Homes

Energy & Conservation Standards

There are several standards that can be used to rate a new home's energy and conservation performance. All of these standards include more than energy efficiency. Site and natural resource preservation, water conservation, recycled and renewable materials and waste reduction are all part of "Green" or "Sustainable" construction standards.

These standards include:

  • LEED-Home - The U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) point-based rating system.
  • Energy Star Homes - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's performance-based rating system.

LEED Home:

LEED projects involve the entire project team (Owner, Designer and the Builder) throughout the design and construction process. The USGBC has specific requirements for obtaing points, some of which involve one or all of the team members. At the completion of the design, the project, if it meets the number of points for the minimum standards, will be Certified. Higher levels of certification can be obtained with a greater point count. These higher levels include: Silver, Gold and Platinum.

We are members of the U.S. Green Building Council and have a LEED Accredited Professional on our staff. LEED Registration and Certification involves the Owner, the Designer and the Builder. Please contact us for more information.

Energy Star Homes:

To earn the Energy Star, the home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20% to 30% more efficient than standard homes. An Energy Star home must have:

  • Efficient Insulation
  • High-Performance Windows
  • Tight Construction and Ducts
  • Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
  • Efficient Appliances and Building Products
  • Third-Party Verification

Hill & Jangaard, with the help of independent Home Energy Raters and Energy Star builder partners choose the most appropriate energy-saving features for the homes. Additionally, raters conduct onsite testing and inspections to verify the energy efficiency measures, as well as insulation, air tightness and duct sealing details.

The standards for Home Energy Ratings, inspection protocols, and testing guidlines are maintained by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Hill & Jangaard has recieved RESNET training for Energy Star Rating.