How New Homes Earn the ENERGY STAR

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), making them 20–30% more efficient than standard homes.  Homes achieve this level of performance through a combination of energy–efficient improvements, including,

• Effective Insulation Systems
• High–Performance Windows
• Tight Construction and Ducts
• Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
• ENERGY STAR Qualified Lighting and Appliances

To ensure that a home meets ENERGY STAR guidelines, third–party verification by a certified Home Energy Rater (or equivalent) is required.  This Rater works closely with the builder throughout the construction process to help determine the needed energy–saving equipment and construction techniques and conduct required on–site diagnostic testing and inspections to document that the home is eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR label.

Step 1: Builder Chooses to Partner with ENERGY STAR

Through a Partnership Agreement with EPA,  builders that meet the required above code standards as independently verfied by a Home Energy Rater will receive an ENERGY STAR rating and certificate for that home.  It is important for consumers to recognize that an ENERGY STAR builder partner does not necessarily build exclusively ENERGY STAR qualified homes. Ask your builder or look for the ENERGY STAR lable.

To find a participating builder partner in Northern Colorado go to Find a Home Builder

Step 2: Builder Works with the Rater to Select Appropriate Energy–Efficient Home Features

The builder submits their architectural plans to their Home Energy Rater for review and analysis.  The Rater looks for key information on the plans to help the builder choose the best combination of energy–efficient features to ensure that the home will earn the ENERGY STAR label when constructed. 

Work with your builder when starting a new home to understand the various approches and features of your new ENERGY STAR Home.  When looking at a new ENERGY STAR Home ask about the ENERGY EFFICIENT features. 

Step 3: Builder Constructs Home and Rater Verifies Features and Performance.

With the energy–efficient features selected, the builder then proceeds with construction of the home. Throughout the construction process, the Rater performs a number of inspections and diagnostic tests to verify the proper installation of the selected energy–efficient features and overall energy performance of the home. Learn more about the home analysis and inspection process.

If buying a new ENERGY STAR home that has been completed the builder has gone through the same process of of selecting the ENERGY STAR features and completing the same inspection process.

Step 4: Rater Qualifies the Home as ENERGY STAR and Issues an ENERGY STAR Label

After the Rater completes the final inspection and determines that all requirements have been met, the Rater will provide the builder with an ENERGY STAR label, which is placed on the circuit breaker box of the home.  This label provides the homeowner with documentation that the home is ENERGY STAR qualified, and includes the home address, builder name, Rater name, and date verified.  Some builders may also provide a paper certificate or copy of the Home Energy Rating report.