E-Star: Advancing Energy Efficiency in Housing

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New Home Sample Energy Rating

A certified E-Star Energy Rater performs the Energy Rating. The Rater collects data and enters it into E-Star’s computer-based modeling system that evaluates, scores, and helps produce the rating report. The following areas are measured or tested:

  • Insulation R-values
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  • Building Volume
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  • Air Leakage
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  • Mechanical Systems
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  • Square Footage
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  • Local Climate
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  • Building Orientation
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  • Windows
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  • Duct Work
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    Moving the mouse over areas of interest on the image below will call up pertinent information about that area of the sample rating. A printable (coming soon) version of the sample is also available.

    Scale: The E-Star Energy Rating Scale awards 1-5+ stars, as well as a score on the 1-100 scale used by lenders and appraisers when qualifying a home for an Energy Improvement Loan. This score is a measure of the energy efficiency of the home, or the 'mileage' the house is getting out of the energy it uses. Typical Colorado Home: There are many different codes now in place in Colorado. However, the repealed statewide code is still used as a baseline in order to have a standard of comparison for Home Energy Ratings. The baseline home also represents a home built to 'general practice' standards. Estimated Annual Energy Costs: Energy costs per year are broken down by major energy-using systems for both the baseline Colorado home and for the home rated here. Estimated Annual Savings: The total amount of anticipated annual savings the homeowner will enjoy in comparison to the baseline Colorado home. In this case, the savings achieved is $525.61 per year. CO2 Reductions: Environmental benefits of this home versus the baseline Colorado home. In this case, the home produces 7.8 fewer tons of carbon dioxide annually. This is equivalent to eliminating 19,550 miles of car travel each year. Final E-Star Rating: The actual score for the home as constructed. A score of 80 or higher meets the Model Energy Code (MEC) for the years 1992, 1993, and 1995, and is the minimum score for an E-Star designated home. A score of 83 or higher meets the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), a code that is increasingly being adopted by Colorado jurisdictions. Each point increase represents a 5% increase in energy efficiency. Energy efficient loan packages are a possibility for homes scoring 82 or higher. Typical Home: This data represents the baseline Colorado home, for comparison purposes. As-Built: Data entries as collected by the E-Star Rater and represent the energy features the builder put into the home above and beyond state code. Cost of Upgrades: Costs here are those incurred by the builder in installing the upgrades this home enjoys. Savings/Year: The savings per year is broken down here by each home upgrade. The total is the same as in the Estimated Annual Savings box. Measure Lifetime: The expected lifetime of each upgrade. For example, water heaters are expected to last 12 years on average. Improvements lasting longer than 30 years are capped at 30 years, as this is the usual maximum length of a home mortgage. Rating Change in Points: Score improvement, in points, for each upgrade. Benefit/Cost Ratio: This expresses the energy savings each upgrade generates compared with its installation cost. Present Value: The E-Star Home Energy Rating Software calculates the present value of each upgrade's energy savings over its expected lifetime, taking into account upgrade cost, interest rates, and other measures. These values are used by lenders and appraisers. Information for Lenders and Appraisers: This is supplied specifically for lenders and appraisers for use in processing energy-efficient loan qualifications. Much of this information is presented in the Present Value column of the table above. The energy rating can increase the appraised value of the home.

     
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