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Gold home 

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Note: You can certify your house in Energy, Water, or both. Additionally, you can achieve different tiers for each category. For example, you might certify your house as a Copper home for Water and a Gold home for Energy.

Energy Requirements 

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Rater required 

  • Prescriptive Path:


The prescriptive path provides a single set of measures that can be used to construct a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home labeled home. Modeling is not required, but no tradeoffs are allowed. Follow these steps to use the prescriptive path:
1. Assess eligibility by using the number of bedrooms in the home to be built to determine the conditioned floor area (CFA) of the Benchmark Home, Exhibit 3. If the CFA of the home to be built exceeds this value, the performance path shall be used.
2. If the prescriptive path is eligible for use based on the prior step, build the home using the mandatory requirements for all labeled homes, Exhibit 1, and all requirements of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home, Exhibit 2. The rigor of the specifications in Exhibit 2 shall be met or exceeded.
3. Verify that all requirements have been met using an approved verifier

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  • Home Performance Path:

While all mandatory requirements for labeled homes in Exhibit 1 shall be met, the performance path provides flexibility to select a custom combination of measures that meet the performance level of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home HERS Target Home (Exhibit 2). Modeling is required, but measures can be optimized for each particular home or builder. Follow the steps below to use the performance path with RESNET-accredited Home Energy Rating Software programs:
1. The HERS Index of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home is determined. The DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home is identical to the home that will be built, except that it is configured with the energy efficiency features of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home as defined in Exhibits 1 and 2. The HERS Index of the Target Home is automatically calculated in accordance with the RESNET Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standards.
2. A size modification factor is next calculated using the following equation: Size Modification Factor = [CFA Benchmark Home / CFA Home To Be Built] 0.25, but not to exceed 1.0 Where: CFA Benchmark Home = Conditioned Floor Area of the Benchmark Home, using Exhibit 3
CFA Home to be Built = Conditioned Floor Area of the Home to be Built Since the Size Modification Factor cannot exceed 1.0, it only modifies the HERS Index score for homes larger than the CFA of the Benchmark Home.
3. The HERS Index of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home is calculated next DOE Zero Energy Ready Home HERS Index Target = HERS Index of DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home x Size Modification Factor
4. Complete HERS software calculations for preferred set of energy measures and verify resulting HERS Index Score at or below DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Target Home HERS Index Score modified, as required, for house size. 7 :
5. Construct the home using measures that result in a HERS Index at or below the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home HERS Target, calculated above, and the mandatory requirements for all labeled homes, Exhibit 1.
6. Verify that all requirements have been met using an approved verifier

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For more information about the requirements please click here

Benefits 

  • Up to $x, xxx in incentives, $x, xxx in tax credits and a certificate of recognition signed by the governor 
REQ WA

Water Requirements 

  • ​Outdoor: Water-Efficient Landscape Ordinances:
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  1. No lawn in park strips
  2. No lawn in areas less than 8 feet in width 
  3. No more than 50% of front and side yard landscaped is lawn
  4. No lawn on slopes exceeding a 20% grade  
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  • Outdoor: Efficient Landscape Scheduling ​
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  1. ​WaterSense Labeled Smart Irrigation Controller
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  • Outdoor: Water-Efficient Landscape Standards â€‹â€‹
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  1. Sprinklers are only in lawn or groundcover areas.
  2. Drip (in-line or point source) systems are used in all planting beds; microbubbles and micro sprays do not qualify.
  3. Drip and sprinklers are in separate zones.
  4. A pressure reducer installed.
  5. For homes with secondary water, a filter must be installed at the main valve.
  6. Must leave an irrigation plan with the home indicating zones, sprinkler types, and areas.
  7. Must leave 2 irrigation schedules with the home; one for the establishment of plants and another for post-establishment
  8. Trees are not planted in the lawn.
  9. At least 1 tree for every 500 square feet.
  10. At least 50% of non-grass space must include plant coverage.
  11. Plants in the park strip must be perennials, shrubs, and/or groundcover with a maturity under 2 feet in height or be street trees
  12. ​A 2-4 inch layer of mulch (organic or inorganic) is used in all planting beds
 
  • Indoor: Efficient Indoor Fixtures 
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  1. Indoor water pressure is between 30 and 80 PSI
  2. Shower head flow rate: 1.8 GPM at 80  PSI. Only one operating shower head while in operation per bathtub/shower
  3. Sink faucets flow rate: 1.8 gpm or less 
  4. Toilets:WaterSense labeled or 1.28 gallons/flush.
  5. Urinals: WaterSense labeled or 0.5 gallon per flush 0.125 gallon per flush (wall mounted) 
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  • Rater required 

Benefits 

  • Up to $2,000 in incentives and a certificate of recognition signed by the governor 
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