Advanced Energy’s SystemVision program guarantees 15% energy savings in rehabilitated homes

RALEIGH, N.C. (August 25, 2008) — Advanced Energy, a resource for innovative and market-based approaches to energy issues, has announced a partnership with Builders of Hope to implement the SystemVision program in homes being rescued from demolition in Raleigh, North Carolina. The donated homes are being relocated to Barrington Village in Southeast Raleigh and will be restored to like-new condition. The homes are currently uninhabitable, and Advanced Energy and Builders of Hope will implement the SystemVision program to rescue the structures, maintaining and preserving the number of affordable homes in Raleigh.

“The SystemVision program will guide the builders in bringing the “recycled” homes up to code and beyond ENERGY STAR requirements while using as much of the original building as possible,” said Krista Egger, affordable housing program manager at Advanced Energy. “This program gives homeowners a heating, cooling and comfort guarantee that will ensure their homes perform better than the majority of homes built today.”

The Barrington Village Builders of Hope homes are being built to SystemVision guidelines with energy-saving features from the foundation to the roof. Each SystemVision home carries a heating and cooling energy guarantee. These house plan-specific guarantees generally range from $16 to $40 per month, with most falling between $25 and $30. If a home exceeds its guaranteed usage at the end of the year, Advanced Energy pays the difference to the homeowner. SystemVision homes also carry an Advanced Energy comfort guarantee to ensure that these homes are not only financially affordable to purchase and live in, but comfortable and enjoyable, too. While Advanced Energy had not previously applied the SystemVision program to relocated structures, it is a natural fit for helping Builders of Hope meet its goals.

“Builders of Hope wanted to ensure that the homeowners could not only afford to purchase a home but we wanted to give them the peace of mind that they could afford to maintain it,” said Nancy Murray, executive director, Builders of Hope. “The SystemVision program is a perfect fit to achieve this goal; they have helped usbrainstorm and develop new installation techniques to preserve the original structure and increase the efficiency of the completed home.”

Launched in 2001, SystemVision, Advanced Energy’s Affordable Housing Program, provides the training and technical support that leads to improved health, safety, durability, comfort and energy efficiency of affordable homes in North Carolina. Non-profits developing low and moderate income housing within North Carolina are eligible to start building with SystemVision and, through the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, funding is available to these non-profit organizations to help defray the costs often associated with building high performance homes. To date, Advanced Energy has helped with the construction of more than 1,700 new homes with its SystemVision program.

The program is based on identifying crucial elements in the design, construction and marketing of homes, and developing creative ways to intervene in the process. To achieve its mission, the full package of program services includes a plan review, standards and specification writing, contractor and sub-contractor training, on-site quality assurance, performance testing, building monitoring and building diagnostics.

SystemVision relies on Advanced Energy personnel to ensure that builders and subcontractors are adhering to quality standards that are far more rigorous than today’s typical construction standards. Advanced Energy’s involvement begins with reviews and necessary modifications to house plans and specifications. The program specifies standards on air tightness, ventilation and moisture management, insulation and windows, HVAC sizing and installation, pressure balancing, ENERGY STAR, appliances and combustion safety.

Working with builders, developers, utilities and other organizations seeking to improve the quality of the buildings they build or rehabilitate, program directors fill the gap between what can be done and what really goes on at the building site. The building program offers increased sales, quality, comfort, performance, affordability and satisfaction. It also results in decreased callbacks, liability and living costs, and less negative environmental impact.

The Builders of Hope homes, which are completely rehabbed (including new foundations, roofing, HVAC, wiring and plumbing), will take several weeks to complete. Afterward, the process as well as the homes will be evaluated to streamline the process even further for the next set of homes planned in the Triangle area.

“Advanced Energy looks forward to seeing the completion of these affordable, energy-efficient homes,” said Brian Coble, director of high performance homes at Advanced Energy. “We will use our experience in Barrington Village to pursue other opportunities to implement SystemVision into restored construction.”

About Advanced Energy
Located in Raleigh, N.C., Advanced Energy is a North Carolina and national resource that focuses on industrial process technologies, motors and drives testing, and applied building science. Its facility houses state-of-the-art laboratories for testing and applied research in all three of these evolving disciplines. Advanced Energy creates economic, environmental and societal benefits through innovative and market-based approaches to energy issues. For more information, visit www.advancedenergy.org.

About Builders of Hope
Builders of Hope is a non-profit organization that facilitates partnerships between business community, humanitarian organizations and local government entities to create home ownership, education and career opportunities for working families whose income falls below the median, including many public employees, teachers and technical workers who work within the city limits. For more information, visit www.buildersofhopenc.org.