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)
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