RELEASE, IMMEDIATE:
Ryan Moore
Phone: 1-(866)-NYSERDA, ext.3267
John Bishop (john.bishop@csgrp.com)
Phone: (518) 207-4509
New York Energy Star Labeled Home Soaks Up Savings
in the Sun
Solar Panels and Energy-Efficient Measures Allow for Lower Energy
Bills
Pendleton, NY, December 2003: When building a new home, choosing
options such as a new Jacuzzi, a back yard deck, or kitchen upgrades
is as exciting as it is overwhelming. Rarely, do homeowners consider
the energy efficiency of a home or choose the option of a photovoltaic
(PV- solar electric) system. Now New York consumers can take advantage
of a new energy-efficient home building option that will actually
save them money, while helping to protect the environment.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA),
Essex Homes of Western New York, Sea Gull Lighting, and Prime Energy
Solutions, Inc. have teamed up to build an ENERGY STAR® labeled
home with a two (2) kilowatt PV system. Located at 7039 Meadowbrook
Court in Pendleton, NY, the home produces its own electricity and
is built to strict guidelines that reduce energy use by 30 percent
compared to a conventionally built home.
As part of a demonstration project with National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) Research Center, NYSERDA is monitoring how much power
the PV system produces and how much power the house is using.
Any home can be built to the New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Home standards,
which consists of increased insulation levels, high performance windows,
as well as energy-efficient heating, cooling, lighting and appliances.
This makes for a home that is more comfortable and uses less energy
than a conventionally built home every year you own the home, reducing
the cost of home ownership.
One important element of a New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Home is extensive
performance testing. Each home must pass a stringent evaluation including
computer-based energy analysis, inspections, and certification testing.
This advanced whole house performance testing helps ensure that the
home is properly insulated, that the doors and windows are installed
correctly and all the cracks and gaps in the home are sealed.
"We are promoting the economic and environmental advantages
of these homes to convince homeowners to build to the New York ENERGY
STAR Labeled Homes standard," said Peter Smith, acting president
of NYSERDA. "With the addition of PV system, this home will save
even more electricity, but homeowners who choose a New York ENERGY
STAR Labeled Homes get a home that is more comfortable, healthier
for their family, and therefore, more valuable."
The New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes Program, developed under the
New York Energy $martSM program and sponsored by
NYSERDA, is designed to help lower energy costs for New Yorkers, reduce
energy demand and protect the environment. For more information about
ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes visit # # # |
