How does a home qualify to be Energy Star certified?
An Energy Star certified home must meet particular guidelines as established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. An Energy Star home must be at least 15% more energy efficient than a home that was built according to the 2004 International Residential Code or IRC. These homes must also include features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes. These features would include effective insulation, high performance windows, a tight construction, a high efficiency cooling system, efficient products such as lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, ventilation fans, and appliances.
