Standard for Home Energy Audits Published

Home Energy Auditing Standard, lays out the requirements for an audit—which include not only measurements of energy performance but also an assessment of health and safety issues (such as carbon monoxide and mold), indoor air quality, and moisture management; disclosure of conflicts of interest (such as retrofit services the company offers in addition to energy auditing); and a prioritized list and cost-benefit analysis of any suggested energy conservation measures.

The standard will soon be followed by BPI–1200, Basic Analysis of Buildings. Currently under development, the companion standard covers the technical details of how to perform an energy audit, according to BPI’s national technical director, John Jones. “BPI–1100 is the what to do,” he explained, whereas BPI–1200 covers “how to do it. One points to the other.” Jones emphasized that the two standards look holistically at a home. “A contractor typically deals with one, two, or three systems in a house when there may be 20 systems in the house,” he said. A home energy audit, when performed properly, he argues, not only looks at how all the systems interact but also “educates the customer, helping them make an informed decision” about retrofit options.

For more information, visit www.bpi.org.