Energy Star Homes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, through its Energy Star program, enables consumers to easily identify homes that meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines. In addition, the agency offers 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 website, 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, 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.