Builder Benefits
Builders can expect the following ratings benefits:
- Tap into the Growing Energy Efficient Home Market: The nation is experiencing an increasing demand for energy efficient homes. For example, in 2002, 3% of all new homes built met the ENERGY STAR Homes standard.
- Market Differentiation: By participating in ENERGY STAR, you can sell homes more quickly, and differentiate yourself in the market from other builders as a leader in energy efficient construction. ENERGY STAR builders are qualified to use ENERGY STAR logos and other ENERGY STAR marketing materials.
- Increased Profit: An ENERGY STAR home has the marketing advantage of being part of a brand campaign. Also, since ENERGY STAR homes are less expensive for a homeowner to operate monthly, the buyer often can afford to buy more upgrades. Even without an upgrade purchase, the pool of potential buyers who can afford an energy efficient home is larger.
- Reduced Building Costs: An integrated approach to mechanical system design and advanced framing techniques leads to lower construction costs. A more efficient building envelope and/or HVAC distribution system allows for smaller mechanicals.
- Customer Satisfaction: An ENERGY STAR home provides increased customer satisfaction and comfort. Additionally, builders have found that an audit preemptively uncovers many of the problems that cause expensive customer call backs. Rating information is often used to test that your subs did their work properly.
- Improving the Environment and Our National Security: You'll be helping to create a better future for our country and the environment. The energy we use in our homes is responsible for a large portion of this nation's pollution. Additionally, the large amount of oil imported from the volatile Middle East is a serious national security concern. An energy efficient home both reduces greenhouse gas emissions and our need for Middle Eastern oil.
"David Rabenau and Show Me Home Energy Solutions was extremely thorough in their evaluation of the Kirby residence. His input had a positive impact on the overall energy performance of the home, and made economic sense for the project. I was very pleased with the professionalism of the company and look forward to the opportunity to work with David in the future."
- Steven R. Horn, MasterCraft Design & Build, LLC
Did You Know?
- The typical green homebuyer is 35 to 50 years old with a college degree, a highly attractive demographic to developers.
- According to a recent study by Green Builder Media and Imre Communications, these homebuyers are willing to pay 11 to 25 percent more for environmentally friendly homes.
- An Energy Star plaque can add as much as 15% additional value to a development, a general contractor who has completed two certified projects, Andrew Giancola, said.
- Green construction is now a $36 billion-a-year industry, up $5 billion from three years ago. That's 6.2 percent of all homes being built, triple the percentage in 2005, when 1.8 percent of new homes were "green."
