New Construction Services

We want to be there through the entire construction process to ensure that the home you are building will meet all the performance goals you seek.

Please call us to find which services are necessary for the goals and certifications you hope to acheive.

We recommend contacting us as early as early as possible, i.e. by schematic design phase, but if you have already begun we can begin consulting at any point through construction.

SERVICES:

Design Stage Consulting

Performance Goals Meeting:

A meeting to review plans and discuss what will be necessary to have your home achieve goals such as:

ENERGY STAR^®
LEED for Homes^TM
Enhanced comfort. For example, no more than 3 degrees of temperature difference between any room in the house.
Indoor air quality/safety that meets ENERGY STAR's Indoor Air Package (IAP) standards
Environmental stewardship through “green” building materials.
Net Zero
A 5%, 25%, 50%, etc. reduction in current utility bills after a remodel.

Once goals are determined a plan for testing and consulting can be made and put into action.

Computer Modeling of the house's projected performance -

Projected Rating:

Certified (i.e., HERs) home performance computer modeling of your home’s:

insulation levels,
air-leakage,
windows & doors,
heating/cooling equipment,
water heating,
lights & appliances, and
renewable energy options

We can quantify return-on-investment and how much utility bill savings and reduced global warming emissions are possible through quality building materials and construction practices.

Passive Solar design consulting & calculations:

With Colorado’s “300 days of Sun,” designing a home or strategically placing an addition to optimize absorption of the sun’s heat in the winter and release warmth to the cool evening air in the summer can cut utility bills by 25% to as much as 80%. Since passive solar design requires no moving parts it becomes the most reliable renewable energy source you can have, so long as the design has been carefully analyzed and engineered. Through design review, calculations and/or computer modeling and modifications to your plans, we will help you optimize this emission-free form of warming and cooling your home.

Active Solar Design Consulting:

With our knowledgeable House Doctors we can identify possible locations for solar PV or water heating and through our computer modeling we can help tell you how much you will save on your utility bills and how much benefit you will provide for the environment by installing these systems. Additionally, we will put you in touch with high quality certified contractors who can provide you with detailed bids and actually perform the installation of your solar equipment.

Quality Assurance Inspections

Frame-Walk:

Consulting meeting with framer, builder and representatives of Lightly Treading to be sure ENERGY STAR^®Thermal

By-pass Checklist (TBC) requirements are understood and will be met.

Thermal By-pass Checklist and Insulation Grading (TBC-IG):

Walk through inspections to ensure performance details of insulation, air-sealing and HVAC are correct before the drywall goes up.

Duct-Leakage Testing:
If you have forced-air heating or cooling in your home we can test to see if there is too much duct leakage or restrictions because of a poorly designed string of ductwork. We highly recommend having your ducts tested at the frame stage when we can identify problems and recommend solutions while there is still easy access to make adjustments. Ducts will be re-tested after the construction process is complete to ensure performance levels.

Performance Testing at project completion - Final Testing:
To ensure the house is “working as a system” and the performance goals have been achieved we:

Perform a blower door test for air-leakage
Complete the Thermal Bypass Checklist
Conduct thorough insulation and window inspections
Inspect the water heater
Test furnace heat-rise
Perform a lighting & electrical assessment
Update the computer modeling to quantify the performance

In new construction most of the above QA testing is required to achieve compliance with ENERGY STAR^®, tax credits, or other municipal programs.

Please call us at 303-733-3078 or 866-973-9268 for more information or to schedule a service.

info@lightlytreading.com