Did you know that there are several different ways you can create an energy efficient home, from the quality of products and materials used to the quantity of certain products?  Many new home buyers and homeowners might visit an ENERGY STAR showroom and expect their home to look exactly like what they see when it’s complete, but the truth is that there are many different combined choices that go into making a home an ENERGY STAR home.  These include, but are not limited to:

Air-Sealing

Air sealing is one method used to prevent the loss of heat in the winter and cool in the summer through unseen cracks.  This air (and your heating and cooling dollars) is lost in areas such as fireplaces, attics, basements, duct systems, doors and windows, plumbing systems, recessed lighting and electrical outlets.  Having drafts through these “cracks” can allow moisture to build up, which can result in mold and mildew, as well as structural damage.  This not only creates an uncomfortable living situation, but an unhealthy one.  Additional air sealing around windows and doors, plumbing and ventilation systems, and electrical outlets can eliminate the loss of air and help your home perform more efficiently.  A “blower door” test (which is part of the HERS score) is performed on every ENERGY STAR home to detect air loss and to ensure greater energy efficiency.

Insulation

The type (or the R-value), the amount and the placement of insulation in a home can result in very different HERS (Home Energy Rating System) scores.  The R-value measures the efficiency of the insulation, so a higher R-value equals a more energy efficient home.  Added insulation in floors, walls and ceilings can not only help the energy efficiency of a home by further blocking air from being unnecessarily expelled, but it also acts as a sound buffer.  

Mechanical Ventilation

Although ENERGY STAR homes try to eliminate air loss by making seams tight, the air inside of the home needs to circulate to prevent stale air and, consequently, mold and mildew from forming indoors.  This is accomplished by installing some type of ventilation system.  The different levels of ventilation include exhaust-only, simple balanced ventilation and heat-recovery ventilation.  

• Exhaust-only - provides a way for indoor air to be sucked out, while new air comes in naturally through open doors and windows, and small cracks.
• Simple balanced ventilation – allows indoor air to be expelled, as well as brought back into the home to create more a controlled air-exchange.  
• Heat-recovery ventilation – performance is similar to the simple balanced ventilation, but it goes one step further by preventing heat from being expelled for the air exchange.

The difference between the three systems above is the resulting HERS score and utility costs, as well as the comfort and health of the home.

High-efficiency Appliances & Lighting

Energy Star appliances allow homeowners to save money, conserve natural resources, and protect the environment by performing more efficiently than traditional appliances.

• Washers & Dryers – ENERGY STAR washers use 55% less energy and 50% less water, and use a much more effective spin cycle, which decreases the drying time.  
• Refrigerators & Dishwashers – ENERGY STAR refrigerators offer the same conveniences of conventional refrigerators, but use half the energy.  ENERGY STAR Dishwashers clean more effectively, but use less energy and water.
• Lighting – ENERGY STAR light fixtures and bulbs use less energy and last significantly longer than regular light bulbs, while they still provide natural and even lighting to a home. 

Windows

Aside from increased air sealing and insulation around windows, the actual windows used in building a house can significantly reduce energy costs, as well as increase comfort.  Windows with Low-E glass (in the form of gas-filled glass or special Low-E coatings) limit solar heat gain without reducing the visibility.  These energy efficient windows are also temperature resistant in that the glass and frames won’t get too cold or hot to the touch in extreme weather.  Another positive aspect to the Low-E windows is the resistance to ultraviolet rays which can cause fading of furniture and flooring materials.