The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings.
The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industry’s adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release. It will recognize homes and apartments with increased energy efficiency; reduced on-site emissions through heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, electric cooking appliances; and residential electric vehicle charging.
Compared to typical code-level construction, homes earning ENERGY STAR NextGen certification will be 20% more efficient and help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40%–80%. Several early adopters have already begun to build to the ENERGY STAR NextGen specification including:
- Beazer Homes (Maryland)
- GreenSmith Builders (Minnesota)
- New Tradition Homes (Washington)
- Quantum Equities, LLC (Washington)
- Thrive Home Builders (Colorado)
Several utilities have announced early incentives for builders to adopt the specification, namely:
- EmPOWER Maryland, including Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco), and Potomac Edison (PE) (Maryland)
- Snohomish County Public Utility District No. 1 (Washington)
- Utah Clean Energy (Utah)
- Xcel Energy (Minnesota)
- Xcel Energy (Colorado)
Related Stories
Affordable Housing | Jan 18, 2024
Habitat tops off second apartment building at 43 Green
The co-developers of 43 Green celebrate the latest milestone for the $100 million, mixed-income, mixed-use project in Bronzeville: topping off Phase 2 while reaching full lease-up of the Phase 1 apartment building.
Adaptive Reuse | Jan 12, 2024
Office-to-residential conversions put pressure on curbside management and parking
With many office and commercial buildings being converted to residential use, two important issues—curbside management and parking—are sometimes not given their due attention. Cities need to assess how vehicle storage, bike and bus lanes, and drop-off zones in front of buildings may need to change because of office-to-residential conversions.
MFPRO+ News | Jan 12, 2024
Detroit may tax land more than buildings to spur development of vacant sites
The City of Detroit is considering a revamp of how it taxes property to encourage development of more vacant lots. The land-value tax has rarely been tried in the U.S., but versions of it have been adopted in many other countries.
MFPRO+ News | Jan 12, 2024
As demand rises for EV chargers at multifamily housing properties, options and incentives multiply
As electric vehicle sales continue to increase, more renters are looking for apartments that offer charging options.
Student Housing | Jan 12, 2024
UC Berkeley uses shipping containers to block protestors of student housing project
The University of California at Berkeley took the drastic step of erecting a wall of shipping containers to keep protestors out of a site of a planned student housing complex. The $312 million project would provide badly needed housing at the site of People’s Park.
Sustainability | Jan 10, 2024
New passive house partnership allows lower cost financing for developers
The new partnership between PACE Equity and Phius allows commercial passive house projects to be automatically eligible for CIRRUS Low Carbon financing.
Apartments | Jan 9, 2024
Apartment developer survey indicates dramatic decrease in starts this year
Over 56 developers, operators, and investors across the country were surveyed in John Burns Research and Consulting's recently-launched Apartment Developer and Investor Survey.
Giants 400 | Jan 8, 2024
Top 60 Senior Living Facility Construction Firms for 2023
Whiting-Turner, Ryan Companies US, Weis Builders, Suffolk Construction, and W.E. O'Neil Construction top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest senior living facility general contractors and construction management (CM) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 8, 2024
Top 40 Senior Living Facility Engineering Firms for 2023
Kimley-Horn, Olsson, Tetra Tech, EXP, and IMEG head BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest senior living facility engineering and engineering/architecture (EA) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Jan 8, 2024
Top 80 Senior Living Facility Architecture Firms for 2023
Perkins Eastman, Hord Coplan Macht, Lantz-Boggio Architects, Ryan Companies US, and Moseley Architects top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest senior living facility architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
