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Why ENERGY STAR?
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Lower utility bills: For buildings with master metering, reduce
your operating costs by improving energy efficiency; reduce energy bills for homeowners
and renters. Reduce maintenance: Spend less time maintaining
equipment using better controls and longer-lasting products Reduce
tenant turnover: Improve the comfort of building residents through better
energy management. Increase property value: Improve the marketability
of buildings and homes using energy-efficient products and practices.
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PRODUCTS Find
information on ENERGY STAR qualified products in over 35 categories, including
appliances,
heating and
cooling equipment, windows,
lighting,
and exit
signs. Use the energy-savings calculators to compare the annual savings of
an ENERGY STAR qualified model with a non-qualifying model. Locate
rebates
in your area on certain ENERGY STAR qualified products. PRACTICES Home
Improvement Tools The
following home improvement tools will help you assess the opportunities for energy
savings in single-family housing.
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Home
Energy Advisor - provides a list of recommended improvements and estimated
savings. |
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Home
Doctor - provides remedies for common house symptoms.
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Home
Remodeler - provides advice on home remodeling projects.
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Home
Sealing - helps you reduce energy losses by adding insulation and sealing
air leaks and replacing windows. |
Building
Performance Tools Although
developed for the commercial building sector, the following building performance
tools can be useful to public housing maintenance and engineering staff. An
Energy
Management Strategy provides tools and resources to help each step of the
way. The
Building
Upgrade Manual will help you plan and implement profitable energy-saving building
upgrades. You can maximize energy savings by sequentially following building upgrade
stages 1- 5: recommissioning, lighting, load reductions, fan systems, and heating
and cooling systems.
Institutional
Purchasing: Develop an institutional purchasing policy to purchase efficient
products that reduce energy costs.
The
Cash
Flow Opportunity Calculator helps decision-makers answer three critical questions
about energy efficiency investments:
- How
much new energy-efficient equipment can be purchased from the anticipated savings?
- Should
this equipment purchase be financed now, or is it better to wait and use cash
from a future budget?
- Is
money being lost by waiting for a lower interest rate?
- Find
Expert Help: ENERGY STAR service and product providers can help identify,
prioritize, and implement quality projects that will improve your total energy
management.
HOMES
ENERGY
STAR qualified homes are built to strict energy-efficiency guidelines using tried-and-true
technologies and construction practices. Because ENERGY STAR qualified new homes
use substantially less energy through more efficient heating,
cooling, and water heating equipment, occupants can expect to save about $200-$400
annually on their utility bills. Any
single-family or multifamily residential building that is three stories or less
in height can qualify to receive the ENERGY STAR label. This includes traditional
site-constructed homes as well as modular, systems-built (e.g., insulated concrete
forms, structural insulated panels), and HUD-code manufactured homes. To earn
the label, a home must be least 30% more energy-efficient in its heating, cooling
and water heating than a comparable home built to the 1993 Model Energy Code (MEC),
and 15% more efficient than the state energy code.
Find
Help
Use the Partner
Locator to find homebuilders that build ENERGY STAR qualified new homes, utilities
that offer special incentives to buyers and builders of ENERGY STAR qualified
new homes, and home energy raters that can verify the energy efficiency of a home. Become
a Partner! Organizations that partner with ENERGY STAR will see increased
profits, satisfied customers, and environmental benefits. Learn
more. |