SustainableBusiness.com News Exclusive:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) yesterday announced a milestone for its Energy Star, marking the 1 millionth Energy Star qualified home.
Since the program began labeling new homes in 1995, Americans have saved $1.2 billion on their energy bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 22 billion pounds, EPA said. This year alone, families living in Energy Star qualified homes will save an estimated $270 million on their utility bills, while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from about 370,000 vehicles.
“We’re going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable,” EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson said.
To earn the Energy Star label, a home must meet energy efficiency guidelines set by EPA. Those guidelines include effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and high-efficiency lighting and appliances. In addition, an independent home energy rater conducts onsite testing and inspections to verify that the home’s performance meets Energy Star requirements.
There are more than 6,500 builders across the nation building homes that earn the Energy Star label, EPA said.
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