“Energy Efficient House Garners Five-Star Rating”
by Denise Bachman, The Observer-Reporter
October 12, 1997
Lewis Keith saw stars when the Environmental Protection Agency presented an energy conservation program to the National Association of Home Builders. Five stars to be exact. And that will translate into cost savings for Keith’s customers.
Keith, owner of Keith Homes in Washington, has built the first five-star energy-efficient house in Western Pennsylvania. The two-story, four-bedroom house on Driftwood Drive in North Franklin Township meets the EPA’s standards for energy efficiency with its insulated concrete form foundation, fresh indoor air and high-performance windows.
“From the outside, the house looks identical (to regularly constructed homes). Inside, you can’t tell without really looking at it,” Keith said. “You can tell the difference if you start to look at it, especially in the attic where we used different trusses. All of the ductwork is sealed.”
The foundation consists of Styrofoam blocks that are 10 inches wide with a 5 1/2 inch gap in the center that is filled with concrete.
“It’s very strong. It’s really a neat technology. They’re building entire houses out of this,” Keith said.
The house has 2,250 square feet of living space. If built to standard codes, the house, Keith said, would cost at least $98.00 per month to heat and cool. Ennerspace, an independent energy-rating organization, guarantees the energy-efficient construction will save the homeowner an average of $50 per month in heating and cooling costs. The price of the home is about $2,000 more than a house without a five-star rating.
“The guaranteed average monthly heating and cooling costs is $48.00. For $48.00 a month, you’re going to get people’s attention. If you do the math, you see how quickly it pays for itself. The people who are trying to get in a house, they’re trying to stretch their budget. They’re the ones who care. The investment pays for itself over and over and over.”
The Energy Star Program is sponsored by the EPA. To qualify for the five-star rating, a house must be at least 30 percent more efficient than a house built to standard code. The final inspection involves a blower door test. When submitted to this test, the average house, Keith said, has 3 to 5 air changes per hour. Five-star homes have .3 to .5 air changes per hour.
“Homes that are built to these standards are more energy efficient, quieter, cost less to heat and are more comfortable to live in. They are better built than the average houses,” Keith said.
About 200 builders across the country are participating in the program. Keith would like to build nothing but energy star homes, but, for now, he’s offering it only as an option.
“I think that’s something the market will decide. A lot of builders don’t believe in this stuff. I belive it is going to grow,” Keith said. “It makes sense; it’s so practical. There are all kinds of benefits. Lenders are writing energy-star mortgages. “In the next few years, you’re going to start to see appliances, computer equipment and all other types of electronic devices certified by energy star.”
