Energy Star Homes

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through its Energy Star program, This label is for home plans that are “Designed to Earn the Energy Star,” incorporating energy-efficient details and specifications. enables consumers to easily identify homes that meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines. In addition, the EPA recently launched a program to assist consumers in identifying energy-efficient house plans. Energy Star Labels More people are getting familiar with the Energy Star label as they look for ways to save money. Those buying or building a new home especially should learn about the blue label and its uses. The Energy Star qualified home sticker or certificate, for example, means a house has been independently verified to meet the EPA’s strict guidelines for energy efficiency.  When builders use the Energy Star Partner logo or are listed on the Energy Star Web site, it means that they have signed partnership agreements with the EPA that govern the proper use of the Energy Star name and logo. “EPA does not ‘certify’ builders and a consumer should not assume that all homes that the builder constructs are Energy Star,” says Enesta Jones, EPA spokesperson. However, some builder partners have made the additional commitment to build 100 percent Energy Star qualified homes. Consumers can identify these builders by looking for a special  “100 percent” Energy Star partner icon. Some homes may include Energy Star qualified products that feature the blue logo. However, says Jones, just because a home includes qualified products, Any builder can use Tyvek® to keep moisture out of a home. But if it’s not installed properly, the product's full benefits are lost. Energy Star certification ensures that the product is used and installed properly. © Veridian Homes does not mean that the home itself is qualified. The house has to have a separate Energy Star qualified home sticker or certificate for that designation. Strict Efficiency Standards To earn Energy Star designation, a home must meet guidelines established to make it at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC). The IRC is a comprehensive, stand-alone residential code that creates minimum regulations for one- and two-family dwellings of three

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