525 Lake Cove Pointe is pre-designed and qualified to meet all of the ENERGY STAR for homes program requirements. ENERGY STAR for homes is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) helping us all save money and protect the environment through strict energy efficient guidelines, products, and practices.
5. ENERGY STAR Criteria Effective Insulation High Performance Windows Efficient equipment Third-party verification Tight Construction and Ducts Lighting and Appliances
12. More Added Value~! Features Effective Insulation Adv. Windows Tight Construction & Ducts Efficient Equipment Lighting and Appliances Third-party Verified Additional Benefits Quieter More Comfortable No Drafts Fewer Bugs/Pests Better IAQ Higher Quality Less Maintenance Lower Ownership Costs Better Investment = Properly installed features better protect against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise improved comfort and durability And, the home is tested and inspected to be sure!
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14. FYI~! US Energy Consumption by Sector Source: US Energy Information Administration statistics
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Notas do Editor
Joint program – public and private partnership between EPA/DOE and private companies Qualified products: Deliver same or better performance as comparable models Use less energy Save money Recently, energy prices have become a hot news topic and a major concern for consumers. Therefore, ENERGY STAR provides solutions.
When consumers see the ES logo, they trust that it is truly energy efficient Logo also conveys credibility and environmental responsibility Consumers also feel empowered to make decision to buy an ES product Important b/c recent survey showed that over 76% of US households recognize the logo
EPA designed the program based on tried-and-true construction practices. Government-backed label make the product trustworthy and provides a source of authority Homes in Climate Zones 1-5 require 15% savings while homes in Climate Zones 6-8 require 20% savings. A home energy rater tests homes to ensure they meet the specification Whole-home performance means the ES program is based on constructing the house as a system; therefore, it takes into account many features that can comprise the energy efficiency of a home, such as windows, insulation, and HVAC systems, and ensures the final product is an energy-efficient one. ES adds many new features to a home which leads to many new benefits you can offer your customers.
Homebuyers across the country are increasingly interested in green building. When looking to build or buy a green home, energy efficiency is the place to start. In fact, 30-50% of green building point systems are related to energy efficiency. Once energy efficiency is addressed, then builders can consider indoor environment and resource efficiency.
6 typical features of ES qualified homes: Insulation that is installed correctly with no gaps, voids, or compressions Advanced windows that reduce solar heat gain Tight construction and ducts that reduce holes and cracks in the home HVAC equipment that is sized properly Various energy efficient lights and appliances Testing and inspection by home energy rater
Properly installed, high-quality insulation inspected before drywall is installed: Reduces heat transfer which improves comfort Protects homes from moisture damage which improves durability Home energy raters visit the homes at pre-drywall stage to ensure the insulation is installed with no gaps, voids or compressions and inspect the home using the thermal bypass checklist which was created by the EPA.
Improved frame materials, such as vinyl and wood composites, can reduce heat transfer and help insulate better Multiple panes of glass insulate much better than a single pane of glass. Low-emissivity glass has a protective coatings that reflects infrared light, allowing heat to stay in your home in the winter and minimizing it getting into your home in the summer. They also reflect ultraviolet light which can damage furnishings. Some windows are also filled with gas, such as argon. These non-toxic gases fill the gap between the panes which is a better insulator than air. Warm edge spacers keep the panes the correct distance apart, reduce heat flow and condensation Overall, high performance windows means improved comfort
As much as half of the energy used in homes goes to heating and cooling. Therefore, equipment plays a critical role in the efficiency of a home. Efficient, properly sized HVAC equipment: Use less energy Reduce indoor humidity Quieter If a system is installed that is too large for the home, it not only costs more, but also operates less efficiently, and can cause comfort and humidity problems, along with causing higher energy bills.
Picture on left: mastic sealing is being applied to ducts In an average home, ducts often leak between 20-30% which compromises comfort and distribution of air To minimize leaking, builders seal and insulated ducts. This will also minimize humidity, dust, pollen, and pests in the home. Home energy raters test ducts to ensure they don’t exceed leakage minimums. Picture on right: foam was used to seal a hole between the conditioned and unconditioned space Seal holes and cracks in the home’s walls and ceilings. Helps maintain even temperatures and can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs. When the home energy rater visits the home to inspect the insulation, they will also inspect air sealing details.
ENERGY STAR qualified homes include at least one ENERGY STAR qualified product category. HVAC or Windows or 5+ lights/appliances
Raters usually inspect ENERGY STAR qualified homes twice during the construction of the home: Look at air sealing and insulation at pre-drywall stage using the Thermal Bypass Checklist Towards completion of home to measure the leakiness of the building envelope and ducts. On the left: picture of home energy rater employing the blower door test. A Blower Door is an instrument used to measure air leakage in the building envelope How it works: The powerful fan is mounted into the frame of an exterior door. The fan pulls air out of the house, lowering the air pressure inside. This creates a flow of higher outside air pressure in through all unsealed cracks and openings. This determines the air infiltration rate of a home. On the right: picture of a home energy rater using the duct blaster test A duct blaster is an instrument used to measure the leakiness of ducts. A duct blaster combines a small fan and a pressure gauge to pressurize a house’s duct system and accurately measure air leakage of the ductwork.
The typical story on the left is often the information that is relayed to prospective buyers. When you bring ENERGY STAR into the picture, sales personnel develop new conversation pieces, including new features to talk about and a plethora of benefits.
All those features break down into 4 ES messages you can tailor to your prospects Now you’re competing on features other builders aren’t even talking about
On the left: In the US, buildings account for 48% of energy consumption, more than any other sector. The residential sector alone accounts for 21% of all energy consumption. On the right: Your homeowners may not know that their home can be a greater source of pollution than their car. In fact, 17 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.
Builders obtain the label from their rater once the inspections have been completed. It’s important for a builder to ensure the label is placed on the home: Allows homeowner to have proof their home is ES qualified Enables homeowner to show label to potential buyers at resale