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Energy efficient homes can save homeowners money and reduce their carbon footprint. Homeowners who buy a new home built with green in mind reap the benefits with low utility costs and greater comfort with personalized thermostats. Some home builders make an effort to design greener homes. For example, Sandlin Homes includes many energy-saving features in its homes to help them last longer, lower utility bills, reduce the effects of extreme temperatures especially in the Texas summer. Here are five that you can find in a house built by Sandlin Homes. Ecobee Thermostats Have you ever had the problem of your home feeling too cold because the thermostat adjusts the temperature based on one location? This isn't an issue with Ecobee Thermostat, an ENERGY STAR-certified thermostat that has up to 32 remote temperature and motion sensors. It allows you to adjust the thermostat from anywhere using its mobile app. Ecobee reads the temperature and monitors for people to determine the best setting for a room. When no one is home, its Smart Home/Away feature will adapt the settings to maximize energy savings. The system can save up to 23 percent in heating and cooling costs every year. It's also compatible with Amazon Alexa Voice Service. Armstrong 16 SEER Air Conditioning System SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. It rates the energy efficiency of your cooling equipment. The higher the SEER rating, the more efficiently the unit operates and the greater the savings on utility bills. The U.S. government sets the minimum efficiency level at 13.0. Armstrong's ENERGY STAR-rated products exceed 16.0 SEER. Armstrong Air units come with a heavy-duty compressor blanket to reduce operating noise so you can enjoy the outdoors and nature's sounds instead of the loud humming of an AC unit. Its units come with Microban protection to prevent odor-causing mold and bacteria from growing or reproducing. The company offers a 10-year limited warranty on parts. Low-E Glass Vinyl Windows A windowpane with low emissivity contains a coating of microscopic layers of metallic oxide. Invisible to the eye, this coating allows as much natural light in as possible while blocking the bad guys like UV rays. Low-e windows prevent sunburn and damage to carpet and furniture. It controls infrared light to keep a home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. In short, it lowers utility bills and creates a more comfortable environment. Rheem Tankless Hot Water Heater It may not get extremely cold in Dallas or Fort Worth like up north, but no one wants to run out of hot water in the middle of a shower. Unlike a traditional water heater, you don't have to worry about hot water running out with Rheem Tankless Hot Water Heater and waiting 30 minutes to reheat the water. You can even run the washer, dishwasher, and shower without running out of hot water. The heaters are 99.8 percent energy efficient because of the condensing technology that relies on exhaust gases to continuously stream hot water. Rheem Tankless Water Heaters are also ENERGY STAR qualified and may qualify for tax credits and incentives. What's more is that the average lifespan is 15 to 22 years while storage water heaters only last 10 to 12 years. LP TechShield Radiant Barrier Roof Decking Radiant barrier is a reflective insulation to prevent heat penetration to help lower the temperature of the home's attic. LP TechShield Radiant Barrier blocks up to 97 percent of radiant heat to reduce the attic temperature by up to 30 degrees F. It's made from a renewable resource to reduce its impact on the environment and it's ENERGY STAR certified. ENERGY STAR certified means the home or product complies with rigorous requirements that result in lowered utility and maintenance costs, increased durability, more comfort, and higher value. Sandlin Homes has received the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Market Leader Award multiple times. If you'd like to learn about other energy saving elements in Sandlin Home-built homes, please contact us at (800) 821-4663 or info@sandlinhomes.com. Or stop by any of our model homes in DFW neighborhoods that interest you.