About ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes

ENERGY STAR has been designated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be the nationally recognized symbol for energy efficiency. You have seen the ENERGY STAR label when shopping for products such as energy-efficient electronics and appliances.  Now the ENERGY STAR can help you to find the house of your dreams.  ENERGY STAR qualified homes offer homebuyers all of the features they want in a new homes plus energy efficient improvements that deliver better performance, greater comfort, and lower utility bills.  As a result, you will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you have made a financially sound investment as well as an environmentally responsible choice.

What is an ENERGY STAR qualified home?

An ENERGY STAR qualified home uses less energy than a home built to the Texas residential building code and provides homeowners with a better lifestyle for less money. ENERGY STAR qualified homes are tested by an independent third party to ensure they meet the specifications required to receive the ENERGY STAR.

The energy savings earned by an ENERGY STAR qualified home are based on heating, cooling, and hot water energy use and are typically achieved through a combination of:

• Exterior construction upgrades;

• The use of high-performance windows;

• Controlling the amount of air leaking out through the duct system or unsealed holes and entering the house from the outside;

• The installation of high efficiency heating and air conditioning systems; and

• The installation of high efficiency water heating equipment.

ENERGY STAR qualified homes function more efficiently as a system, resulting in benefits for homeowners:

• Money savings each month with lower monthly utility bills;

• Increased buying power with more favorable financing options through an energy efficient mortgage;

• Elevated return on the investment with higher resale value; and

• Greater comfort than homes built to residential code.

How does a home earn the ENERGY STAR?

All of the criteria that a home must meet to earn the ENERGY STAR are determined by the EPA.  In response to significant changes in residential energy codes as well as new standards, the EPA released a new set of guidelines for ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The new guidelines affect homes permitted on or after July 1, 2006, and serve to:

• Ensure that ENERGY STAR qualified homes continue to perform significantly better than code;

• Continue to offer the choice to qualify homes by either a performance path (a full HERS rating) or a prescriptive path (a Builder Option Package - or BOP);

• Ensure the presence of some ENERGY STAR qualified products and appliances in homes that earn the ENERGY STAR label; and

• Enhance the value of third-party verification through a new required inspection, called the Thermal Bypass Checklist.

Homes built using the new guidelines must also use the new HERS rating system. Independent Home Energy Rating System Raters (HERS Raters) conduct a home plan analysis to determine the most cost-effective energy efficiency measures for the home. During the homebuilding process, the HERS Rater conducts the required Thermal Bypass Inspection and performs diagnostic tests to analyze the home’s energy performance. The results of the diagnostic tests provide input into the determination of the home’s HERS Index. Under the new HERS rating system, the energy efficiency of a home is compared to an identical computer-simulated reference house that only meets the minimum requirements of the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).  The HERS rating results in a HERS Index between 0 and 100, with the reference house assigned a score of 100 and a zero energy house assigned a score of 0. Each 1 percent reduction in energy usage (compared to the reference house) results in a one point decrease in the HERS Index. Thus, an ENERGY STAR qualified home, which in the south is required to be 15 percent more energy efficient than 2006 IECC, must have a HERS Index of 85 or lower.  For more information about the national specifications visit www.energystar.gov/homes.  Click here for specific information on the recent changes to the ENERGY STAR specifications.

Download a copy of the new ENERGY STAR qualified homes brochure (PDF/896K).
Para obteber el folleto del ENERGY STAR-programa de viviendas, presione aqui (PDF/896K).

How do I know my home is an ENERGY STAR qualified home?

After a home passes the performance tests and receives a HERS Index of 85 or less, an ENERGY STAR label and certificate for the home are printed and the home can be marketed as an ENERGY STAR qualified home. Look for the ENERGY STAR label, which should be prominently displayed on the home’s circuit breaker box.  You can also ask your builder for the home’s ENERGY STAR certificate.ENERGY STAR qualified homes are built by numerous homebuilders throughout Oncor Electric Delivery's service territory. Click here to find ENERGY STAR homebuilder in your area.

Are you building your own home?

Any home can be built to ENERGY STAR specifications. Visit www.energystar.gov to learn more about the technical specifications for ENERGY STAR qualified homes or contact a HERS Rater.Since 2001, the ENERGY STAR qualified homes built by Program homebuilders prevented greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing more than 33,000 cars from the road or planting more than 53,000 acres of trees*. Do you want to be part of preserving our big blue Texas sky for future generations? Make your next home an ENERGY STAR qualified home.

*Statistics collected by the Oncor Electric Delivery ENERGY STAR Homes Program and the National ENERGY STAR Homes Program from 2001-2005. The National ENRGY STAR HOME Program estimates an average of 4,500 lbs of CO2 saved per home, based on the 30% above Model Energy Code (MEC). Texas ENERGY STAR Homes are 15% above MEC. A total of 2,250 lbs was used to calculate this statistic.