ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes California Program

ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes

California Program Requirements, Version 3.4 (Rev. 12)

Revised 05/01/2023 Page 1 of 3

Eligibility Requirements

Site-built or modular

Dwellings

(e.g., single-family homes, duplexes) and Townhouses

are eligible to participate in the ENERGY STAR

Single-Family New Homes (SFNH) program.

While primarily intended for new construction, existing homes (e.g., undergoing a gut rehabilitation) are also eligible to participate in the

ENERGY STAR SFNH program, with guidance available at: www.energystar.gov/GutRehabGuidance.

For information about other ENERGY STAR residential new construction programs, visit www.energystar.gov/newhomesrequirements.

Note that compliance with these requirements is not intended to imply compliance with all local code requirements.

Partnership, Training, and Credentialing Requirements

The following requirements must be met prior to certifying homes:

 Builders are required to sign an ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement and complete the online Version 3 Builder Orientation,

which can be found at www.energystar.gov/homesPA.

 HVAC installing contractors are required to be credentialed by an EPA-recognized HVAC Quality Installation Training and Oversight

Organization (H-QUITO) for homes certified using Track B in Exhibit 1. An explanation of this process can be found at

www.energystar.gov/newhomesHVAC.

 Energy Rating Companies (e.g., rater companies and Providers

) are required to sign an ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement,

which can be found at www.energystar.gov/homesPA, and operate under a Home Certification Organization (HCO). Learn more and

find a current list of HCOs at www.energystar.gov/hco.

 Raters

are required to complete EPA-recognized training, which can be found at www.energystar.gov/newhomestraining.

ENERGY STAR Certification Process

1. The certification process provides flexibility to select a custom combination of measures for each home that meets one of two

performance targets, as assessed through energy modeling. Select one of the two following performance targets:

a. An Efficiency Energy Design Rating (EDR2 Efficiency) that is ≥ 5 points better than that of the Standard Design corresponding to

the home, as defined by the 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards and determined by a CEC-approved software program.

b. A Compliance Margin (EDR2) ≥ 10% compared to the Compliance Total of the Standard Design TDV Energy corresponding to the

home, as defined by the 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards and determined by a CEC-approved software program.

2. Configure the preferred set of efficiency measures for the home to be certified and verify that the resulting performance meets or exceeds

the applicable performance target using the applicable software program, as determined in Step 1.

Note that, regardless of the measures selected, the Mandatory Requirements for All Certified Homes in Exhibit 1 are also required and

impose certain constraints on the efficiency measures selected (e.g., insulation levels, insulation installation quality, window

performance, duct leakage).

3. Construct the home using the measures selected in Step 2 and the Mandatory Requirements for All Certified Homes, Exhibit 1.

4. Using a Rater, verify that all requirements have been met in accordance with the Mandatory Requirements for All Certified Homes and

with Data Input requirements and On-Site Inspection Procedures for California HERS Ratings.

6, 8

For modular homes, a Rater must

verify any requirement in the plant not able to be verified on-site because a feature will be concealed prior to shipment. Finally, submit

the home to the HCO for final certification and follow the HCO’s certification and oversight procedure (e.g., quality assurance,

recordkeeping, and reporting). The Rater is required to keep electronic or hard copies of the completed and signed National Rater

checklists and either an HVAC design report compliant with ANSI / RESNET / ACCA / ICC 310, and the National HVAC Design

Supplement to Std. 310 for Dwellings & Units, for homes using Track A, or the National HVAC Design Report for homes using Track B.

The Rater must review all items on the National Rater checklists. Raters are expected to use their experience and discretion to verify

that the overall intent of each inspection checklist item has been met (i.e., identifying major defects that undermine the intent of the

checklist item versus identifying minor defects that the Rater may deem acceptable).

In the event that a Rater finds an item that is inconsistent with the intent of the checklists, the home cannot earn the ENERGY STAR

until the item is corrected. If correction of the item is not possible, the home cannot earn the ENERGY STAR. In the event that an item

on a National Rater checklist cannot be inspected by the Rater, the home cannot earn the ENERGY STAR. The only exceptions to this

rule are in the Thermal Enclosure System Section of the National Rater Field Checklist, where the builder may assume responsibility for

verifying a maximum of eight items. This option shall only be used at the discretion of the Rater. When exercised, the builder’s

responsibility will be formally acknowledged by the builder signing the checklist for the item(s) they verified.

In the event that a Rater is not able to determine whether an item is consistent with the intent (e.g., an alternative method of meeting a

checklist requirement has been proposed), then the Rater shall consult their Provider. If the Provider also cannot make this determination,

then the Rater or Provider shall report the issue to EPA prior to project completion at: energystarhomes@energystar.gov and will receive

an initial response within 5 business days. If EPA believes the current program requirements are sufficiently clear to determine whether

the intent has been met, then this guidance will be provided to the partner and enforced beginning with the house in question. In contrast,

if EPA believes the program requirements require revisions to make the intent clear, then this guidance will be provided to the partner

but only enforced for homes permitted after a specified transition period after the release of the revised program requirements, typically

60 days in length.

This will allow EPA to make formal policy decisions as partner questions arise and to disseminate these policy decisions through the

Policy Record and the periodic release of revised program documents to ensure consistent application of the program requirements.

ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes

California Program Requirements, Version 3.4 (Rev. 12)

Revised 05/01/2023 Page 2 of 3

Two tracks are provided for satisfying the mandatory requirements for all certified homes, Exhibit 1. Track A - HVAC Grading utilizes ANSI /

RESNET / ACCA / ICC 310

, a standard for grading the installation of HVAC systems. Track B - HVAC Credential utilizes an HVAC

contractor credentialed by an EPA-recognized H-QUITO. Either track may be selected, but all requirements within that track must be

satisfied for the home to be certified.

Exhibit 1: Mandatory Requirements for All Certified Homes

Party Responsible Mandatory Requirements

Requirements Applicable to Track A & B

Rater

 Completion of SFNH National Rater Design Review Checklist, Version 3 / 3.1 / 3.2

 Completion of SFNH National Rater Field Checklist, Version 3 / 3.1 / 3.2

Builder

 Completion of SFNH National Water Mgmt. System Builder Reqs., Version 3 / 3.1 / 3.2

Requirements Only Applicable to Track A - HVAC Grading

HVAC System Designer

 Completion of an HVAC design report compliant with ANSI / RESNET / ACCA / ICC 310,

plus the SFNH / MFNC National HVAC Design Supplement to Std. 310 for Dwellings &

Units, All Versions.

HVAC Installing Contractor

 None. While the HVAC contractor plays a critical role in properly installing and

commissioning a system, the Rater is the party responsible for assessing its installation

quality in accordance with ANSI / RESNET / ACCA / ICC 310.

Requirements Only Applicable to Track B - HVAC Credential

HVAC System Designer

 Completion of SFNH National HVAC Design Report, Version 3 / 3.1 / 3.2

HVAC Installing Contractor

 Completion of SFNH National HVAC Commissioning Checklist, Version 3 / 3.1 / 3.2

Effective Date

To determine the program Version and Revision that a home is required to be certified under, look up the permit date and plan approval date

of the home, and the edition of the Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES) required by the AHJ, in Exhibit 2. Program requirements for

other locations can be found at www.energystar.gov/newhomesrequirements.

This Exhibit contains all implementation timelines applicable on or after October 1, 2020. Implementation timelines applicable prior to this

date can be obtained by contacting energysta[email protected].

Exhibit 2: ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes Implementation Timeline for California

State /

Territory

Use the Plan Approval Date, Permit Date, and Edition of the BEES Required

by the AHJ to Determine the Applicable Version & Revision

(See Footnote 11 for Definition & Exception

)

Version Revision

Permit Date Plan Approval Date

Edition of the BEES

Required by AHJ

CA Before 01-01-2025 Before 01-01-2023 Any Edition California v3.2 Rev. 11

01-01-2023 to 12-31-2023 Any Edition California v3.3 Rev. 11

01-01-2024 to 12-31-2024 Any Edition California v3.4 Rev. 12

On or After 01-01-2025 Any 2019 or earlier California v3.3 Rev. 12

Any 2022 California v3.4 Rev. 12

Footnotes:

1. A modular home is a prefabricated home that is made of multiple modules or sections that are manufactured and substantially assembled

in a manufacturing plant. These pre–built sections are transported to the building site and constructed by a builder to meet all applicable

building codes for site–built homes.

2. A Dwelling, as defined by ANSI / RESNET / ICC 301, is any building that contains one or two Dwelling Units used, intended, or designed

to be built, used, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or that are occupied for living purposes. ANSI / RESNET / ICC 301

defines a Dwelling Unit as a single unit providing complete independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent

provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation.

3. A Townhouse, as defined by ANSI / RESNET / ICC 301, is a single-family Dwelling Unit constructed in a group of three or more attached

units in which each unit extends from the foundation to roof and with open space on at least two sides.

4. While certification will result in compliance with many code requirements, a Rater is not responsible for ensuring that all code

requirements have been met prior to certification. In the event that a code requirement, a manufacturer’s installation instructions, or an

ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes

California Program Requirements, Version 3.4 (Rev. 12)

Revised 05/01/2023 Page 3 of 3

engineering document conflict with a requirement of the ENERGY STAR program (e.g., slab insulation is prohibited to allow visual access

for termite inspections), then the conflicting requirement within these program requirements shall not be met. Certification shall only be

allowed if the Rater has determined that no equivalent option is available that could meet the intent of the conflicting requirement (e.g.,

switching from exterior to interior slab edge insulation). Note that a home must still meet its performance target. Therefore, other efficiency

measures may be needed to compensate for the omission of the conflicting requirement.

5. The term ‘Provider’ refers to an Approved Rating Provider, defined as an Approved entity responsible for the certification of raters working

under its auspices and who is responsible for the Quality Assurance of such Certified Raters and for the Quality Assurance of Energy

Ratings produced by such Certified Raters.

Approved shall mean approved by an HCO recognized by EPA to implement an ENERGY STAR certification program in California.

Quality Assurance is defined as the systematic processes intended to ensure reliable compliance with applicable standards.

A Certified Rater is defined as an individual who has become qualified to conduct California HERS Ratings through certification under

an HCO recognized by EPA to implement an ENERGY STAR certification program in California.

An Energy Rating is defined as an unbiased indication of a Dwelling Unit’s relative energy performance based on consistent inspection

procedures, operating assumptions, climate data and calculation methods in accordance with the Data Input requirements and On-Site

Inspection Procedures for California HERS Ratings.

6. The term ‘Rater’ refers to the person(s) completing the third-party verification required for certification. The person(s) shall: a) be a

Certified Rater, as defined in Footnote 5; and, b) have attended and successfully completed an EPA-recognized training class. See

www.energystar.gov/newhomestraining.

7. CEC-approved computer programs can be found at: https://www.energy.ca.gov/programs-and-topics/programs/building-energy-

efficiency-standards/2022-building-energy-efficiency-1. Any measure that contributes to the Efficiency EDR (EDR2 Efficiency) or

Compliance Margin (EDR2), as recognized by CEC-approved computer programs, is permitted to be used to meet these performance

targets.

8. Raters who operate under an HCO with a Sampling Protocol are permitted to verify the Minimum Rated Features of the home and to

verify any Checklist Item designated “Rater Verified” using the HCO-approved Sampling Protocol. No parties other than Raters are

permitted to use sampling. All other items shall be verified for each certified home. For example, no items on the National HVAC

Commissioning Checklist are permitted to be verified using a Sampling Protocol.

9. Track A – HVAC Grading shall use ANSI / RESNET / ACCA / ICC 310 including all Addenda and Normative Appendices, with new

versions and Addenda implemented according to the schedule defined by the HCO that the home is being certified under.

10. Homes certified using this version of the program requirements are automatically deemed compliant with Items 2.1 and 3.1 of the National

Rater Design Review Checklist, Version 3 / 3.1 / 3.2 (Rev. 12) due to the inability of CEC-approved software to calculate the total thermal

envelope UA and in consideration of the rigor of the 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

11. The ‘plan approval date’ is the date that a jurisdiction approves a home plan and its efficiency features for use on a specific lot or tract.

The Rater may define the ‘permit date’ as either the date that the permit was issued or the date of the contract on the home. In cases

where permit or contract dates are not available, Providers have discretion to estimate permit dates based on other construction schedule

factors. These assumptions should be both defensible and documented. As an exception, if a new plan is added to a specific tract’s

existing plan set and the new plan is subject to the same edition of the energy code as the existing plan set, then the ‘plan approval date’

is considered to be the existing plan set’s original plan approval date.

12. Homes certified under Rev. 12 of the program requirements are permitted to use either Rev. 08, 09, 10, 11, or 12 of the National HVAC

Design Report.