BSC Ltd.
Hinsdale, IL 60521
United States
ph: 630.323.0123
fax: 866.323.0113
Bob
To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.
With home-buyers increasingly interested in green building, energy efficiency is the place to start. That's because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global warming. The less energy used, the less air pollution generated. An easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.
Any home three stories or less can earn the ENERGY STAR label if it has been verified to meet EPA's guidelines, including: single family, attached, and low-rise multi-family homes; manufactured homes; systems-built homes (e.g., SIP, ICF, or modular construction); log homes, concrete homes; and even existing retrofitted homes.
ENERGY STAR-qualified homes can include a variety of 'tried-and-true' energy-efficient features that contribute to improved home quality and homeowner comfort, and to lower energy demand and reduced air pollution:
Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, reduced energy use, and increased comfort.
Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such as protective coatings and improved frames, to help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that can discolor carpets and furnishings.
Sealing holes and cracks in the home's "envelope" and in heating and cooling duct systems helps reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, and noise. A tightly sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while reducing utility and maintenance.
In addition to using less energy to operate, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems can be quieter, reduce indoor humidity and improve the overall comfort of the home. When properly installed into a tightly sealed home, this equipment won't have to work so hard to heat and cool the home. Learn more about:
ENERGY STAR-qualified homes may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR-qualified products — lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines.
With the help of independent Home Energy Raters, ENERGY STAR builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for their homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness, and duct sealing details.
Most builders will tell you they build energy-efficient homes. But builders whose homes earn the ENERGY STAR prove their claims. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are inspected and tested by an independent Home Energy Rater to meet EPA's new and more rigorous guidelines for energy efficiency.
The builder's construction crews know that their work will be tested for performance, quality, and attention to detail. Home Energy Raters inspect insulation installation, perform tightness tests on the home's envelope and duct system and ensure that all energy-efficient features and equipment are properly installed in your new home.
Click here for the Energy Star Homes Requirements
The Thermal Bypass Checklist is a comprehensive visual inspection of building details where thermal bypass, or the movement of heat around or through insulation, frequently occurs due to missing air barriers or gaps between the air barriers and the insulation. For a home to be qualified as ENERGY STAR, a Thermal Bypass Checklist must be completed by a certified Home Energy Rater. However, up to six items may be verified by the builder to minimize required field trips by the rater.
Click here for an outline of the checklist and examples of effective construction details.
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BSC Ltd.
Hinsdale, IL 60521
United States
ph: 630.323.0123
fax: 866.323.0113
Bob