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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Recognizes Florida ENERGY STAR Partners

Release Date: 06/25/2004
Contact Information: Danny Orlando, (404) 562-9087, orlando.danny@epa.gov

(Orlando, Florida, June 25, 2004) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded 14 Florida builders, home energy raters, and utilities for their outstanding contributions to the ENERGY STAR for Homes Program. Through a voluntary partnership with ENERGY STAR, the award winners build, verify, and promote homes that use a combined 30% less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating than the average new home. As a result of reduced energy use, ENERGY STAR homeowners can save on average $200 or more dollars a year on their utility bills. The following partners received the ENERGY STAR Outstanding Achievement Award for the number of homes they contributed to the Program in 2003: Builders (300+ homes) Cambridge Homes Lennar Homes, Inc. Builders (150-300 homes) Fox & Jacobs Homes by Centex St. Pete Apartments, Ltd. Builders (50-150 homes On Top of the World D.R. Horton Inc Masterpiece Homes Scherer Construction & Engineering Inc. David Weekley Homes - Orlando Qualifiers and Sponsors of ENERGY STAR Homes Progress Energy - Florida (1,000+ homes) Florida Solar Energy Center (1,000+ homes) Florida HERO (300+ homes) Orlando Utility Commission (150-300 homes) Florida Power & Light (50-150 homes) To date, these Achievement Award Winners have contributed to the 7,000 ENERGY STAR qualified homes in the Florida market. These homes have prevented more than 33,159,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere - or the equivalent of keeping 2,870 cars off the road - as a result of their reduced energy usage. "The Florida ENERGY STAR partners have truly made an outstanding contribution to the ENERGY STAR Program," said Sam Rashkin, National Director of ENERGY STAR for Homes. "Through their efforts, our Florida Award Winners are not only offering their customers a more efficient, comfortable home with lower utility bills, they are also doing their part to reduce air pollution. In addition to cost and energy savings, the benefits of an ENERGY STAR qualified home can include fewer drafts, even temperatures throughout the home, reduced noise, and improved indoor air quality. To date, ENERGY STAR for Homes has 2,400 partners nationwide and has labeled more than 250,000 homes. For more information about the ENERGY STAR for Homes Program and other ENERGY STAR labeled products, visit the Web site at www.energystar.gov, or call 1-888-STAR-YES.