Residential Consulting & Certifying
Residential Retrofits
Design & New Construction Consulting
Energy Star™ and LEED for Home certifications
RESIDENTIAL RETROFITS
Once you have obtained a thorough
condition survey from the Energy Detectives, who will
you call to get your work done? How will you know the contractors have the expertise to do the work according to best practices? Are their bids too high? When your improvements require contractor installations,
do you have a clearly written "Scope of Work", vital to ensure
success?
You cannot be
expected to know all this, yet it's your money on the line. To get the job done right, we can advise you on bidding, coordination,
scheduling. We can represent you in your interactions with contractors. While the retrofit is underway, we can inspect the work using our
diagnostic equipment. And before you pay the contractors, we can verify that the written specifications have been met.
DESIGN and NEW CONSTRUCTION CONSULTING
There's nothing more satisfying than building from scratch and doing it right the first time. While not everyone seeking our advice is going "green", we bring to all projects our aim to make your building energy efficient and as environmentally sound as possible within your budget.
The most cost-effective way to achieve energy efficiency in a building is before it is built. From thought to finish, let us join your building team. We bring fresh ideas to the conceptual stage. We work with your architects and designers, going over the blueprints to introduce efficiencies in the design stage . And we can advise and train contractors and subcontractors on how to implement state-of-the-art construction practices. We continue to inspect work-in-progress, instrument-testing along the way to make sure the building--or rehab--is coming according to plan.
The Award Winning, 'Super Green' Avery- Donaldson House
Informed Energy Decisions is proud to have served as the green and energy advisor for the Avery-Donaldson house, one of the greenest homes in America and winner of the Glencoe Historic Preservation Commission 2008 Preservation Award for New Construction.
Energy Star™, NAHB Green, and LEED for Home CERTIFICATIONS
You may want to go the extra mile and make sure your retrofits or new construction meet the highest of standards. There are three major standards available and we are qualified to certify them all.
Energy Star Certification
Energy Star™ is a government certified standard of energy
performance. You've seen it on many appliances but it can also apply to the whole house. In addition to demonstrating that your home is performing as well as it can, the Energy Star™ seal of approval sets your home apart from others and tends to raise the resale value of the house. Also, certain kinds of loans and many tax incentive programs require an Energy Star™ rating. We can add an Energy Star™ rating to your condition survey by processing your home's measurements and performance data using RESNET software back at the office. If your house is performing optimally, you may be eligible to receive an Energy Star™ plaque in addition to the rating.
National Green Building Program Guidelines
The National Association of Home Builders is bringing green to the mainstream with the NAHB National Green Building Program (NAHB Green) for all home builders and remodelers. This program is user-friendly and intended to make advanced construction techniques a standard for all home building.
LEED for Homes Certification
LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures and that the building is environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy place to live and work. In addition to the energy and economic advantages associated with Energy Star™, LEED-certified buildings reduce waste sent to landfills, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and demonstrate an owner's commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
