New Homes Inspection & Certification
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Inspecting New Homes Built to the Specification (Version 1.2 Effective July 24, 2014)
In order to earn the WaterSense label, all new homes must be inspected to ensure they meet EPA's criteria. The following documents provide detailed information on how the homes are tested and what information the builder is required to supply to the inspector.
- Inspection Checklists and Guides:
- Inspection and Verification Guidance for WaterSense Labeled New Homes (Version 1.2) (PDF) (20 pg, 487K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Homes Inspection Checklist (Version 1.2) (PDF) (4 pg, 221K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Homes—Additional Information for Single-Family New Homes Covered by a Sampling Protocol (Version 1.2) (PDF) (3 pg, 150K)
- WaterSense Labeled New Homes—Additional Information for Units in a Multi-Family Building Covered by a Sampling Protocol (Version 1.2) (PDF) (3 pg, 150K)
- Irrigation Audit Checklist and Guide (for new homes with an irrigation system installed):
Certifying New Homes to the WaterSense Specification
For a new home to earn the WaterSense label, it must be inspected by a trained and approved water efficiency inspector and certified by an EPA licensed certification provider. Licensed certification providers are trained, evaluated, approved, and overseen by the EPA-approved program administrator to ensure they have the capability and competence to issue the label for WaterSense labeled new homes. Licensed certification providers and inspectors must be trained on the most current version of the WaterSense New Home Specification in order to continue to offer certification and inspection services for WaterSense.
WaterSense has established the following system for certification and labeling of new homes that meet the Version 1.2 of the WaterSense New Home Specification. Note that EPA released Version 1.2 of the WaterSense New Home Certification System to correspond with revisions made to the WaterSense New Home Specification.
- WaterSense New Home Certification System (Version 1.2) (27 pg, 520K)
- WaterSense Program Guidelines (PDF) (32 pg, 568K)
- Licensed Certification Providers for New Homes
- Become a licensed certification provider—if you are interested in certifying new homes for the WaterSense program.
Background Information
To find out more about the development of the WaterSense labeled new home inspection and certification system, including the proposed drafts, public comments on the draft requirements, and EPA's response to the public comments, please visit the New Homes Background Information page.