1 Million Energy Star Homes Have Been Built in U.S.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency, the EPA, has reached an important milestone for the Energy Star program. The program has surpassed the 1 millionth mark for Energy Star qualified homes. With over 15,000 partners in all sectors of the economy, Energy Star has seen enormous success in saving consumers money and reducing the amount of energy used by every day products.
Since the programs inception in 1995, Americans have saved over $1 billion on energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by 22 billion pounds. In 2009 alone, families that live in an Energy Star home will see savings of over $270 million on their utility bills. And, the reduction in greenhouse emissions will be comparable to 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. We’re giving everyday American home buyers the power to lower their bills and join the fight against climate change,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.
To qualify for the Energy Star label, a home must meet the strict energy efficiency guidelines that are set forth by the EPA. Those guidelines can be accomplished by established, reliable techniques for building that are available to most American homeowners.
The guidelines include highly effective insulation systems, tight construction and ducts, efficient cooling and heating equipment, high performance windows and high efficiency appliances and lighting fixtures. An independent home energy rater carries out testing and inspections that can verify whether or not the home meets the Energy Star requirements.