The Ashton Ave home, a project by the City of Bridges Community Land Trust, was slated to undergo a moderate-scale remodel with funding provided by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. This home already has a 95.5% efficient furnace, a relatively new hot water heater, and an R-11 level of insulation in the attic. E3 proposed several measures to enhance energy efficiency:
- Upgrade three window replacements to the most efficient, with a U-value of 0.16 and SHGC of 0.23, 3-pane windows.
- Air seal and insulate the attic to R-30 (note: raising the floor of the attic is necessary to accommodate R-30).
- Air seal around rim joists in the basement and add a rigid foam board layer to the ceiling of the laundry room, currently located under the concrete porch.
- Seal the HVAC ducts in the basement.
- Insulate all walls with dense-packed cellulose.
Prepared in this manner, the home will be an ideal candidate for the next upgrade: the addition of a central electric heat pump to serve as an air conditioner and provide heating in the shoulder seasons, with the existing furnace serving as a backup. Furthermore, the lower- to moderate-income homeowner will likely be able to take advantage of an $8,000 upfront Inflation Reduction Act rebate and a $2,000 tax credit, making it virtually free or at a very low cost to acquire.