On August 31, 2018, NCBPA submitted comments on NC Housing Finance Agency’s 2019 Qualified Action Plan (QAP) program related to increasing energy efficient, green and/or high performance construction standards in affordable housing developments. North Carolina’s current QAP requires ENERGY STAR 2.0 for new construction projects, a national standard that is technically no longer available or supported. No other references to energy efficient, green or high performance construction exist.
On behalf of its member companies including Southern Energy Management, Build SMART and PEG, NCBPA submitted the following summary recommendations:
- Raise the current ENERGY STAR 2.0 standard to 3.0 or higher.
- Provide points to developers that implement measures, attributes, certifications and/or ratings related to energy efficient, green and high performance construction. These items include:
- Smart thermostats, dual flush or low flow toilets, 100% LED bulbs and mechanically-controlled humidity management appliances.
- Points for earning an average Energy Rating Index (ERI, also known as HERS Index Score) of 65 or less.
- Points for earning certifications from ENERGY STAR, WaterSense, Indoor airPLUS, National Green Building Standard, LEED, Enterprise Green Communities, Passive House (PHIUS or PHI), DOE’s Net Zero Energy Ready Home and Living Building Challenge.
Click to view NCBPA’s comments and all other comments.
NCBPA’s Executive Director Ryan Miller will be presenting these recommendations during the public comment forum on September 18th in Raleigh. Have questions or want to get involved in this work? Please contact us at Info@BuildingNC.org or 919-841-6207.
