Energy Star Is Not Just for Refrigerators

Reader Contribution by Leigha Dickens
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In a previous post I mentioned the importance of air-sealing for energy efficiency in green construction. But you don’t have to just take my word for it—green building programs for new construction, such as Energy Star for Homes, require extensive air-sealing to achieve certification.

Many of us have heard of Energy Star certified lights and appliances. But did you know that the Energy Star is also a green building certification available for a new home?In fact, in its newest version, version 3.0 an Energy Star home is a true distinction from a conventional new home, offering 15%-30% reduction in energy costs—and most importantly of all—quality assurance that the systems in the home will work as they are intended.

If you want to build a new home, and you want to put a “stamp” on it proving that it is green, voluntary certification programs abound. One of the most well known is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes, and there are green building certification programs through the NAHB, through state programs, or even through utilities. Energy Star is quickly becoming one of the most distinguished certifications available for new homes.

 Getting any certification on your new home is a bit like earning a merit badge in scouting used to be—you have to follow certain checklists of requirements while building and pass certain performance tests once the home is built. And any of these programs are great. They insert green building practices into the homebuilding process from the design phase, in an organized way, sometimes educating the homeowner, the builder, and the sub-contractors about green building practices along the way.

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