[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19008-19009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7544]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy


Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals: Standard Work 
Specifications for Single Family Energy Upgrades

AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and 
Renewable Energy (EERE) requests comments on the revised version of the 
Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals: Standard Work Specifications 
for Single Family Energy Upgrades. This document is a set of work 
specifications applicable to energy efficiency retrofits of single 
family homes. These specifications are intended as a resource for any 
organization, company, or individual involved in energy efficiency 
retrofits of residential homes. This document was released for public 
comment in draft form on November 9, 2010. As a result of the comments 
received, EERE made revisions to the document for which EERE is 
providing an opportunity for public comment.

DATES: Comments on the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals: 
Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy Upgrades must be 
received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on April 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: A link to the online public comment tool can be found at: 
http://nrel.pnnl.gov/forumdisplay.php/5-SWS-for-Single-Family-Homes
    You may also submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov
     By email: [email protected]
     By mail: National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Attn: Chuck 
Kurnik, RSF402, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401.
    For further information on how to submit comments, please see the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Olsen, Weatherization and 
Intergovernmental Programs, Mailstop EE-2K, Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. Phone number: (202) 287-1813. Email: 
[email protected]. Christopher Calamita, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of the General Counsel, Forrestal Building, GC-71, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. Phone number: (202) 586-
1777. Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: EERE through the National Renewable Energy 
Laboratory is developing voluntary work specifications for the work 
involved in home energy upgrades. This document builds upon the 
considerable body of material already in circulation and the cumulative 
knowledge gathered throughout the 30-year history of the Weatherization 
Assistance Program and broader home performance industry.
    The development of the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals: 
Standard Work Specifications for Single Family Energy Upgrades (SWS) is 
supported by the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Training and 
Technical Assistance Plan. The process of developing the SWS has 
involved a historic collaboration between WAP practitioners and 
trainers, home performance contractors, building scientists, organized 
labor, healthy homes and worker safety experts, and other professionals 
in the building trades and throughout the retrofit industry. On 
November 9, 2010, EERE issued a notice requesting public comment on a 
draft version of the SWS. 75 FR 68781. Additional background regarding 
this effort can be found in that document.
    The first public comment period resulted in nearly 1000 comments 
from approximately 100 unique commenters from across the Weatherization 
and home performance industries. As a result of issues identified by 
commenters, EERE gave further consideration to a number of technical 
issues and subsequently made changes to the SWS. EERE is providing an 
opportunity for public comment on the technical revisions made in 
response to prior public comments.

Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment

    DOE is seeking comments and views of interested parties on the 
following issues:
     Revisions to the SWS document subsequent to the initial 
public comment period including:
    [cir] Reformatting of the document to improve usability
    [cir] Removal of specifications related to the installation of HVAC 
equipment
    [cir] Removal of the Job Task Analyses for being out of scope with 
the SWS primary intent of defining quality outcomes of installed work

[[Page 19009]]

    [cir] Alignment with the International Residential Code and other 
applicable standards

Submission of Comments

    DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding the 
proposed guidelines no later than the date specified under the DATES 
heading. If submitting comments via the DOE Web page, please follow all 
instructions on the web page: http://www.weatherization.energy.gov/retrofit_guidelines. This Web site is specifically designed for ease 
of use to facilitate the public comment process. DOE will transfer 
comments received on our Web site to Regulations.gov for public review.
    Comments, data, and information uploaded to Regulations.gov, or 
submitted via DOE's email address or regular mail should be provided in 
WordPerfect, Microsoft Word, PDF, or text (ASCII) file format. 
Interested parties should avoid the use of special characters or any 
form of encryption, and wherever possible, comments should include the 
electronic signature of the author. Comments, data, and information 
submitted to DOE via regular mail may include one signed paper 
original.
    According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any person submitting information that 
he or she believes to be confidential and exempt by law from public 
disclosure should submit two copies: One copy of the document including 
all the information believed to be confidential, and one copy of the 
document that does not include the information believed to be 
confidential. DOE will make its own determination as to the 
confidential status of the information and treat it according to its 
determination.
    Factors of interest to DOE when evaluating requests to treat 
submitted information as confidential include:
    (1) A description of the items;
    (2) Whether and why such items are customarily treated as 
confidential within the industry;
    (3) Whether the information is generally known by or available from 
other sources;
    (4) Whether the information has previously been made available to 
others without obligation concerning its confidentiality;
    (5) An explanation of the competitive injury to the submitting 
person which would result from public disclosure;
    (6) A date upon which such information might lose its confidential 
nature due to the passage of time; and
    (7) Why disclosure of the information would be contrary to the 
public interest.

    Issued in Washington, DC on March 23, 2012.
AnnaMaria Garcia,
Program Manager, Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program, Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
[FR Doc. 2012-7544 Filed 3-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P