Has anyone had their house or plans rated by a HERS rating professional? I received my results today. Rating is a 52, with peak heat load of 14.3 kbtu's, with annual energy cost of $283. This is a small, all ICF house in a cold climate... -m

And does anyone know anything about the energy efficient building tax credit? I understand a bill was started in the Senate in August to extend/expand it, which would offer $5000 for a house built with a rating of 50 or less. As far as I can tell, it's still pending....?

-m

Unless things have changed all the federal energy credits are available only to contractors who are in the business of building homes, or to a home owner who upgrades insulation, etc. in an existing home. Owner/builders are grossly discriminated against and totally left out in the cold.

I thought it was for consumers....

http://ase.org/content/article/detail/6074

The energy rater just returned my call..

I guess you're right. It's for the contractor. Doesn't make sense. I'm the one spending the extra moola on ICF's etc......

Search through some of the other forums here on GBT. I just remembered that 2 or 3 items might be available to OB on new construction such as geosource heat pump and solar panels.

What you are seeing the is power of lobbying. OBs are not huge in numbers and don't have an organization to champion their cause, hence no clout in Congress.

Your best hope is to have a builder work with you on your project, which you will need anyway unless you can self-finance the whole thing, and have him pursue the energy credits and pass them on to you. That's what I should have, or could have, done if I'd have gotten on the ball early in the game. You have to have the HERS review started in the planning phase. After you're done building is too late.

Seems to me like HERS wasn't active when I started my project in 2007. Northwest Energy Star group wouldn't recognize my heating/cooling system configuration, and the local auditor said HEED wasn't worth the hassle for a home.

for oregon their is a program called high-performance it is a tax credit up to $12,000 pending on what and how well you build your home their is a cash kicker to it is all third party verified ,duct blast,blower door ,and sometimes infer red camera and a r value and a u value guide line the tax credit can be deeded to the home owner if you wish this to is a great start to move builders in the right path

My house started out about where yours is at the initial rating.  Work with the rater and find out where you can improve.  My final score was a 38 WITHOUT solar hot water or solar electric.  Since my final rating I have added solar hot water.  Unofficially this drops my HERS score to 30.

I will look into the credit you mentioned.  However, i am already going to get quite a bit of credit for the ground source heat pump, 94% efficient on demand water heater, and solar hot water system.  30% of the installed cost of each, in fact!  Woo Hoo!  I'm sure I'll be carrying over to the following year.

Check out my house here: www.GouinGreen.com  The site has a lot of free advice that is well worth what you pay for it. ;-)

Good luck.

Ed
Mr. Green Dreams
  

Hi All,

You can always find the current State and Federal Tax Incentives at this web site.
http://www.dsireusa.org/

Regarding the - Energy-Efficient New Homes Tax Credit for Home Builders (Federal)
The specific name of the HERS Report is for this Tax Incentive is: 2005 EPACT ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME TAX CREDIT

Energy Saving Requirements
Site-built homes qualify for a $2,000 credit if they are certified to reduce heating and cooling energy consumption by 50% relative to the International Energy Conservation Code standard and meet minimum efficiency standards established by the Department of Energy. Building envelope component improvements must account for at least one-fifth of the reduction in energy consumption. http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=US41F&re=1&ee=1

Note that the improvements in the homes performance has two thresholds and both must be met to qualify for the Tax Incentive. These are improvements in Energy Consumption and Envelope Loads (weighed against the 2004 IECC)


PENDING LEGISLATION
Legislation Introduced in Senate to Extend Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives

The $2,000 tax credit for energy efficient homes will expire on January 1, 2010 unless extended by Congress. Bi-partisan legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to extend the $2,000 credit to December 31, 2012 and create a $5,000 credit for homes that use 50% less whole house energy than the 2004 IECC (50 HERS Index). The bill was co-sponsored by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM).

In addition, the legislation:

· Creates a $200 tax credit for the cost of a home energy rating

· Creates a $500 tax credit for the cost of training and certifying home performance auditors to conduct home energy ratings

· Increases the amount of the tax incentive for commercial buildings to $3.00 per square foot

Go to www.resnet.us/hotnews/2009-09-21.htm to view the proposed legislation.