Lessons learned in the Energy Star{reg{underscore}sign} Homes program

In 1996, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced its ENERGY STAR{reg{underscore}sign} Homes program. The purpose of this voluntary program is to reduce a major source of greenhouse warming gases: carbon dioxide emissions from energy use in newly constructed residential buildings. Under this voluntary program, EPA develops partnerships with builders who agree to build homes that are 30 percent more efficient than a similar home design that complies with the CABO Model Energy Code (MEC). This efficiency level is equivalent to a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) five-star home. Builders have complete freedom to make all the design choices on how to meet this performance threshold. EPA in turn provides marketing, sales, financing, and technical support, as well as use of the program's nationally recognized ENERGY STAR brand name. Since the announcement of the program three years ago, over 500 builders and allies have joined the program. At the time that this paper was written, these builders will have completed construction of over 2,000 ENERGY STAR Homes. By the end of 1998, over 15,000 ENERGY STAR Homes are expected to be completed. The ambitious long-term goal of the ENERGY STAR performance levels by the year 2010. There have been manymore » previous efforts to promote energy efficiency in residential new construction programs. What makes this program different? This paper lays out the EPA's plans to achieve these aggressive goals, including the evolution of the design, implementation, and evaluation aspects of the ENERGY STAR Homes program over the last three years.« less