ENERGY STAR Homes

As an ENERGY STAR PARTNER, Ezell-Morgan Construction knows exactly how to design and build a home using the latest technology to achieve serious savings in energy costs while creating a more healthy and comfortable living environment with reduced maintenance. The added investment to build an ENERGY STAR home can take as little as three years to pay itself back.

What is an ENERGY STAR Home?

To qualify for ENERGYSTAR a home must meet or exceed strict guidelines affecting indoor air quality and be at least 20-30% more energy efficient than a standard home. The home must be inspected and tested by a licensed Home Energy Rating System (HERS) inspector. The HERS inspector rates the home on a scale from 100 to 0 - the HERS index. It's sort of like MPG for homes. The best index of 0 corresponds to a home that uses net zero energy, while 100 corresponds to home that meets the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. The maxirnum index required to achieve an ENERGY STAR rating is 85. Ezell-Morgan's ENERGY STAR homes typically have indexes that range from 51 to 56, while the average existing home rates at around 130.

Do the Math

Ezell-Morgan's recently completed ENERGY STAR homes in the Stonegate IV subdivision will save their owners over $1000/year on their utility bills compared to other new homes. About $7,000 is invested in energy upgrades for each home which qualifies them for a $2,000 tax credit. The investment will pay for itself in energy savings in less than 5 years.

Extended Warranties

Part ofthese energy savings were obtained by using top of the line heating and cooling equipment that carries a lO-year parts and labor warranty instead of the standard 5-year parts only warranty that comes with most equipment. The additional life and reduced maintenance will result in still further savings over the life of the home.

Rising Energy Costs

Have you checked your electric bill lately? Energy costs are rising at an ever increasing rate as the nation moves to more renewable forms of energy like wind and solar. Some of the cost is going to modernize our aging power grid to take better advantage of these new sources. Though wind power still makes up a miniscule percentage of total energy production in the U.S., it was the largest source of new electricity in 2009. At the same time, plans for the construction of many coal-fired power plants, which offer an inexpensive source of power, are being cancelled or delayed.

Health and Comfort

Energy savings is not the only reason to buy a more efficient home—we like to say that it simply helps provide the funding. The same features that make the home efficient also make it healthier and more comfortable. Since the home is so tight, the quality of indoor air is much easier to control in even the most extreme weather and the home is quieter and safer. Up to 40% of the energy loss in a standard new home is simply from air leakage, so ENERGY STAR requires that homes be pressure tested. Ezell-Morgan has reduced the air leakage 7-fold to the point where the industry considers the home airtight! But here's the real bonus—reducing air leakage is also critical to maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Uncontrolled leakage will contaminate indoor air with dust, pollen, mold spores, insects and car exhaust. Ezell-Morgan homes incorporate an energy-efficient whole house ventilation system to bring in just the right amount of filtered, fresh air. This helps to control humidity and maintain the highest level of indoor air quality.

Standard Features of an Ezell-Morgan ENERGY STAR Home

Energy Efficiency

• ENERGY STAR Qualified
• Energy Use Warranty
• Third-Party Verification
• Superior Insulation
• "Airtight" Construction
• Advanced Framing Techniques

Indoor Air Quality

• Radon Mitigation Guarantee
• Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Whole House Ventilation System
• Low-VOC materials
• Low Air Infiltration

Comfort and Convenience

• Fast Hot Water™ System
• Reduced Temperature Variation
• Humidity Control
• Quieter Home and Equipment
• Reduced Pest Intrusion

Quality Equipment

• Super-High-Efficiency Heat Pump, and Furnace with IO-year parts and labor warranties
• All Fluorescent Lighting
• ENERGYSTAR Appliances

Energy Use Warranty

Ezell-Morgan is so confident that their new homes will perform as advertised they put it in writing with a 2-year Energy Use Warranty. If the home's energy bills exceed their estimated usage, Ezell-Morgan will pay the additional cost.

Radon Guarantee

The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Since Douglas County is located within a zone of high radon concentration, Ezell-Morgan installs a passive radon mitigation system in all their homes. The homes are then tested upon completion to ensure that the concentration of radon is within EPA acceptable levels. If not, Ezell-Morgan will upgrade the passive system to an active radon mitigation system at no additional charge to the owner.

Learn more about Ezell-Morgan Construction's sustainable and energy saving features...