What is Building Performance?
It is PSFI Energy’s belief that buildings can and should be made safe, comfortable, durable, and energy-efficient.
- It requires a whole-house perspective.
- It requires a certified contractor to measure, calculate, and analyze a building.
- It requires a better understanding of the way your specific structure works and operates in order to recommend the best way to improve it without off-setting the balance of how it affects you.
Diagnostics and Analyzing - As building scientists PSFI Energy uses a diagnostic approach to problem solving. PSFI Energy’s experience and observation, coupled with pressure diagnostics, infrared imaging, and combustion analysis, allow PSFI Energy to diagnose and correct the most challenging building performance problems.
The Real Problem - Ask an insulation contractor, a heating tech, and a window salesperson the best way to warm up a cold room, and you may get three different answers. What to do?
The Real Solution - As building performance contractors PSFI Energy takes a whole-house perspective to assess the problem's causes and propose the most effective solution. Understanding the "house as a system" allows PSFI Energy to solve problems like chimney back-drafting that arise from interactions between the building's shell and mechanical systems.
The core concept is an emphasis on measurable results from performance testing. Performance testing also assures the customer that they have a safe, comfortable, durable, and efficient building when the work is completed.
Average Home VS. High Performance Home - The difference between an average house and a high-performance house often comes down to a contractor's willingness to "sweat the small stuff" that the customer never sees like air sealing, insulation, and ductwork.
Conducting an Energy Audit - As Certified Energy Raters and building analysts PSFI Energy can perform an extensive audit of a home’s energy performance. Upon completion, a HERS® index score, if required, is provided to the customer along with a report detailing the findings and recommended improvements.
Applying Energy Efficiency - Energy efficiency means taking a whole-building approach to how energy is consumed.
The Whole-Building Approach - Changing one element of a building's energy use can impact others.
Building Envelope - The thermally conditioned area needs to be properly insulated.
Baseload - Baseload is the consistent energy load of a building, independent of outside temperature.
Heating and Cooling - These loads are directly tied to performance and efforts to increase efficiency in heating and cooling often result in a marked improvement in the comfort of the home occupants.
Energy Sources - When targeting energy reduction with the goal of reducing impact on the earth's climate, it is important to consider which portions of a building's energy comes from fossil fuels.
ENERGY AUDIT REPORT - Your Energy Audit Report pinpoints specific systems in the home that may have inefficiencies, including:
• Recommendations on improving these inefficiencies
• Savings associated with energy efficient upgrades
• Estimated savings in kWh and dollar amounts
• Project shopping list of efficient products
• No cost tips for continuous energy savings
• Financial incentives and rebates for efficient products
Upon completion, a HERS® Index will be calculated for the home, if required. HERS® Index is the nationally recognized home performance measurement system for energy efficiency. It improves a home’s resale value, provides a baseline for deep energy retrofit remodeling, and allows a person to apply for an Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM), Energy Improvement Mortgage (EIMA).