That’s what I had when accepting the Tony Woods Award at the recent Affordable Comfort Conference in Baltimore.   Actually there was no time scheduled but Larry Zarcher’s a nice guy, so he bent the schedule … “OK, but no more than 30 seconds.”

Larry Zarcher presenting Tony Woods award to Dave Robinson ... and giving Dave 30 seconds to say whatever he wanted.

The audience was a thousand of the most influential folks in the Home Performance Industry. Having an opinion or two, and since spontaneity is not a problem for me, I was happy to have the opportunity.

So I said, “Just imagine that everyone in here were to go out and buy a foreclosed home this year and do all the home performance they want to do and recorded the results.   When we all get together next year, Imagine the stories we’d hear and the party we’d have!  I’ll see you in Denver,  I love this industry, Thank you.”

I was humbled and honored to receive the Tony Woods award and I think my 30 second challenge merits further consideration.   I have so enjoyed working on foreclosed homes.   Because I own them, they are “tabula rasa” I can make quick decisions, change my mind, and turn on a dime.  This has allowed me to innovate and try new things, some of which have been published, and some are still brewing.   It is a Home Performance Skunk Works of sorts.    Imagine if a thousand of the best minds in our industry had their own private Skunk Works laboratory!

That’s my vision.   What about you?   If you had 30 seconds to address the Home Performance Industry, What would you say?

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2012 BPI Tony Woods Award Winner

Dave Robinson of GreenEarthEquities Receives BPI’s 2012 Tony Woods Award for Excellence in Advancing the Home Performance Industry.  The award recognizes the individual who has most advanced the home performance industry over the past year.

Baltimore, Maryland, March 29, 2012 -The Building Performance Institute, Inc. (BPI), the nation’s premier standards development and contractor credentialing organization for residential energy efficiency retrofit work, yesterday honored Dave Robinson of GreenEarthEquities by naming him the 2012 recipient of the Tony Woods Award for Excellence in Advancing the Home Performance Industry in the Opening Plenary ceremony of the ACI National Home Performance Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

Robinson was nominated by industry peers and selected by an independent panel of impartial judges for his passionate commitment to performing deep energy retrofits on foreclosed homes, and for training others to do the same. His innovative approach has brought much needed home performance services to an often neglected corner of the residential housing market.

Robinson performed energy efficiency renovations for 30 years and served the industry as president of the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA) before founding GreenEarthEquitiesin 2008.

GreenEarthEquities buys foreclosed homes and performs deep energy retrofits on them before selling them again. His vision of finding like-minded investors and teaching them to replicate his proven strategies demonstrates his commitment to training “Energy-Wise House Flippers.”

“Dave Robinson is determined to save the Earth and improve the planet one house at a time,” said Larry Zarker, BPI CEO. “Robinson’s background as a contractor, real estate broker, energy auditor and teacher, combined with his creative thinking has allowed him to flourish in this challenging economy.”

Robinson’s business model has been so successful that the U.S. Department of Energy has awarded two contracts to GreenEarthEquities for the development of demonstration homes in California and Virginia, to measure specially designed HVAC and duct system configurations featuring Robinson’s energy efficient home performance improvements.

The Tony Woods Award for Excellence in Advancing the Home Performance Industry is an initiative from BPI in honor of Tony Woods, former president of Canam Building Envelope Specialists Inc. and ZERODRAFT®, and a pioneer of the home performance industry. During his career, he served tirelessly in the industry as a volunteer board member with BPI, Affordable Comfort Inc (ACI), as president of the Ontario Building Envelope Council and on more than ten standards committees dealing with air leakage control, air barriers, ventilation and more. He has presented on building envelope retrofit and home performance topics throughout North America and around the world. Woods passed away after a battle with leukemia on May 8, 2009, just over two weeks after the inaugural award in his name was presented by BPI.

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Performance Test 5967 E. Fedora Fresno CA

Gary Richardson, owner of Rare Services Heating and Cooling, performs a series of tests at 5967 E Fedora Fresno CA were we’ve installed a Dual Zoned ducted and non ducted Fujitsu Mini Split Heat Pump  in place of traditional HVAC systems.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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by Debra Little and Steve Easley

Debra is a Real Estate agent and a Certified Appraiser and Steve is a Building Science Forensic Expert who collaborated on this Green Home Reference Guide for use in PG&E training for Realtors and Appraisers.

Click here for Green Home Reference Guide Webinar Part 1

Click here to download a PDF or simply view content below.

…

Green Home Reference Guide

Energy Efficient Features

…

Envelope

• Assembly type- 2X6, SIPs, ICF, alternating studs…
• Air/Shell seal-  Attic
• Air/Shell seal-  Crawl
• Air/Shell seal-  Wall
• Insulation R value- Attic___, walls___, floors___
• Min 10 inches in attic?
• Insulation QII – Quality Installation; no gaps, voids
• Infiltration- Blower Door test results ______CFM@50
• Advanced  Framing-  less  wood
• Thermal Bridging-  designed to prevent
• Foam wrapped exterior
• Windows- type is EE___________. U___, SHG___
• Windows- positioned for cross breezes & ventilation
• Windows- provide high %  natural daylight
• Windows- Shading, eaves, coverings

Mechanical Systems

• Ducts- new
• Ducts- sealed & insulated  R8
• Duct leakage tested
• Ductless system
• HVAC- new, sized by design
• HVAC- high EER/SEER
• ERV- Energy Recovery Ventilator
• HRV- Heat Recovery Ventilator
• Ventilation- exhaust
• Ventilation- balanced (supply & exhaust)
• Hot water heater- Energy Star
• Condensing water heater
• Heat pump water heater
• Tankless water heater
  

Base load (predominantly influenced by occupancy behavior)

• Lighting- high efficacy
• Lighting- can lights are sealed & insulated
  
• Permanent appliances- Energy Star
• Energy feedback monitor
  

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Water Efficiency

Interior

• Low flow, high efficacy fixtures
• Insulated hot water pipes
• EE distribution design
• Demand controlled recirculation pump
• Point of entry or use filtration system
• Solar Thermal
  

Exterior

• Auto drip, timed sprinklers
• Weather controlled sprinkler system
• Pool pump- variable speed, solar
• Water collection or recycling
• Permeable paving

Site

• Orientation for solar
• Shading
• Drainage, water management

Renewable Energy

• Solar photovoltaic
• Sized for Net Zero
• Solar Thermal

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NEB Green Features
Indoor Air Quality

• Ventilation- filtered fresh air
• Bath fan controllers- occupant sensor, timer, humidistat
• Low/no VOC paints & sealants
• No off gassing materials- particleboards, MDF, flooring
• Formaldehyde tested
• Combustion appliances located exterior & tested
• Attached garage has exhaust fan
• H20 heater- sealed combustion
• Fireplace- sealed combustion
• Furnace- sealed combustion

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Other

• Recycled materials- concrete, wood, tile, _______
• Landscaping- drought tolerant
• Landscaping/hardscape- reduce heat island effect
• Location-  transportation access, walkscore
• Roof- light colored or “Cool roof”
• Exterior color- lighter
• Sound quality- exterior, interior

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