What Is The ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes Initiative

The ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes initiative promotes energy efficiency guidelines that enable new homes to be approximately 25 percent more energy efficient than those built to minimum provincial building codes. The increased efficiency of these homes translates into reduced energy costs for homeowners.

ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes is currently available only in Ontario and Saskatchewan and is delivered in the field by a network of regional service organizations. If you want to buy an ENERGY STAR^® qualified new home in Ontario and Saskatchewan, contact a service organization in your area to schedule an evaluation of your building plans.

Within This Page

• Features of an ENERGY STAR^® qualified home
• Benefits of Building ENERGY STAR^® qualified new homes

What Is an ENERGY STAR^® Qualified Home?

An ENERGY STAR^® qualified home is a home that has been built by a licensed (not employed by you the builder) energy advisor. ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes energy advisors are recruited trained and certified by a licensed ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes service organization. As homes are built, an energy advisor verifies that the homes have been built to the ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes technical specifications. After the verification process is complete, the energy advisor informs their service organization and the service organization issues n ENERGY STAR^® for New Homes label and certificate for the house. The label is usually placed on the home owner’s electrical panel.

Potential homebuyers will be amazed to learn how much less they will have to spend for heating, cooling and hydro in your newly built energy efficient home.

What's involved?

• Insulation upgrades
• Higher-performance windows
• Better draft proofing
• More efficient heating, hot water and air conditioning systems
• ENERGY STAR^® qualified appliances (if supplied by you the builder)

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Features of an ENERGY STAR^® Qualified Home:

Some of the features that builders typically incorporate into ENERGY STAR^® qualified new homes include:

Heating and cooling systems – Furnaces, heat pumps, thermostats and fireplaces are usually ENERGY STAR^® qualified. The annual fuel utilization efficiency rating (AFUE) of furnaces complies with rigorous Canadian minimum efficiency requirements. As a result, your homeowner uses less fuel and saves money.

Windows, patio doors and skylights – Windows, glass doors and skylights comply with Canada’s requirements for ENERGY STAR^® qualified windows. This feature alone could cut more than 10 percent off your energy costs.

Walls and ceilings – There is often more insulation in the ceilings and walls of an ENERGY STAR^® qualified home than is required by building codes. This reduces heat loss, puts less strain on the heating and cooling systems, and keeps your home owner’s house more comfortable.

There are also additional savings for your home owner if you the Builder supplies ENERGY STAR^® qualified appliances and lighting.

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Benefits of Building ENERGY STAR^® Qualified New Homes

• Joining this initiative offers a number of benefits to you and your company.
• Increased market exposure by being part of a credible international endorsement initiative.
• Use of the internationally recognized ENERGY STAR^® symbol.
• Opportunities for joint marketing and promotional campaigns.
• Heightened public image by showing leadership in addressing environmental challenges such as climate change and air pollution.
• Access to training workshops, participant updates, survey data on consumer attitudes, case studies and ready-to-print marketing material.
• Increased internal support for energy efficient homes that save money, reduce reliance on non-renewable resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

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The ENERGY STAR^® name and the ENERGY STAR^® symbol are registered trademarks of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are used with permission.