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ENERGY STAR®, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
program, helps us all save money and protect our environment
through energy efficient products and practices. For more
information, visit www.energystar.gov.

Dear Partner,
EPA has posted an updated Policy Record containing two policy resolutions regarding the ENERGY STAR
guidelines. As a reminder, the Policy Record is used to communicate notable changes made in between the release
of formal Revisions, EPA does not anticipate the release of the next formal Revision (Rev 06) until this summer.
These two policy resolutions are expected to help partners more successfully transition to the Version 3 guidelines.
Partners may begin using these changes immediately, but are not required to do so until they are incorporated into
Revision 06. Partners can review the Current Policy Record posted on the Policy Changes and Clarifications page.
For convenience, the changes are as follows:
•	Partners have more time to meet requirements for kitchen ventilation. Enforcement of Items 8.1 and
9.1 on the HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist is deferred for kitchen exhaust fans while EPA
determines whether over-the-range microwave products and standalone products that meet these
requirements can be introduced to the market or if alternative ventilation strategies must be defined instead.
•	An alternate compliance option has been introduced for partners in Climate Zones 5-8 who are
using the advanced framing option to meet the requirements for reduced thermal bridging in walls.
In order to improve the frequency with which Item 4.4.5e reduces thermal bridging, EPA will remove the
exemption from 24" on-center spacing and instead replace it with an alternate compliance path that requires
at least R-20.0 wall insulation to be used regardless of any framing plan or alternative equivalent total UA
calculation. Therefore, partners may use either 24" on-center spacing or R-20.0 wall insulation to meet this
Item.
Please contact us at enerqvstarhomes@enerQvstar.gov if you have any questions. Thank you for your work
promoting ENERGY STAR.
Best regards,
The ENERGY STAR for New Homes Team
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