RESTalk

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards."

-Steve Jobs

Events of the last year or so have it made it challenging for organizations to host live events.

Many events, including the RESNET Conference went to a virtual format in 2021.

What will the future hold for conferences in 2022?

What will upcoming conferences look like?

Will connecting the dots of the past conferences help us to know?

Steve Baden and Emma Bennett join us to describe the plans for the 2022 RESNET Conference.

We learn how the decision was made to deliver in a hybrid mode; that is both in person and virtual, as well as what a "hybrid event" looks like in detail.

As we explore the conference theme - Into the Future – we also hear how participant health and safety is stressed and will be considered

To learn more, visit the RESNET home page and check under the conference drop down. Or follow the details in the RESNET newsletter or reach out to Emma at [email protected]

The event is scheduled for Feb 21-23, 2022 in Austin, TX- with room blocks open now.

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife

are in fact plans to protect man."

-Stuart Udall

There's no way around it. Water is essential to life.

Water, like energy, is an environmental resource and requires (demands?) more attention from all. In fact, we've talked about water in 4 previous episodes of RESTALK over the last 4 years.

How does the EPA WaterSense program address this topic?

What are the updates in WaterSense Labeled Homes 2.0?

How does the HERS H2O rating work?

Seasoned water efficiency professional Jonah Schein (US EPA) and Ryan Meres (Program Director RESNET), return to the podcast to give us updates on the EPA WaterSense Labeled Homes V2.0 and HERS H2O programs.

Jonah and Ryan share their thoughts and help us learn more about:

The move from a prescriptive to a performance-based approach How to handle projects that started using Version 1.0 The ease of access to proper training Why water is important to the building industry

Catch up with the "backstory" via previous episodes of RESTalk: Episode 3 (2018), Bonus-1 (2019) and Episodes 50 & 62 from 2020.

You can purchase the ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standard 850-2020 at the ICC Store:

https://shop.iccsafe.org/ansi-resnet-icc-850-2020-standard-calculation-and-labeling-of-the-water-use-performance-of-one-and-two-family-dwellings-using-the-water-rating-index.html

The standard can be viewed for free at this link: https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes/resnet-icc - just select "View as Basic" for a view-only version of the standard.

For updated information on the RESNET HERSH20 program, visit:

https://www.resnet.us/articles/resnet-rating-providers-and-raters-can-verify-epa-watersense-labeled-homes/

You'll find information on the EPA's WaterSense program at https://www.epa.gov/watersense

If you have access to the RESNET 2021 conference you can learn more about this topic in Sessions RES-12 and EPP-16.

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you'll be able to see farther."

- J.P. Morgan

Starting off a career in a new or even a related industry can be challenging as there is so much to learn.

It's not often a newbie gets a chance for "a seat at the table" at an early stage in their career.

What industry perspectives do RESNET's Emerging Leaders in have?

Join us as the 2021 RESNET Emerging Leadership Fellows Stewart Soleman and Drew Lynch share their thoughts and perspectives on the HERS industry.

Both Drew and Stewart submitted applications for the contest and were both thrilled and pleased to be selected this year.

RESNET's Emerging Leadership Council (ELC) strives to engage the next generation of leaders in the ratings industry as many current HERS Raters approach retirement.

If you are interested in applying for next year's ELC fellows program there are two simple requirements:

Be a HERS® professionals who wants to make a difference in the industry Have 5 years or less of experience as a HERS Rater

The fellowship winners receive:

A 100% waiver on the next RESNET Building Performance Conference registration and automatic membership on the ELC.

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest."

- Benjamin Franklin

How important are mortgage loans to the home performance industry?

What could be the impact on single family home buyers if home energy costs were factored into the mortgage payment?

How does this process make energy efficient homes more affordable for families?

Most homeowners have heard of the term PITI – the summary of costs in a mortgage payment – principle and interest on the loan plus property taxes and insurance.

And most all of us know the cost of energy to run a household, and of the energy savings possible if best practices are followed.

In todays' podcast Steve Baden (RESNET) describes for us the proposal put forth by RESNET to incorporate Energy Savings (ES) into the "mortgage equation". This transforms the equation to PITI-ES

Interestingly, the main driver for this is simply education; no legislation is needed.

Listen in to hear how this also impacts mortgage lenders, builders, and HERS Raters and how you can get more people interested in pursuing this.

For more information see the policy white paper released by RESNET: www.bit.ly/RESNET-EnergyCosts

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"We learned that economic growth and environmental protection can

and should go hand in hand."

- Christopher Dodd

How do the financial investment criteria of ESG- Environmental, Social & Governance – relate to the HERS rating world?

What are FANNIE MAE Single Family Green Mortgage Backed Securities and what makes this program so unique?

How could such a program help to elevate the recognition of HERS raters and the work they do?

At long last, the HERS Index is breaking into the new homes mortgage market!

Matthew Cooper from PEG joins us to help explain this program launched by PEG, Fannie Mae, and Ekotrope.

The program allows Fannie Mae to package ENERGY STAR Certified New Homes into distinguished socially responsible mortgage securities.

This is an important first step in moving toward better mortgages for better HERS Rated homes; this is likely to be a game changer for the industry.

Matthew explains the background of this initiative, including timelines, how to participate, and what it means for your rating business.

To learn more about the topic you can review the video on demand session (NAV-5) from the RESNET 2021 virtual conference site: RESNET.VirtualByVario.com or read up at the Fannie Mae site: http://www.bit.ly/GreenMBS You can also reach Matthew at [email protected]

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"The first step is clearly defining what it is you're after,

because without knowing that, you'll never get it."

- Halle Berry

How does a person deeply engaged in the world of home performance handle matters when it comes to building their own home?

When it is "your own" you must strive to see the forest through the trees.

What's it like actually living inside your theories?

In this podcast we spin the microphones around the table and welcome guest host, Laurel Elam (RESNET) who interviews Bill Spohn (normally the RESTalk host) on the journey he and Marilyn have taken setting out to build a high performance, likely NetZero, home.

Listen in to hear what influences he used in making design and construction decisions. Hear of the goals he and his wife set at the beginning and how close they came to achieving them.

Bill openly describes his thoughts on the challenges they encountered and how well the plans worked out.

To learn more about the project you can follow Bill's blog at www.SpohnHome.com

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"The details are not the details.

They make the design."

- Charles Eames

Interest in net zero and low carbon homes is sweeping across the country.

What drives customers in some smaller cities to ask for a net zero (plus) home?

How can a small builder achieve these customer desires in a city that limits the options to energy retrofits of homes that are up to a century old?

In this podcast we chat with Dan Welch founder of Bundle Design Studios – a business that grew out of his Masters work in architecture school.

Dan walks the talk, living and working from a net-zero energy, water, and waste home – the first residence in Bellingham Washington which elected to include no water or sewer connections.

Dan is driven by strong ethics of environmental and social equity, he enjoys synthesizing client goals, clean aesthetics, and rigorous building science into beautiful and cohesive projects.

In 2020 Bundle proudly delivered a home with a HERS score of a -51.

Dan shares with us some of the methods that he uses to achieve these low scores, as he takes us on a tour through the way he does business in his market, including factors in customer education, products and skilled labor.

To learn more about Bundle Design visit their website: http://www.bundledesignstudio.com/

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"The whole point of collaboration is that you give and take from each other,

and that's how you create things that are totally new."

- Virgil Abloh

There is a logical tie between energy codes and HERS ratings.

What is the value proposition for HERS rating companies to be involved with ICC?

What qualifications do HERS raters bring to assist code officials?

Laurence Genest (ICC) and Laurel Elam (RESNET) join us to describe the role that HERS raters can play in the verification of compliance to Energy Codes.

We learn how a RESNET HERS Rating company's membership in RESNET has now doubled in value.

We also cover how this ties in with the IECC/HERS Compliance Specialist designation.

To learn more or get engaged to get engaged on this topic you will find Resources available here https://www.resnet.us/about/energy-code/

Rater can see the benefits of this arrangement here: https://www.iccsafe.org/membership/membership-benefits/

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"Conservation is a state of harmony between men and the land."

- Aldo Leopold

Many of us reflect on the beauty and awe of nature.

The images of clear skies and clean water are quite powerful.

How did these powerful images put a builder on mission to make a difference, one tree at a time?

Michael Ziman joins us on the podcast to describe the thoughtful research and personal reflection that drove him to create the One Tree Pledge.

The One Tree Pledge is an easy way for anyone (builder, rater, homeowner, etc.) to make a low cost ($1) contribution to offset carbon in the atmosphere using the most natural of methods: planting a tree.

Learn more at www.OneTreePledge.org/RESNET to see how RESNET will engage with this project by launching a campaign with the goal of planting 300,000 trees to combat climate change by the end of January 2023.

The site includes a Carbon Math calculation where Michael shares the total carbon Vs potential offset with trees.

You can learn more about Michael's company at www.ZimanDevelopment.com.

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]

"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible;

and suddenly you are doing the impossible"

- Francis of Assisi

How does the honor of HERS rating the 3 millionth home befall you?

Tim Smith and CR Herro have been on a quiet mission of building relationships, honoring commitments, and executing with excellence.

Steady as they go. That's how it goes.

Join the conversation with CR Herro (Meritage Homes) and Tim Smith (15 Lightyears Foundation) as they discuss went on behind the scenes in the 3 millionth HERS rated home.

We learn of their commitment to energy-efficient homes as well the processes involved in achieving this milestone home in Winter Garden, Florida.

All levels of builders and raters will learn why their recipe for success has education at its core.

To learn more about Tim's company, 15 Light Years Foundation go to:

https://www.15lightyearsfoundation.com

And to learn more about CR's company, Meritage homes go to:

https://www.meritagehomes.com/

RESTalk: To the RESNET community, we hear you and want to engage.

Pros can learn more at www.RESNET.us/professional

Consumers can learn more at www.RESNET.us

Or for more info on this topic contact RESNET at [email protected]