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New home builders have technology in energy efficiency available to them. This gives us the opportunity to build state of the art homes that are easy on the environment. This benefits our planet, and your budget, by reducing monthly utility costs. A home designed for optimal efficiency combines eco-friendly construction, including state of the art appliances and lighting powered with solar energy or electricity. These homes also take advantage of the local climate and geographic features, like the use of passive solar heating and cooling systems, or landscaping strategies designed to conserve energy. Energy efficient homes reduce the amount of energy that it takes to live in them. In many parts of the country, the costs of energy efficiency or renewable energy upgrades make the homeowner eligible for the rewards of rebates or other financial perks. You can ask real estate agents or the builder of your new home about incentives for your area. All about ENERGY STAR Homes ENERGY STAR homes are built with the latest feature plus higher quality improvements that offer optimal energy efficiency. These homes are more comfortable. Their appliances perform better. In addition to being more environmentally sound, they require less maintenance which means they are a better financial value. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the voluntary ENERGY STAR program to help individuals save money on utility costs and protect our climate through enhanced energy efficiency. An ENERGY STAR home offers a wide range of highly tested features that are a great boon to the homeowner in the long run. These features include things like:

• energy efficient insulation to maintain indoor temperature
• windows with multiple panes of glass and high performance doors
• tight construction and duct work to prevent indoor drafts
• highly optimized heating and cooling equipment
• products and appliances rated for optimal energy efficiency

Homes that earn the coveted ENERGY STAR rating must first meet a host of energy-related guidelines that are spelled out by the EPA. These homes must be at least 15% more energy efficient than a spec new home that is built to standard code. Their energy-saving features, however, make them as much as 20% or possibly even up to 30% more efficient. The Right Home for Your Family The verification via EPA standards guarantees that an ENERGY STAR home will give your family both better quality and improved comfort while using less energy in the process. Any energy efficient upgrades in a new home will offer benefits for you as a home buyer. Energy-saving features, when properly installed by the builder, deliver the best protection against cold, heat, and drafts as well as excess moisture, noise and air pollution, and unregulated temperatures.