ENERGY STAR® 

Qualified 

New Homes 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

EPA 430-F-09-053 March 2009 

"I would recommend ENERGY STAR to anyone looking to 

buy a new home. If this house weren't ENERGY STAR 

rated, I wouldn't have bought it." 

David Vidal, Homeowner 

Las Vegas, NV 

“Buyers know that if they see the ENERGY STAR, then 

it’s all in there. They can rest assured that they are 

buying the most energy efficient home on the market, 

and they can focus on other priorities such as finding 

the right floor plan and school district.” 

Margaret Greenwood, Marketing Manager, Ryland Homes 

ENERGY STAR Builder Partner 

Houston, TX 

“Our ENERGY STAR home met so many needs. We 

wanted lots of light, a tight house, and low cooling bills. 

We got exactly that—ENERGY STAR really does work!” 

Sam and Churice Westbrook, Homeowners 

Avondale, AZ 

“My biggest selling point for buying an ENERGY STAR 

home was resale value. I would highly recommend 

ENERGY STAR to anyone because it will definitely save 

them money in the long run.” 

Barry Ellison, Homeowner/Architect 

Las Vegas, NV 

“As consumers become more educated and familiar with 

all of these benefits that energy efficiency has to offer, 

in 5 years non-ENERGY STAR rated homes will become 

functionally obsolete.” 

Karl Sayles, Darty Appraisal Service 

Melrose, FL 
WHAT IS 

ENERGY STAR®? 

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy 

efficiency. The mark identifies new homes, buildings, and 

more than 60 types of products that are energy efficient and 

offer the features, quality, and performance that today’s 

consumers expect. 

A home that earns the ENERGY STAR is significantly more 

efficient than a standard home. By purchasing an ENERGY 

STAR qualified home, you can have all the features you 

desire in your new home, plus better performance and 

lower utility bills—all while helping prevent greenhouse 

gas emissions. 

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 as a voluntary partnership 

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased 

energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers consumers 

and businesses energy-efficient solutions to save energy, 

save money, and help protect the environment for future 

generations. 

More than 15,000 organizations, including over 6,500 of the 

nation’s home builders, are ENERGY STAR partners— 

committed to improving energy efficiency at home and at 

work. In 2008, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR 

saved $19 billion on their utility bills and reduced 

greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 

29 million vehicles. 

WHAT MAKES A HOME 

ENERGY STAR?
 

Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR are significantly more energy 

efficient than standard homes.1 ENERGY STAR builders achieve 

this high efficiency for you by selecting from a variety of features: 

TIGHT CONSTRUCTION AND DUCTS 

Advanced techniques for sealing holes and cracks in the 

home’s “envelope” and in heating and cooling ducts help 

reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, pests, and noise. A tightly 

sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while 

lowering utility and maintenance costs. 

EFFECTIVE INSULATION SYSTEMS 

Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and 

attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, while 

using less energy. The result is lower utility costs and a quieter, 

more comfortable home. 

EFFICIENT HEATING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT 

An energy-efficient, properly installed heating and cooling 

system uses less energy to operate, which reduces your utility 

bills. This system can also be quieter, reduce indoor humidity, 

and improve the overall comfort of your home. 

HIGH PERFORMANCE WINDOWS 

Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such 

as protective coatings and improved frame assemblies, to help 

keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. 

These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that 

can discolor carpets and furnishings. 

EFFICIENT PRODUCTS 

Your home may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified 

products—lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation 

fans, and appliances—that offer additional energy savings. 

INDEPENDENT TESTING 

While it's easy to claim that homes are energy efficient, 

ENERGY STAR builder partners back that up with verification by 

an independent Home Energy Rater. The Rater conducts onsite 

inspections and testing to verify the performance of the energy 

efficiency features in your home. 

1 ENERGY STAR qualified homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than 

homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) and include 

additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more 

efficient than standard homes. 
WHAT IS

ENERGY STAR®?

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy

efficiency. The mark identifies new homes, buildings, and

more than 60 types of products that are energy efficient and

offer the features, quality, and performance that today’s

consumers expect. 

A home that earns the ENERGY STAR is significantly more

efficient than a standard home. By purchasing an ENERGY

STAR qualified home, you can have all the features you

desire in your new home, plus better performance and

lower utility bills—all while helping prevent greenhouse 

gas emissions.

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) in 1992 as a voluntary partnership

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased

energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers consumers

and businesses energy-efficient solutions to save energy,

save money, and help protect the environment for future

generations. 

More than 15,000 organizations, including over 6,500 of the

nation’s home builders, are ENERGY STAR partners—

committed to improving energy efficiency at home and at

work. In 2008, Americans with the help of ENERGY STAR

saved $19 billion on their utility bills and reduced

greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 

29 million vehicles.

WHAT MAKES A HOME

ENERGY STAR?

Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR are significantly more energy

efficient than standard homes.1 ENERGY STAR builders achieve

this high efficiency for you by selecting from a variety of features:

TIGHT CONSTRUCTION AND DUCTS

Advanced techniques for sealing holes and cracks in the

home’s “envelope” and in heating and cooling ducts help

reduce drafts, moisture, dust, pollen, pests, and noise. A tightly

sealed home improves comfort and indoor air quality while

lowering utility and maintenance costs.

EFFECTIVE INSULATION SYSTEMS

Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and

attics ensures even temperatures throughout the house, while

using less energy. The result is lower utility costs and a quieter,

more comfortable home. 

EFFICIENT HEATING AND COOLING EQUIPMENT

An energy-efficient, properly installed heating and cooling

system uses less energy to operate, which reduces your utility

bills. This system can also be quieter, reduce indoor humidity,

and improve the overall comfort of your home. 

HIGH PERFORMANCE WINDOWS

Energy-efficient windows employ advanced technologies, such

as protective coatings and improved frame assemblies, to help

keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer.

These windows also block damaging ultraviolet sunlight that

can discolor carpets and furnishings.

EFFICIENT PRODUCTS

Your home may also be equipped with ENERGY STAR qualified

products—lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation

fans, and appliances—that offer additional energy savings.

INDEPENDENT TESTING

While it's easy to claim that homes are energy efficient,

ENERGY STAR builder partners back that up with verification by

an independent Home Energy Rater. The Rater conducts onsite

inspections and testing to verify the performance of the energy

efficiency features in your home. 

1 ENERGY STAR qualified homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than

homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC) and include

additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more

efficient than standard homes.
UNITED STATES 

ENVIRONMENTAL 

PROTECTION AGENCY 

6202J 

WASHINGTON DC 20460
 

Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 

recycled paper (Minimum 50% post-consumer content)