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Colorado helps EPA reach milestone of one million Energy Star homes

Release Date: 11/10/2009
Contact Information: USEPA: Patty Crow 303 312-6464; Richard Mylott 303 312-6654; Governor’s Energy Office: Todd Hartman, 303 866-2262

State among leaders in Energy Star-qualified homes

(Denver, Colo. – November 10, 2009) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today reaches a milestone for the Energy Star program by passing the 1 millionth Energy Star-qualified home mark. In recognizing this milestone, EPA has released a list of leading Energy Star markets across the nation. Colorado is a leader in Energy Star-qualified homes, ranking 16th among states in the total number of homes earning the Energy Star label.

“This is an amazing achievement for the Energy Star program – but the real winners are the 1 million American families who have the chance to save money and keep harmful pollution out of the air. That’s great news for anyone who wants to cut costs and protect our planet,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “We’re going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable. We’re giving everyday American homebuyers the power to lower their bills and join the fight against climate change.”

To date, 14,513 Energy Star-qualified homes have been constructed in Colorado, including 1,528 in 2009. Market penetration in the state, measured as the number of Energy Star-qualified homes built as a percentage of all new homes constructed, is 26% in 2009, up from 19% in 2008. The annual benefits associated with Colorado's 2009 class of Energy Star homes include eliminating pollution equal to the emissions from more than 700 vehicles and carbon dioxide emission reductions of 8.8 million pounds. These homes also annually save the energy equivalent of more than 4.4 million pounds of coal.

"Colorado is proud to be a pacesetter in the construction of Energy Star-qualified homes. Energy efficient homes are another way that the New Energy Economy is leading Colorado forward by reducing our energy use and saving homeowners money," said Governor Bill Ritter. "These Energy Star-qualified homes build jobs in our energy and homebuilding sectors, bolster our energy security and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."

To earn the Energy Star label, a home must meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by EPA. Those guidelines can be met through established, reliable building techniques available to most middle-class American homeowners. Those include effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and high-efficiency lighting and appliances. In addition, an independent home energy rater conducts on-site testing and inspections to verify that the home’s performance meets Energy Star requirements.

"EPA's efforts to increase the number of energy-efficient homes in Colorado are complemented by a strong commitment from our partners in the Governor's Energy Office as well as local governments, utilities and home builders across the state," said Patty Crow, EPA's Energy Star program coordinator in Denver. "New home construction in the state reflects a growing demand for energy-efficient systems and features that offer significant savings for families and clear benefits for the environment.”

With more than 15,000 partners in sectors all across the economy, Energy Star has been enormously successful at saving consumers money by reducing the energy usage of products used in the home and office everyday. Since the program began labeling new homes in 1995, Americans have saved $1.2 billion on their energy bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 22 billion pounds. This year alone, families living in Energy Star qualified homes will save more than $270 million on their utility bills, while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from about 370,000 vehicles.

There are more than 6,500 builders across the nation building homes that earn the Energy Star label and qualified new homes can be found in every state in the country. The top 20 markets for Energy Star-qualified homes built to date include: Houston, Texas; Dallas, Texas; Las Vegas, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Greater Los Angeles, Calif.; New York, N.Y.; Tucson, Ariz.; San Antonio, Texas; Sacramento, Calif.; San Diego, Calif.; Columbus, Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; Indianapolis, Ind.; Austin, Texas; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Francisco, Calif.; Boston, Mass.; Denver, Colo.; Orlando, Fla.; and Oklahoma City, Okla.

To learn more about the features and benefits of Energy Star-qualified homes and find participating builders, visit: www.energystar.gov/onemillionhomes.

For more information on Energy Star homes by state, visit: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=new_homes_partners.locator