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Headlines
Top Story
"Better Ventilation May Ease Some Asthma Symptoms"
HVI Fresh Ideas
HVI Fresh Ideas: HVI's Certified Ratings Program - What It Means to You
HVI Industry News
HOME STAR/Cash for Caulkers Legislative Program
Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)® Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Position Paper
Canadian News
"Alberta Closer to Rules for Home Inspectors"
Residential Building News
"Tips to Green Your Home"
"Whole-House Fan Could Help Beat the Heat"
"Green Homes Growing Red-Hot "
"HVAC's Role in Swine-Flu Transmission"
"The Healthy House Institute (HHI) Partners With the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)"
Top Story
Better Ventilation May Ease Some Asthma Symptoms
Reuters Health Information Services (11/13/09) Hendry, Joene
A new study by Dr. Neil C. Thomson at the University of Glasgow has determined that improved home ventilation that dehumidifies the air may make it easier for people with asthma to breathe at night. In theory, Thomson and his colleagues report, lowering indoor humidity should lower concentrations of moisture-loving dust mites -- a major trigger for asthma-related breathing problems. To test this, Thomson's research team measured breathing patterns over 12 months in 119 men and women who were about 42 years old on average and had asthma for nine to 30 years. Specialists retrofitted each residence with a humidity-lowering ventilation system, as well as steam-cleaned carpets and replaced mattress covers and bedding. In roughly 50 percent the homes, the ventilation systems actively exchanged indoor and outdoor air. In the other "control group" half, the systems had operational motors but non-operational fans to help ensure the groups remained "blinded" to what was actually happening. The researchers found no overall difference in dust mite concentrations between the homes with and without a working ventilation system. However, study participants living in homes with working ventilation systems showed an overall significant improvement in evening breathing tests, as those with non-working systems worsened over the testing period. In a recent e-mail to Reuters Health, Thomson speculated that ventilation likely improved overall air quality.
HVI Fresh Ideas
HVI Fresh Ideas: HVI's Certified Ratings Program - What It Means to You
What does HVI's Certified Ratings Program provide you?
• Confidence that you are choosing a product that has been tested and certified to meet specific industry standards
• A guarantee that the product will perform as promised
• Assurance that, when installed properly, the occupants will receive proper ventilation to maximize indoor air quality
Who benefits?
Everyone in the residential building industry benefits from HVI-Certified ventilation performance, including:
• Residential ventilation manufacturers - The HVI-Certified Rating Program provides a level playing field in a competitive market for HVI member companies, ensuring that products can be compared fairly.
• Homebuilders - By specifying HVI-Certified products, homebuilders can ensure they are meeting the ventilation rates specified by building codes and limit any liabilities that may arise from improper ventilation. More state and energy conservation programs are specifying the energy consumption of ventilation products, making HVI Certification, which is used by the Energy Star program, a necessity.
• Mechanical contractors - Armed with HVI Certification data, contractors can select products that meet building code requirements with confidence, knowing they will provide the necessary airflow. Installers can also select products for sound and make recommendations to their builder and residential customers regarding the various options. In locales where the energy consumption of ventilation fans is mandated, HVI Certification gives contractors the information they need to make sure the requirements are met.
• Consumers - Ventilation products are designed to make homes more comfortable and healthy. HVI Certification ensures consumers that those products will perform as expected.
HVI Industry News
HOME STAR/Cash for Caulkers Legislative Program
The HOME STAR legislation builds on existing legislation and initiatives that have widespread support from industry, environmental groups, and labor. It is based on the Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) legislation that is currently in the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) bill and the Senate Building Efficiency Title of the Energy Bill. Incentives are based on either number of installed measures (SILVER STAR) or the predicted energy savings (GOLD STAR), with a cap that prevents the incentive paid from exceeding 50% of the actual cost.
The bill would authorize the allocation of funds for direct consumer incentives for energy efficiency products and installation on their existing homes, and for State programs to deliver quality assurance.
The HOME STAR program is a government compromise. While it is a good overall concept, as currently planned it does not encourage the opportunity for mechanical ventilation to be used to manage indoor air quality problems. It promotes air sealing based on Energy Star and Building Performance Institute guidelines that are based on ASHRAE 62-1989 that has been superseded by ASHRAE 62.2-2007. The HOME STAR program represents $23 billion of retrofit, testing, promotion, and verification without allowances for mechanical ventilation. It explicitly targets air sealing, attic and wall and crawl space insulation, duct sealing, windows, heating, cooling, water heater, and refrigerator and clothes washer replacement. Air sealing, adding insulation, tightening ducts, and replacing windows will increase air tightness creating a need for mechanical ventilation. HVI representatives and member manufacturers have asked ASHRAE, BPI, RESNET and Efficiency First to take action in an effort to convince program officials to take a more in-depth approach that will not create IAQ problems in the millions of homes that will be affected by the program. The building code community needs to understand that in order to accomplish the goals of the program correctly, it is imperative to perform the cost-effective air sealing as well as installing mechanical ventilation in accordance with ASHRAE 62.2.
Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)® Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Position Paper
Mechanical ventilation plays a critical role in maintaining acceptable indoor air quality in homes. In this article, the Home Ventilating Institute, the authority on residential ventilation systems, offers guidelines on how to select the right ventilation system for a home, how much air it should move and why, types of ventilation systems, and where to get more information on ventilation standards.
Canadian News
Alberta Closer to Rules for Home Inspectors
CBC News (Canada) (12/07/09)
In Canada, Alberta's government hopes to have new rules for home inspectors in place by the spring. As it stands now, any Albertan can print up business cards and become a home inspector. Doug MacDonald, president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors' Alberta chapter, states, "There is no actual guidelines or rules in the province of Alberta [about] who or who cannot be a home inspector. So you can start up being a home inspector tomorrow if you so desired." British Columbia became the first Canadian province to require home inspectors to have proper qualifications and licensing back in March. According to Service Alberta Minister Heather Klimchuk, the main point of debate right now is on insurance -- what kind home inspectors should have and who should provide it.
Residential Building News
Tips to Green Your Home
Electronic Component News (11/23/09)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched its new green homes Web site back in November, providing an interactive experience that helps people make their homes greener. Included on the site are tips on reducing energy consumption and carbon footprints, along with improving indoor air quality. Chief among the suggestions is proper ventilation of the attic with natural air flow. Doing so keeps the roof deck cool and dry, extending the life of roof shingles and preventing ice dams without using the energy needed to run an attic vent fan. Also suggested is the installation of ENERGY STAR-qualified bathroom ventilation fans, which have proven to be much quieter than standard models. EPA officials urge that running one's fan for 15 minutes after showering controls not only moisture in the air, but also mold and mildew growth.
HVI and Energy Star
The Home Ventilating Institute’s Certified Ventilation Performance programs provide the data necessary for residential ventilation products to be rated under the Energy Star Ventilating Fans program. To view more information on Energy Star ventilation fans, click here:
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=products_for_partners
.showVentFans and you can also access the complete list of HVI-Certified residential ventilation products here: http://www.hvi.org/resourcelibrary/proddirectory.html.
Whole-House Fan Could Help Beat the Heat
San Francisco Chronicle (11/25/09) Burnett, Bill
Columnist Bill Burnett talks up whole-house fans as an attractive cooling option, especially in older homes with no attics. He writes: "A whole-house fan cools a structure by pushing hot air from the interior of a house out and drawing cooler, fresh air inside through open doors and windows. In the morning and evening, crack a few windows and doors and let the cooler air flow in while the whole-house fan discharges the hot air through the roof." Such a fan cools a home by using the temperature difference between the interior and exterior air. Because it will not make the temperature lower than that of the outside air, homeowners should only run whole-house fans when the temperature outside is lower than the residence's measured inside temperature. Careful planning is required to select the right fan. Burnett concludes, "A fan is measured by the number of cubic feet per minute [or CFM] of air it can move. You'll need to size the fan correctly for your house for it to work efficiently. It's possible that you will be best served with two fans, depending on the layout of your home."
Green Homes Growing Red-Hot
USA Today (12/04/09) Koch, Wendy
Green homes have thrived amid the downturn in home building. The number of homes winning the federal government's Energy Star designation since the program began 14 years ago has surpassed the 1 million mark. Approximately 75,000 have been added this year alone. The Energy Star label requires a residence to be at least 20 percent more energy-efficient than other new homes. EPA's Maria Vargas says they are simply "better homes," with more efficient windows, lighting, appliances, insulation, heating and cooling. Existing homes are especially going green. A recent USA Today survey of 1,017 random adults found that 68 percent of respondents have taken steps in the past year to make their houses more energy-efficient. Of those who did, 71 percent said it was "to save money," while 26 percent stated that it was "mostly to save the environment." Kermit Baker, chief economist of the American Institute of Architects, concludes that green features that sell best are those that pay for themselves the quickest as more and more consumers focus on price.
Build tight, Ventilate right
Homes built under any of the green building programs in North America must be tightly sealed to control air leakage. Ventilation is essential to make these homes both energy efficient and healthy for their occupants. Only ventilation products which are HVI-Certified for ventilation performance should be used to ensure that ventilation equipment selected and installed meets the ventilation requirements of all green building programs. Look for the HVI-Certified label. HVI Certification provides assurance that the product has been tested and certified to meet specific industry standards; the product will perform as promised, and that, when installed properly, appropriate ventilation is achieved to maximize indoor air quality. You can view a listing of HVI-Certified Products here: http://www.hvi.org/resourcelibrary/proddirectory.html
HVAC's Role in Swine-Flu Transmission
Construction Week (11/15/09) Hope, Gerhard
HVAC systems may contribute far more to disease transmission than initially thought. The most up-to-date research suggests that influenza transmission occurs as much through the airborne route as it does via direct human contact. What this also means is that HVAC systems have a greater potential for reduction of the transmission risk, notes Gordon Holness, president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineering (ASHRAE). To this end, ASHRAE has developed new guidance on the health consequences of exposure to such airborne infectious diseases and the implications on the design, installation and operation of HVAC systems. The organization's Airborne Infectious Diseases Position Document addresses the impact of ventilation on disease transmission and the diseases for which ventilation is important for transmission or control. With a better understanding of ventilation's effect on the transmission of disease, future incidents of viruses like H1N1 may now be easier to prevent. According to Holness, ventilation represents a primary infectious disease control strategy through dilution of room air around a source. Room pressure differentials are especially important for managing air flow between areas in a given building. Another strategy could be the use of personalized ventilation systems that supply 100 percent outdoor air, highly-filtered, or UV disinfected air directly to the occupant's breathing zone. ASHRAE officials note that additional research is needed showing clinical efficacy, specifically in occupancies with high-risk sources (such as healthcare facilities) and facilities where high-risk susceptible individuals congregate (such as nursing homes). Such research could result in recommended changes in HVAC system design.
HVI-Certified Products Help Maintain Good Indoor Air Quality
Our homes need good ventilation as much as our workplaces. Most of us spend as much or more time in our homes than at work, making the need for good indoor air quality at home equally important. HVI certifies residential ventilation products for airflow, sound and energy performance. The HVI-Certified label, found on all qualified products, provides consumers with the means to select and install ventilation products which will ensure that good indoor quality is available in every home.
The Healthy House Institute (HHI) Partners With the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
Earthtimes (12/10/09)
The Healthy House Institute (HHI) has partnered with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) in an effort to improve home health. Under terms of the arrangement, HHI visitors will be able to access environmental health research made available by NEHA. NEHA Chief Executive Nelson E. Fabian states, "By making experts and research available through HHI, homeowners will be empowered with the resources needed to help ensure their families are not adversely impacted by poor building, home care and maintenance practices." Fabian will serve on HHI's advisory board, as well as provide ongoing direction on the Institute's content and resources. Under his direction, extensive research that has been conducted will be added to the library of articles available at www.healthyhouseinstitute.com. Visitors will be able to search via category to find potential home hazards and actual NEHA studies that highlight housing health impacts. Fabian remarks, "Asthma, cancer and a variety of other health conditions can result from contaminants in the home. Homes are an ecosystem. As a result, every component of that system including HVAC, pest control, cleaning, water treatment, and more, must be carefully reviewed to keep families safe and healthy."
HVI and HHI: A Strong Partnership
In 2008, HVI and HHI formed a partnership with the goal to clearly impart an understanding of the principles of residential ventilation and an awareness of the technologies available to facilitate it. This partnership has helped to promote healthy living and the benefits of leading a greener lifestyle all while providing consumers with the information they desire about green building.
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