Lively Lane Quality with ENERGY STAR ® Certified Homes
Cover image of the Daikin One+™Smart Thermostat by Business Wire.
At Lively Lane one of our primary goals is to integrate construction and living practices that make it easy to live more sustainably. That’s one reason our team designed all homes at Lively Lane to be compliant with the ENERGY STAR® Home Certification standard and engaged an independent home energy rater to inspect and certify each and every home. ENERGY STAR® certified homes are built to a higher standard and deliver many benefits to the resident. Let’s have a look at what the certification process entails and some of the benefits of an ENERGY STAR® Home.
“ENERGY STAR® certified homes are at least 10% more energy efficient than homes built to code and achieve a 20% improvement on average while providing homeowners with better quality, performance, and comfort.” – ENERGY STAR® website
What does it mean to have an entire home ENERGY STAR® rated?
If you’ve ever purchased an energy-efficient light bulb, computer, or appliance, chances are you’ve seen the ENERGY STAR® logo and may be familiar with this important program run by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since 1992. But what does it mean to have an entire home to be ENERGY STAR® rated?!
For a new home to achieve an ENERGY STAR® certification, core systems and specifications of a home must be thoughtfully selected for energy efficiency, the design must then be modeled to predict the energy use of the home will obtain the standards, and then it must be independently inspected multiple times during the construction process to confirm that the specified products were installed and have initial performance within the enhanced energy efficiency parameters for ENERGY STAR® homes set by the EPA.
Once certified, each ENERGY STAR® home should be on track to provide:
Lower Utility Bills: By using less energy for heating, cooling, and water heating, ENERGY STAR® certified homes deliver approximately 20% savings on annual utility bills
Enhanced Performance: ENERGY STAR® certified homes ensure comfort with improved temperature consistency, enhanced indoor air quality, and overall durability
Environmental Protection: By using less energy, ENERGY STAR® certified homes help to prevent air pollution and reduce demand on limited natural resources
Beyond helping keep the planet livable and maintaining resources for future generations and other animals, ENERGY STAR® homes are a great example of how reducing your household’s environmental footprint isn’t about what you have to give up, but what you gain.
“In 2018 alone, ENERGY STAR® helped Americans save nearly 430 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and avoid $35 billion in energy costs with associated emission reductions of 330 million metric tons of greenhouse gases, 220,000 short tons of sulfur dioxide, 210,000 short tons of nitrogen oxides, and 23,000 short tons of fine particulate matter (PM2.5).” – ENERGY STAR® Website
The Importance of Third-Party Verification
For many people buying a home is one of (if not THE) biggest investments they’ll ever make. And, if you’re fortunate enough to have housing options, your choice can be an expression of your values and priorities. By considering Lively Lane, you’re likely conscientious about your environmental footprint. You care about living sustainably, but there’s a lot of “green-washing” out there. How do you know you’re getting more than just marketing? And how do you know even good intentions were match with good execution? The ENERGY STAR® Home Certification helps provide some peace of mind, especially with third-party verification.
Fox Energy Specialists is a Texas-based expert in energy inspections and is the independent home energy rater that will guide each Lively Lane home through field verifications and quality assurance testing for ENERGY STAR® Home Certification. Their team is trained in energy-saving standards and techniques and will inspect and test each home for a Complete Thermal Enclosure system, a High-Efficiency Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning system, a Comprehensive Water Management system, and Energy-Efficient Lighting and Appliances.
Comprehensive air sealing, properly installed insulation, high-performance windows, energy-efficient heat pumps, well-insulated and sealed ductwork, powered ventilators, qualified lighting and appliances, and more all team up to provide every Lively Lane home enhanced performance and lower utility bills.
To learn more about ENERGY STAR® Qualified homes, take a look at this ENERGY STAR® flyer.
So, what's my electric bill going to be?
Ultimately, your electric bill depends a lot on … you. Individual habits such as how you set your thermostat to how many lights you leave on can have a BIG impact on your electric cost. And, of course, mother nature has a say too and can make utility bills vary widely month to month.
That said, the detailed accounting of building systems and specifications compiled through the ENERGY STAR® rating process allows Fox Energy to project what an estimated average monthly energy cost may be for each home at Lively Lane. See the flyers for each Lively Lane home type to see what the typical estimate monthly energy costs are for your favorite plan or drop us a line at Live@LVLYLN.com to ask for the details on a specific home.
Interested in reducing your energy bills even further? All homes are delivered solar ready, just ask about incorporating a Rooftop Solar Share or Solar Carport Upgrade into your townhome purchase, which includes seamless design, acquisition, and installation; headache-free maintenance and monitoring by Condo Association; and energy credits applied automatically to your monthly bill.
Stay tuned for a future blog post on our solar upgrade programs.
What about HERS? Yep, Lively Lane has great HERS scores, too!
In addition to ENERGY STAR® certification, all Lively Lane homes will also be rated on the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index, another industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured and compared to other homes on the market. The lower the HERS index score – the more energy efficient the home.
As an example, take a look at the HERS Index chart provided to see the projected ratings for The Classic Townhome, which projects to use less than half the typical existing home.
To see where each Lively Lane townhome style falls on the HERS Index, take a look at the townhome pages linked below for Phase I homes:
The ENERGY STAR® rating on a new home can really stand out amongst a sea of new home neighborhoods, and we are thrilled to provide energy efficient homes at Lively Lane. Have any questions? Reach out to our sales office at (512) 392-3322.
HERS Index chart for The Classic Townhome