EPA ENERGY STAR^® Homes Program Requirements

Homes that qualify for the APS Energy Star Homes Program, must be compliant and certified as an EPA ENERGY STAR Home and include fresh air ventilation and room pressure balancing.

• The Thermal Bypass Checklist  is the building science component of the EPA's ENERGY STAR program. Homes must be sample inspected (1:7 by an independent inspector) for all items listed on the checklist.

In addition to the requirements on the Thermal Bypass Checklist, the home must meet EPA energy efficiency requirements by using either the Performance Path or Builder Options Package. 

• The Performance Path entails each plan's building envelope and components being entered into a software program by a HERS rater to determine the home's score. The score required to qualify for Energy Star is 85 or less. 
   
• The Builder Option Package allows selection of components from a 'menu' to meet the Energy Star requirements.

APS ENERGY STAR^® Homes Additional Program Requirements

• Fresh air ventilation
  A whole house fresh air ventilation system shall be included that provides outside air at a minimum rate of 7.5 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per person plus .01 cfm per square foot of conditioned floor area. Persons per home shall be calculated using the sum of the number of bedrooms plus 1. Outside air requirements shall not exceed the minimum rate requirement by more than 10 percent unless accounted for in the designed load calculations. Outside air supplied by supply-only or balanced ventilation systems shall be filtered and shall include a manual damper or other means of control.
   
• Room pressure balancing
  All rooms within the conditioned space - except bath and laundry - shall not exceed +/- 3 Pascals pressure differential with respect to the outside when interior doors are closed and the air handler is operating.  Additional returns, transfer grilles, or jump ducts may be needed to balance each room.
  

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