WHAT IS ENERGY STAR?
ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. The mark identifies new homes and more than 50 types of products that are energy efficient and offer the features, quality, and performance that today's consumers expect. Products that can earn the ENERGY STAR include appliances, lighting, home office equipment, consumer electronics, and heating and cooling equipment.
A home that ears the ENERGY STAR is significantly more efficient that a standard home. By purchasing an ENERGY STAR qualified home, you can have all the features you desire in your new home, plus lower utility bills--all while helping to prevent greenhouse gas emissions. With energy prices at an all time high, having these energy-efficient products surely will cost you less.
ENERGY STAR is a voluntary partnership between the government and more than 8,000 organizations, including 3,500 of the nation's home builders. Together with home buyers and their families, we are working to achieve a common goal--protecting the environment for future generations by changing to more energy-efficient practices today.
It's our future. Together, we can make a change for the better. In 2005, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR saved about $12 billion on their utility bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 23 million vehicle (source: www.energystar.gov)
HOW DO HOMES QUALIFY AS ENERGY STAR?
Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR are significantly more energy efficient than standard homes. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC). Here are a few of the variety of features available:
EFFECTIVE INSULATION -- Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, while using else energy. The result is lower utility costs and a quieter, more comfortable home.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE WINDOWS -- Windows with advanced coatings and construction help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. They also block damaging UV sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.
TIGHT CONSTRUCTION AND TIGHT DUCTS -- Advanced techniques for sealing holes and cracks in the home's "envelop" and in heating and cooling ducts help reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, pests, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality, while lowering utility and maintenance costs.
MORE EFFICIENT HEATING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT -- Energy-efficient, properly installed heating and cooling systems use less energy, which reduces utility bills. You can expect higher quality and greater durability backed by longer warranties now available on many models.
INDEPENDENT TESTING -- While it's easy for builders to claim that their homes are energy efficient, ENERGY STAR partners back that up with a third-party inspection to verify the home's energy performance. ENERGY STAR qualifies homes also undergo an additional comprehensive inspection of insulation and air sealing details to ensure that they deliver the full comfort and energy savings they are designed to achieve.
ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED HOMES -- HOME OWNER BENEFITS
PEACE OF MIND -- Home buying is complex enough without having to know all the details of energy-efficient construction. Instead, look for the government-backed ENERGY STAR to easily identify homes that are truly energy efficient. Find the house of your dreams and enjoy peace of mind knowing that it also meets strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
LOWER OWNERSHIP COST -- One of the biggest waste of your hard earn dollars is energy costs. Wouldn't you feel better paying less in energy cost and that you don't have to sacrifice comfort. Compared with standard construction, ENERGY STAR qualified homes use substantially less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating--delivering $200 to $400 in annual savings. What could you do with $200 to $400 savings? Over the average 7 to 8 years you may live in your home, this adds up to thousands of dollars saved on utility bills. Additional savings on maintenance can also be substantial. You get to appreciate ENERGY STAR homes.
BETTER PERFORMACE -- Properly installed energy-efficient improvements deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home helps to ensure consistent temperatures between and across rooms, improved indoor air quality, and greater durability.
SMART INVESTMENT -- To date, 3,500 home builders, and many more, have partnered with EPA to construct more than 650,000 ENERGY STAR qualified homes. By the end of the decade, more than 2 million homes are expected to earn the ENERGY STAR. The trend is clear. With higher fuel and energy costs, ENERGY STAR homes is the clear solution. By choosing a home with ENERGY STAR, you can be confident that it will have an increasingly valued feature when it comes time to sell.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION -- Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution that your car? In fact, about 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide. Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate. |