Insulated Siding Energy Performance Study

Today’s homeowners are looking for ways to improve their home’s energy performance. A common way homes of all ages waste energy is the "thermal bridging" effect–energy transfer through framing members that can rob a home of heat–and money.

VSI commissioned Newport Ventures to conduct the Insulated Siding Energy Performance Study to determine insulated siding’s effect on the energy performance of five existing single-family homes under real-world conditions, including one funded under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program. The study focused on building air tightness, heating energy use and utility costs. Newport Ventures initiated retrofit study in fall 2010 and concluded in spring 2013. It including analysis of utility bills for two years prior and two years following the installation of insulated siding on the homes studied. Findings show:

• An average air tightness improvement of 11 percent  across the five homes after the insulated siding was installed
  
  
• Analysis of pre- and post-retrofit utility bill data showed energy savings at all five sites, with an average savings of 5.5 percent
  
  
• An improvement (reduction) of 2.0 to 8.0 points in the homes’ HERS index through the installation of a weather-resistive barrier and insulated siding based on building energy simulation results.