What’s New?

New Content on the ENERGY STAR for New Homes Web Site
The ENERGY STAR for New Homes Web site has been enhanced for
both consumers and partners. Recent updates include:

• Behind the Walls, a new online tour of four must-have
  features in ENERGY STAR qualified homes, can be
  accessed from the main site at www.energystar.gov by clicking
  on the icon under New Homes for “Take a Tour Behind the Walls.”
• The recently updated Thermal Bypass Checklist Guide, which raters
  and builders can use as a training tool for their field contracting crews.
• New policy from ENERGY STAR on qualifying attached housing units.
• New recommendations from ENERGY STAR regarding Home Energy Rating System (HERS) scoring credits
  for volumetric hot water savings and wastewater heat recovery devices.

Materials from the April 2007 First Annual Residential Program Sponsor
and Utility Partner Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia are available for download. Presentations delivered at the event, as well as the follow-up Discussion Guide, can be downloaded from the Utility and Regional Energy Efficiency Program Sponsors (EEPS) Resources page at www.energystar.gov/partners by clicking on the link for “2007 Partner Meeting” under the header “Residential New Construction.”

Purchase ENERGY STAR Qualified Products in Bulk
Through QuantityQuotes.net, an online marketplace created by the U.S. Department of Energy, large-quantity buyers can submit purchase requests for ENERGY STAR qualified products, receive quotes from suppliers, and negotiate discounted prices. These services are currently available for ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs and fixtures, clothes washers, dehumidifiers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and room air conditioners. Purchasers can register to instantly contact suppliers of ENERGY STAR qualified products. Visit www.QuantityQuotes.net to learn more and register!

New Online Marketing Toolkit
Now Available!
The popular ENERGY STAR Marketing Toolkit is available in a new, online format. The new format makes it easier than ever for builders to create quality ENERGY STAR materials for consumers and ensures that materials are consistent with the national program. It is a great resource for Rater partners as well!

The new Toolkit features updated versions of templates from the original Toolkit CD, as well as new materials like Web buttons and banners. The software will help guide you through customizing the templates to include company-specific information such as your logo and Web site address. On each of the fully customizable templates you may also select and modify consumer messages, features, and benefits to best highlight your company’s offerings. The Toolkit can be accessed on the Web at www.energystar.gov/homes by clicking on the link for “Marketing Toolkit.”

Updated Builder Brochure
An updated version of the popular builder recruitment brochure is now available.
The brochure, titled “Build ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes,” provides a business-oriented explanation of how builders can benefit from participating in the ENERGY STAR for New Homes program. You can download all ENERGY STAR brochures or order printed copies at www.energystar.gov/publications.

ENERGY STAR Happenings

Best Practices Guide for Sponsor Partners Coming Soon!
In addition to the national ENERGY STAR for New Homes program administered by EPA, over 30 different utility- and state-sponsored programs are active across the country. Based on feedback received at the recent First Annual ENERGY STAR Residential Program Sponsor and Utility Partner Meeting, EPA is preparing a Residential Program Best Practices Guide for Sponsor Partners. This guide will outline recommendations, barriers, and lessons learned for program design, marketing and implementation, and evaluation. The Best Practices Guide is expected to be distributed by the end of the summer to all current ENERGY STAR Sponsor Partners and also will be provided to new ENERGY STAR Sponsor Partners as a resource for program development.

Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR Coming Soon!
Architects and home planners regularly ask the ENERGY STAR team how they can participate in the program. With the new “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR” mark, home plans that are verified by a Home Energy Rater to meet ENERGY STAR’s energy efficiency guidelines will become eligible to earn the new mark. EPA is working with stakeholders in the design community to develop partnership criteria, which will take shape during the coming months. This new partnership area is expected be available in 2008 and will present a new business opportunity area for interested Home Energy Raters, as architects and planners will need third-party plan approval.

Homes that are built from “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR” plans will still require on-site verification by a Home Energy Rater to earn the ENERGY STAR label.

Reminders

Using the ENERGY STAR on Your Web Sites and Promotional Materials
As an ENERGY STAR partner, you are encouraged to use the ENERGY STAR mark on your Web site and promotional materials. Don’t forget to download the most current version of all the marks at www.energystar.gov/marks! A user name and password are required; if you have misplaced or forgotten this information, please click on the link for “I forgot my username and password” to have them sent to your e-mail address, or contact the ENERGY STAR Hotline at 1-888-STAR-YES. Please be sure to review the ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines, which describe how to use the marks to best protect the brand and value of the ENERGY STAR.

Listing Your Web Site on the ENERGY STAR Partner Locator
Have you wondered how you can have a hyperlink to your company Web site from the ENERGY STAR Partner Locator? The ENERGY STAR Web site receives 6 million visits every year—making Web linking a great, free marketing tool available to all partners. Please review the ENERGY STAR Web Linking Policy at www.energystar.gov/weblinking to determine if your company Web site meets the criteria for establishing a link. Once your Web site meets the requirements outlined in the policy, send an e-mail listing your company name and URL to hotline@energystar.gov with your request to have a link established.

Maintaining Your Active Partnership
To maintain active status on the ENERGY STAR Partner Locator, a partner must qualify at least one home as ENERGY STAR every 12 months. Partners not meeting this requirement are placed on inactive status and removed from the Partner Locator. To ensure you stay active, make sure that your ENERGY STAR qualified homes are properly reported to EPA.

If your company becomes inactive, your partnership will be reactivated automatically once EPA receives a report from an accredited Home Energy Rating Provider indicating that you have built, rated, or sponsored a new ENERGY STAR qualified home. You will not have to sign a new ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement. Note that Providers submit reports to EPA at the end of each quarter.

If you receive an e-mail that your status is inactive and you believe this is inaccurate, please send an e-mail to hotline@energystar.gov and be sure to include your company's name in the message text.

Updating Organization and Contact Information
To update organization or contact information, please visit the My ENERGY STAR Account (MESA) Web site at www.energystar.gov/mesa, and log in using your username and password. If you have misplaced or forgotten this information, please click on the link for “I forgot my username and password” to have it sent to your e-mail address. Please add the MESA site to your browser’s Favorites folder so that you can easily access the Web site from your computer!

A tutorial for using MESA is available in PDF at the log-in screen, which provides guidance on how to use MESA to update your company’s information, including how to add new contacts and remove contacts that are no longer with your company.

Primary Account Managers for Your ENERGY STAR Questions
Whether you have a need for a technical presentation, help designing an ENERGY STAR for New Homes program, help with seminars, or with developing a sales presentation, you should contact the Primary Account Manager for your region, illustrated in the map below. These Account Managers field all requests for regional support, connecting you with the ENERGY STAR team member best suited to meet your needs. Contact information for these regional Account Managers is provided below.