Effective November 1, 2015, Existing Homes made clarifications to two of the requirements listed in the Existing Homes Specifications Manual. The specifications in question were:

• GF 1.2 is now amended to require an installing contractor to bring intake air from unconditioned space, not outside the building enclosure. This amendment means that gas furnace installations in garages, attics and unconditioned basements no longer require additional ducting that can increase the cost to the consumer.
• WI 1.3 is now amended to allow contractors to install insert windows to replace existing insert or flanged windows. Previously insert window installations were limited to replacing existing insert windows. This amendment allows greater flexibility for contractors and their customers to obtain cash incentives for window projects.

Additionally, effective January 1, 2016, Existing Homes is making a change to the heat pump water heater specification in the Existing Homes Specifications Manual.

• WH 3.0 no longer requires ducting for either Tier 2 or Tier 3 products. This change avoids additional obstacles limiting installations and helps reduce the cost to the consumer.

These clarifications and changes are being made based on valuable feedback from trade allies as well as an analysis of current market conditions. Existing Homes welcomes additional trade ally comments and feedback to help improve program offerings. Please contact the Existing Homes trade ally team with your thoughts at 1.866.365.3526 option 9, or at existinghomesta@energytrust.org.

Full details regarding these updates can be found at http://energytrust.org/trade-ally/programs/existing-homes/resources/.