Water Efficiency in the Rating Industry

March 21, 2018 | Midwest Residential Energy Conference

Ryan Meres, Program DirectorRESNET

$77/month median household water/sewer bill in 2016(Almost $1,000/year)

75% increase since 2006

5.5% expected annual increase (3x inflation)

5% of customers in 2016 had water shutoff due to unpaid bills

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• The RESNET Board approved the HERSH2O Technical Guidelines in February.

• Technical Guidelines will serve as the basis for the Water Rating Index Standard.

Technical Guidelines Approved!

Create an index that:1. Leverages the advances made in the HERS

standard (ICC-301-2014)• Calculates hot and cold water for all principle fixtures

and appliances, requires additional outdoor uses• Has compelling technical support

2. Is inline with the general HERS methodology• Generates a score by comparing the rated home to a

reference• Reference home is representative of new

construction circa 20063. Provides a low bar for participation

• Can be added to a HERS rating for a reasonable incremental cost

• Nationwide applicability• Suitable for both new

and existing homes• Encompasses both

indoor and outdoor water efficiency

• Practical and affordable to administer

• Scores usable for quantitative comparison

•RESNET Board Approves Program

• Advisory Council Formed

2015 2016 2017

•HERSH2O Working Group Formed

•HERSH2O Working Group Technical Subcommittees formed•Initial work begins

•Technical Guidelines Drafted and Underwent Public Review and Comment Process•Inspection Checklist completed•Inspection guidance doc drafted•RESNET/ICC ANSI SDC Formed•Planning for Field Testing of Technical Guidelines•Working draft of ANSI Standard started

2018•Guidelines approved by RESNET Board•Development of WRI Standard•Review of draft Standard by SDC•Public Comment Period•Review/respond to Public Comments

•Development of HERSH2O Implementation Standards•Quality Assurance•Registry•Training

Technical Guidelines

ANSI Standard

Reference in Code??

Water Rating Index Development will follow a similar path as the HERS and Energy Rating Index.

Any role in the code is still to be determined.

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• Grounded in water use data as much as possible

• Indoor reference home based primarily on HERS

• Original analysis for Addendum A

• Some additional data from REUWS I & II

• Outdoor reference home based on Residential End Uses

of Water Study II

• Number of bedrooms used as predictor of occupancy

Shower Heads

Kitchen Faucet

Lavatory Faucets

Toilet Flush Volume

Irrigation Pool or Spa

Clothes Washer

Water Softener

Leaks/Other Water Use

Excess Pressure

Dishwasher

House Size Geographic Location

Number of Bedrooms

Lot & Landscape Size

Hot Water Distribution Layout

Hot Water Pipe Insulation

HERSH2O Index = "#$%%& '#$ %()$%%& *+$ ,%& )ℎ. &').$ ℎ%/."#$%%& '#$ %()$%%& *+$ ,%& )ℎ. &.,.&.#0. ℎ%/. ∗ 100

Indoor Reference Home Daily Water Use is the Sum of:

• daily fixture water use

• daily water use wasted

• daily dishwasher water use

• daily clothes washer water use

• daily toilet water use

• daily water softener water use

• total other/unidentified water use

Accounts for:• Size & location of home• Average flow rate of

fixtures (separated for faucets and showerheads)

• Average flush volume of toilets

• Appliance information (energy and water factors)

Outdoor Reference Home is dependent on several factors:• Size of the irrigated area in the

reference home

• Size of the irrigated area in the rated home

• Annual historic sum of mean reference evapotranspiration minus the mean precipitation for all months that evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation

• Indicator representing the presence or absence of a swimming pool in the rated home

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House Characteristics• 2500 ft2 conditioned floor area

• 2 floors

• 3 bedrooms

• No hot water pipe insulation

• No recirc system

• Standard efficiency fixtures

• Standard efficiency appliances

• No irrigation system

• No water softener

HERSH2OScore = 100

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House Characteristics• 2500 ft2 conditioned floor area• 2 floors / 3 bedrooms• No hot water pipe insulation• No recirc system• Low flow fixtures

• Bathroom 1.5 vs. 2.2• Toilet 1.28 vs. 1.6• Showerhead 2.0 vs. 2.5

• EnergyStar Dishwasher and Clothes Washer• No irrigation system• No water softener

HERSH2OScore = 87

- -

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Water efficiency rating certificate for:100 Sunshine Dr.Irvine, CA 90000

Rated by:Justin MillerEfficiency UnlimitedSanta Ana, CA 90000

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Size of home: 1980 sq. ft.Number of bedrooms: 3Size of lot: 5000 sq. ft.Size of irrigated area: 2000 sq. ft.

Date: January 19, 2018

This Home, Compared to the Reference Home(Reference home is similarly sized, at same location, with attributes typical of a 2006 home)

32%more water

efficient

34,080gallons of waterannual savings

$175annual saving on water utility bills

Jacob Atalla, Vice President of Sustainability, KB Home (Chairman)

Jonah Schein, WaterSense Program Manager, U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (Vice Chair)

Brett Cook, Building Code Official, City of Boardman, Oregon

Mary Ann Dickinson, President and CEO, Alliance for Water Efficiency

Andrew Espinoza, Building Code Official, City of San Antonio, Texas

Philip Fairey, Deputy Director, Florida Solar Energy Center

Ed Osann, Team Leader –Water Use Efficiency, Natural Resources

Defense Council

David Sauter, Building Code Official, Hatfield Township, Pennsylvania

Kelly Stephens, Director of Operations, SunRiverDevelopment

• RESNET is looking for builders, raters and providers to participate in HERSH2O pilot projects

• Projects will provide important guidance to RESNET on:• HERSH2O implementation standards• Refining the inspection checklist and guidance• Calculation spreadsheet and software• Developing Rater training

Know someone interested in staying up to date on the water efficiency work of RESNET?• Have them email ryan@resnet.us.• Will receive periodic updates• Notices of public comment periods and webinars• Monthly “Water Update Newsletter”

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Ryan Meres, Program DirectorRESNETryan@resnet.us760-681-2391