Energy Star is a federal government program that focuses on protecting the environment and consumers through superior energy efficiency building techniques, products, and appliances.  I have begun writing an MCE class just for Energy Star since there is so much misinformation out there and it is truly a fantastic program.

To earn the "Energy Star" accreditation a home must meet guidelines set by the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA).  The minimum requirement for these new homes is at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the Residential Code.  To date, the savings to the American public is tremendous!  "Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved enough energy to power 10 million homes and avoid greenhouse gas emissions from 12 million cars- all while saving $6 billion." (http://www.energy.gov/energyefficiency/print/energystar.htm)

 Let's start at the beginning... it's obvious why the consumer would want to conserve energy, it saves them money!  But, why does it affect the environment to conserve energy?  Well, I am not a geophysicist but I am going to do my best to explain.  You see, ultimately where does most energy come from?  Fossil Fuels.  "What are fossil fuels?" you ask. Fossil fuels are coal, oil and natural gas... all of which are a non-renewable source of energy. They are formed from plants and animals that lived up to 300 million years ago (the dinosaurs for instance), and are found deep beneath the earth's crust. The fuels are burned at power plants to release the chemical energy that is stored within them (in the form of carbon-hydrogen bonds, or, hydrocarbons).  While we all need energy to survive in today's complex world, the side effect of burning these fuels contributes to smog, acid rain, and increases the risk of global warming.  Therefore the easy answer is the less energy we use the less pollution that is released into the atmosphere.

Who can earn the Energy Star label?  Any home, 3 stories or less, can earn the label if it has been verified (by a third party inspector) to met the EPA's guidelines.  This includes pre-existing homes if the work has been done to qualify!

 How does a home qualify for Energy Star?  Well, there are several methods to improve the quality of the home, increase the internal comfort, lower utility bills and reduce the air pollution generated.  Here are just a few: effective insulation, high performance windows, tight construction ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment and effective products (like Energy Star dishwashers, ranges, etc.).  However, the only way to truly qualify for the Energy Star seal of approval is to receive third party verification. 

You see, not all builders (even Energy Star builders) are created equal.  A builder can be an "Energy Star Builder" if they participate in what is called "batch testing".  In that situation, only one home out of several is tested.  Other builders, like Choice Homes, are "verified 100% Energy Star."  This means that every home is tested for the Energy Star seal.  My suggestion when you are considering a new home purchase is to insist your home be tested and your results are provided to you.  Yes it will cost builders who only do batch testing a couple hundred dollars but, for you, it is piece of mind that your home is built under the best possible standards of energy efficiency and it helps to ensure your purchase's re-sale value down the road.  Why risk it? 

 I hope this helps to answer a few Energy Star questions.  I plan on doing several follow up blogs on this but didn't want this post to get to long!!