NHSaves–a Net Zero Home Competition

Drive to Net Zero Home Competition

NHSaves Drive to Net Zero competition seeks to identify, encourage and promote building contractors to build high efficiency, net zero energy homes. The Challenge will also demonstrate to the industry and homeowner that building a home that produces more energy on site than it consumes is affordable and achievable today.

About the Competition

NHSaves Drive to Net Zero Home Competition is a design and build competition for single and multi-family homes in New Hampshire that are finished and a Home Energy Rating Score (HERS) completed by November 30, 2017. Completed homes are assigned a performance score based on the presence of energy-efficient features that curb overall energy use. Specifically, the competition uses RESNET Rating standards to determine each completed home’s HERS Index. The home’s HERS Index, coupled with other factors including the cost effectiveness of the project and the home’s total estimated energy use are utilized to determine the winners.  Homes will be rated based on five distinct categories: 4 of which will be technical and 1 will be judged.

• The lowest overall HERS Index (technical)
• The lowest HERS index prior to renewables technologies (technical)
• Most affordable project, cost per square foot (technical and will be treated confidentially)
• The homes estimated total annual net operating cost using REM/Rate (technical)
• Technological innovation incorporated (Judged)

Awards & Benefits

• 1^st Place: $5,000
• 2^nd Place: $2,000
• 3^rd Place: $1,000

Qualifications & Requirements

• All homes entered in the competition must participate in the NH Utilities NHSaves ENERGY STAR Homes program. Projects are also eligible for Home Energy Rating services and NH ENERGY STAR Homes incentives.
• The home must earn the ENERGY STAR Label.
• Project must have all final testing completed prior to November 30, 2017.
• Homes must be completed and in move-in condition.
• Homes will be inspected and tested by one of the NH Utilities certified HERS raters during construction and at the completion of home.
• All renewables must be installed and operational at final inspection to be considered for scoring.
• The home must be built in the service territory of one of the participating utilities (e.g., Eversource, Liberty, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, Unitil).

Additional Information

• Builders may be eligible for additional promotional activities including advertising, media events, website profiling, publications and a final awards ceremony.
• Throughout the process, each builder agrees to occasional inspections, will need to take photos to support the renewable energy and/or technologies involved (especially those that will be inaccessible at completion), and monitoring and evaluations in order to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations of the challenge.

NHSaves–a Net Zero Home Competition posted first on Green Energy Times