RaterFest!

As founder for “Retooling the U.S. Housing Industry”, Sam is a published author, trainer, and consultant who has been preparing our nation’s home builders for major disruptions looming ahead. In his prior role as Chief Architect for the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office, Sam’s led deployment of proven housing innovations including directing the Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.

This work built upon his experience leading ENERGY STAR^® for Homes from its inception in 1996 to more than 8,000 builder partners, over one million labeled homes. During his 20-plus years as a licensed architect, he specialized in energy efficient design and completed over 100 residential projects. He has served on the national Steering Committees for USGBC’s LEED for Homes, NAHB’s Green Builder Guidelines, and U.S. EPA’s Water Sense and Indoor airPLUS™ labels. Mr. Rashkin has been recognized for his contributions to sustainable housing in 2019 with the EEBA Legend Award and in 2012 with the Hanley Award. Find Sam on LinkedIn.

The zero energy and Zero Energy Ready train has left the station. Tens-of-thousands of homes already constructed provide compelling evidence. Extensive builder feedback suggests strong business advantages. Testimonials from homeowners all across the country demonstrate a vastly superior customer experience. And we haven’t begun to address the impressive societal benefits associated with a stronger economy, cleaner air, additional jobs, and significantly less peak power demand. Not surprisingly, there are a growing number of zero energy codes in states and cities. Maybe even more significantly, the national 2021 International Energy Conservation Code is essentially equivalent to a Zero Energy Ready Home enclosure.

If you’re not on this train, you have a lot of catching up to do. That begins with this session which will show the key building blocks of a Zero Energy Ready Home and how to optimize them. The exciting news is that an optimized Zero Energy Ready Home can cost the same or less cost as a minimum code home! Consider all the additional profit, customer satisfaction, market differentiation from increasingly obsolete existing homes, and reduced customer service calls a nice bonus.

Learning Outcomes:

• Overview the 2021 IECC in relation to Zero Energy Ready Homes
• Examine the selling points of a Zero Energy Ready Home
• Looking into the cost fact associated with Zero Energy Ready Homes
• Identify the key building blocks of a Zero Energy Ready Home

This session will cover the key elements to a healthier home. Is it the designer, builder, sub-contractors, HVAC contractors, Rater/Advisors, product manufacturers, and/or the occupants. No surprise here it's a combination. Let's pick the locks and discuss the various roles each key holder has in creating common failures (unhealthy conditions) and current successes that open the doors to a healthier home.

At the end of this session you will have gained a better understanding of the impacts from key stakeholders on healthier homes and be surprised on the healthy conditions that are currently being implemented in dwellings today. If a healthier home is as simple as turning a key, why are so few dwellers asking for their home to be healthier? Maybe semantics with comfort or … we’ll discuss the consumer interferences.

Learning Outcomes:

• List the top key holders to a healthier home. Two keys can make a significant impact! 
• Name three of the most common health risks and exposure and pathways in a dwelling.
• Why the healthiest home can become a serious health risk by of the occupants. 
• What should a Rater/Energy Advisor know to make a home healthier.

Zero Energy Ready Home HERS Rater Roundtable
Presented by: Sam Bowles, Jamie Lyons, and Joe Nebbia

Marketing Energy Conservation Through The Ages
Presented by: Bruce Manclark

Chemical Dependency - The price of addiction to chemicals in building materials
Presented by: Joe Medosch

The Oregon Trail: Making Energy Labels Normal
Presented by: David Heslam

The Winds of Change- An Update on RESNET Quality Assurance and Technical Standards
Presented by: Scott Doyle

What Should a Rating Really Include? 
Presented by: Darrell Lehman & Mike Collignon