On Oct. 4, the
Building Performance Institute (BPI) released BPI-1100-T-201x: Home Energy
Auditing Standard and its companion, BPI-1200-S-201x: Standard Practice
for Basic Analysis of Buildings for public comment for a period of 45 days.
These standards
were developed in an effort to standardize and clarify what is included
in a whole-building, science-based energy audit of existing homes and include
assessments of wood and pellet stoves for the first time. Up until now, hundreds
of thousands of home energy audits have been done without any provisions to
inspect the efficiency and safety of wood and pellet stoves. Audits often
lead to upgrading old and unsafe heating appliances and can involve subsidized
or low interest financing.
The Alliance for
Green Heat identified the omission of wood stoves in energy audit
standards in 2011 and began campaigning for their inclusion. In the spring
of 2012, an Alliance article about this systematic omission that
particularly impacted rural, low and middle-income households led to
serious talks with BPI who agreed to work on it. The Alliance and BPI
built the Solid Fuels Task Group, inviting representatives from EPA,
HPBA, CSIA, and the Washington State Department of Ecology along with
Scott Williamson and Mike O’Rourke.
The standard will direct BPI certified energy
auditors to do a visual inspection of wood and pellet stoves and how they are
installed. It will outline the indicators that will guide the audit process and
tell the auditor when a recommendation should be given to the homeowner to call
in a trained hearth professional with either National Fireplace Institute (NFI)
or Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) Certification.
The Home Energy Auditing Standard addresses
energy usage, occupant health and safety, and includes a cost-benefit analysis.
This standard has received wide interest and has undergone multiple rounds of
public review.
The Standard Practice for Basic Analysis of
Buildings parallels the Home Energy Auditing Standard. This standard
is primarily focused on energy conservation measures and criteria.
The standards are undergoing American National
Standards Institute (ANSI) review, which includes a 45-day public comment.
Comments are being solicited from stakeholders and the general public.
To
view the standards, visit: Standards Under Review
To
submit comments, visit: Formal Public Comment Process.
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