Ten upgrades

The Prescriptive Path is made up of 10 mandatory energy saving upgrades. These upgrades are listed below.

Prescriptive Path Technical Standard

Note: the R-values listed below are effective (not nominal) values: 

• Attic insulation of R-58 effective
• Exterior above grade wall insulation of R-17 effective
• Basement insulation of R-18 effective
• Header (rim joist) insulation of R-18 effective
• Triple pane, low-e argon windows with low conductivity frame and spacer
• High efficiency heat recovery ventilation (HRV), rated SRE 65% or better at -25C
• Advanced HRV controls^[1]
• LED lighting throughout
• Tested air tightness of less than 1.5 air changes per hour
• A minimum of two upgrades from the list below:
  • Attic hatch gaskets and anchors
  • Exterior insulation at rim joist
  • Thermally broken door sills
  • Orientation optimized low-e window coatings
  • Slab edge thermal break (minimum 1″ rigid insulation between footing and slab or 2′ wide ‘skirt’ over footing, detailed in drawings)
  • Solar-ready trusses and wiring chase

^[1] Advanced HRV controls should be able to operate the HRV in standby mode (no low-speed fan) or intermittent operation (20 minutes per hour) and still run if required by the dehumidistat or the bathroom controls. HRV controls integrated into smart thermostats are eligible if they’re operating the HRV at the time of completion evaluation.

Are you looking for more information on the Prescriptive Path Technical Standard?

Read our article to learn what common assemblies and details we accept.