How a New Home Earns the Energy Star Rating
The government’s guidelines for earning the Energy Star rating are strict and involved on purpose, to insure the highest quality of green building, and the highest value and tax credit for your new home. Builders with Energy Star Ratings are at the forefront of new building practices, and are highly sought after by today’s environmentally conscious home owners. NC Custom Modular Homes, a leader in the green-building industry, has gone through these rigorous steps to insure the Energy Star rating in each new home we build. Here is a brief overview of the process:
Step 1: NC Custom Modular Homes Partners with ENERGY STAR
We partner with, and follow the new construction efficiency guidelines of ENERGY STAR, through the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and agree to affix an ENERGY STAR label on new homes, which are then independently verified to meet the program guidelines. In order to remain in the ENERGY STAR program, NC Custom Modular Homes must build at least one ENERGY STAR certified home every 12 months.
Step 2: NC Custom Modular Works with the Rater to Select Appropriate Energy–Efficient Home Features
NC Custom Modular submits their architectural plans to their Home Energy Rater for review and analysis. The Rater looks for key information on the plans to help the builder choose the best combination of energy–efficient features to ensure that the home will earn the ENERGY STAR label when constructed.
Step 3: Builder Constructs Home and Rater Verifies Features and Performance.
With the energy–efficient features selected, home construction can begin. Throughout construction, scheduled inspections and diagnostic tests are performed by the Rater to verify proper installation of the selected energy–efficient features and appliances. Overall energy performance of the home is checked.
Step 4: Rater Qualifies the Home as ENERGY STAR and Issues an ENERGY STAR Label
After all requirements are met at final inspection, the Rater provides the new home with an ENERGY STAR label, placed on the home’s circuit breaker box. This provides the homeowner with documentation that the home is ENERGY STAR qualified, and includes the home address, builder name, Rater name, and date verified. NC Custom Modular can also provide a paper certificate or copy of the Home Energy Rating report for tax purposes, and for your home financial records.
**While this is a brief overview of the process, more detailed information on ENERGY STAR certification can be found by contacting us at NC Custom Modular Homes www.nccustommodulars.com or by visiting the ENERGY STAR website’s new home construction page: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes.nh_verification_process
