Workforce Guidelines for Home Energy Upgrades

Table of Contents: "Recommend addition of Introduction to EE Home Energy Upgrades Introduction to Weatherization * Weatherization is the act of protecting a building from the elements such as wind, water, sunlight, cold, and heat. The goal of weatherization is to create buildings with high energy efficiency and low energy consumption requirements. * Weatherization measures most often focus on the building enclosure and the building's mechanical systems. The building enclosure is the physical barrier that separates the interior of the building from the exterior environment. Mechanical systems include heating and cooling systems (A/C) and are responsible for creating and moving conditioned air and controlling the movement of air through the enclosure between the exterior and interior environments. * Weatherization has many benefits including reducing the owner's or inhabitant's energy burden, helping protect the building against weather damage, increasing the building value, and reducing green-house gas emissions. An energy burden is the total dollar amount the building's owner pays for utilities such as gas, oil, electricity over a given time period. * Weatherization increases building value because future owners must recognize the value of weatherization cost savings as well as the increased value of new/better materials installed in the building during the weatherization process." Contents: "Add Section on a General awareness and understanding of Sustainability Add Section on Building Science * Building Science is the language of weatherization. Building Science is the collection of knowledge that focuses on the analysis and control of the physical phenomena affecting buildings. Building Science focuses on the detailed analysis of building materials and building enclosure systems to continuously improve of building techniques and designs. * Building Science is a continuously evolving field that expands as new technology and building materials are discovered. Add section on ""Integrated Building Systems found in a typical Residential Structure""" Contents: "CONSIDER ADDING NEW SECTIONS AND REVISED ORDER OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION -- SUSTAINSBILITY- BUILDING SCIENCE 2. INTEGRATED BUILDING SYSTEMS 3. HOME PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT 4. AIR SEALING 5. INSULATION 6. CRAWL SPACES AND BASEMENTS 7. VENTILATION 8. HEATING AND COOLING 9. COMBUSTION APPLIANCES 10. BASELOAD"