current energy code, Title 24, establishes construction of high performance walls (HPW) as the base model in all new low-rise multifamily buildings. Many builders elect to build to the performance path, which allows for conventional walls if the builder installs other performance features, most often solar photovoltaics (PV). There are many factors for builders to assess when considering whether to incorporate HPW into new buildings now—including the fact that the 2019 version of Title 24 is just around the corner. Below are three reasons California builders want to incorporate HPW into multifamily new construction. Be Prepared for the 2019 Code On January 1, 2020—15 months away—2019 California building code will come into effect. The 2019 code not only requires more efficient energy measures, it also removes commonly used HPW…

10Sep 2018 by Amy Barr

New Bonus Option Available!

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

The California Advanced Homes Program (CAHP) and California Multifamily New Homes (CMFNH) program provide EDR and cash bonuses for industry best-practice measures to reward builders and homeowners. These bonuses also help offset the incremental costs for these added measures. This new cash bonus is model-able and available for all 2016 code single-family and low-rise multifamily projects, as applicable. Quality Insulation Installation (QII): Single family and low-rise multifamily projects QII outlines a procedure to verify proper installation of insulation to maximize thermal benefit per methods detailed in the Residential Appendix RA3.5, and applies to floors, walls, roofs and ceilings. Claiming compliance credit for QII requires that a third-party HERS Rater verifies the integrity of the installed insulation. The incentive dollars available for this bonus kicker are $45 per multifamily unit, and…

15Jun 2018 by Amy Barr

Who is Renting and What Do They Care About?

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

California has one of the highest percentages of renters across the nation, and there is a new generation of renters encroaching on the rental market: Generation Z, those born from roughly 1995 – 2012 [1]. Generation Z is starting to replace millennials as the target demographic in the multifamily and student housing industry. Because this generation grew up in a world filled with social media, one great way to reach them is through influencer marketing. Because Generation Z spends an average of 26 hours on a mobile phone or laptop per week, marketing that is mobile-device friendly may have the best chance at making an impact [2]. While Generation Z is a noteworthy generation to focus on, other generations have a higher presence in the rental market than ever before.…

14Mar 2018 by Amy Barr

Install 100% LED Lighting to Secure the Maximum CMFNH Incentive

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

How does LED lighting work? LED stands for light emitting diode. LED lighting products produce light approximately 90% more efficiently than incandescent light bulbs, and emit much less heat into the living space. (more…)

22Sep 2017 by Amy Barr

Program Update: Additional High-rise Kickers Now Available

Tech Tip, Uncategorized

The California Multifamily New Homes (CMFNH) program values feedback from our participants. We are now able to offer incentives for high-rise projects looking to take advantage of two of our kickers. The 100% LED Lighting kicker is available for both high-rise and low-rise projects. For low-rise projects, this kicker can increase your Delta EDR score, increasing your ability to qualify for the program and your incentives. For high-rise projects, an additional $15 per unit will be included in your incentive reservation. In order to qualify for this incentive, a project must have 100% hard-wired LED lighting on the project. Learn more about LED lighting here. High-rise and low-rise projects installing ENERGY STAR Tier II appliances are also eligible for an additional kicker. Similar to the 100% LED Lighting kicker, this…

12Sep 2017 by Amy Barr

Webinar on Common Modeling Issues and Design Charrettes

Tech Tip, Training, Uncategorized

Join the CMFNH team for a webinar on program specific energy modeling guidelines to learn more about non-residential spaces, advanced systems and how to achieve deeper savings with efficient modelling approaches. We will also go over the $5,000 design charrette incentive. Specific topics to be covered: Modeling non-residential spaces Mechanical systems for high-rise MF buildings and their impact on compliance DHW Solar fraction & CMFNH eligibility Additional design assistance Click here to view the webinar recording Click here to view the slide deck