Energy Star Homes Reach 17% Market Share for 2008
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced July 2 that nearly 17 percent of all single-family homes built nationally in 2008 earned EPA's Energy Star label, up from 12 percent in 2007.
"Every year more Americans decide to cut their energy bills and help keep the air clean in their communities by buying a new home that has earned EPA's Energy Star. Features like properly installed insulation, high-performance windows and high efficiency heating and cooling can reduce home energy needs by 20 to 30 percent, saving American families thousands of dollars on their utility bills," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.
Market share for Energy Star-qualified homes was 20 percent or greater in 15 states in 2008, including Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut., Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Vermont.Nearly 940,000 Energy Star-qualified homes have been built to date, with more than 100,000 of these constructed in 2008. According to EPA, in 2008 alone, American families living in Energy Star-qualified homes locked in annual utility bill savings of more than $250 million saving over 1.5 billion kWh of electricity and 155 million therms of natural gas while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of nearly 350,000 cars annually.
To earn the Energy Star label, homes must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by EPA. Typically they include energy-saving features such as:
- Effective Insulation Systems
- High-Performance Windows
- Tight Construction and Ducts
- Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
- Energy Star-Qualified Lighting and Appliances
For more information, go to
http://www.energystar.gov/HomesMarketIndex.