Windham - E-Star Builder

E-Star Builder

Would you buy a new car without looking at its miles-per-gallon sticker? Whether you're buying a brand new home or shopping in the existing market, use the E-Star^TM system to test before you invest.

What is E-Star Colorado?

As the home energy rating system for the state, E-Star Colorado provides E-Star energy ratings for both new and existing homes. An energy rating is a ‘score’ expressed on a scale from zero to one hundred points, and can be thought of as a residential "miles-per-gallon" sticker. Ratings also include property-specific prescriptions for energy improvement.

The E-Star^™ Network

E-Star's partnerships are diverse. Several of the most critical alliances E-Star maintains are with the national secondary mortgage markets, the homebuilding and real estate industries and utility companies. E-Star's network of E-Star professionals includes E-Star REALTORS^®, Lenders, Appraisers and Builders who utilize the program on an on-going basis and actively promote their E-Star partnerships.

The broad E-Star network of professionals allows consumers maximum benefit from an E-Star energy rating. E-Star encourages homeowners, home buyers and home sellers to work with those professionals who have been trained by E-Star and who have earned the E-Star designation.

What is an E-Star Energy Rating?

An E-Star^TM energy rating is a "score" expressed on a scale from zero to one hundred, or one to five stars (). As a uniform and comparative measure of home energy performance, an E-Star^TM rating can be thought of as a residential "miles-per-gallon" sticker. E-Star^TM ratings also include property-specific recommendations for cost-effective energy improvements, which can help customers select for and prioritize potential projects. E-Star^TM ratings can be performed on new and existing homes of almost every construction type and style.

Each type of E-Star^TM rating entails a thorough, on-site evaluation of a home's energy features. An E-Star^TM certified rater will spend several hours in a home collecting comprehensive data in reference to the thermal performance of the building envelope, its solar orientation and mechanical system efficiencies. The over 200 inputs gathered by the rater on each home include insulation and window R-values, space and hot water heating system delivery efficiencies and house tightness, which is quantified in each E-Star^TM rating by a Blower Door Test.

It is not necessary that a homeowner be present for the entire rating. As all E-Star^TM Certified Raters are independent contractors of Energy Rated Homes of Colorado (ERHC) their prices do vary, but will typically fall within the range of $150 to $350 per home. However, your E-Star^TM rating will be the same, uniform and professional service regardless of the Rater you choose. All Raters are energy experts trained, certified, inspected and recertified by ERHC on an annual basis.

A key characteristic of E-Star^TM ratings is that they have been especially designed and endorsed to provide information to the lending industry. Thus, E-Star^TM ratings can be used by consumers to gain access to special financing products called Energy Mortgages.

The Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) gives buyers more purchasing power, thus allowing them to qualify for a more expensive home or add more options and upgrades. In some cases, an EEM might make the difference in a buyer qualifying at all.

Why Should You Buy an E-Star Certified Home

If the new home you're considering rates at least 80 points/
on the E-Star^TM scale, you can automatically qualify for it more easily with an Energy Efficient Mortgage. The premise is simple- E-Star^TM homes are less expensive to operate, which allows more income to be devoted to the mortgage payment. An EEM can thus help you qualify to buy, or even allow you to purchase some additional options and upgrades. Just ask your E-Star^TM Lender to compare your normal income requirement to your E-Star^TM income requirement in your prequalification letter.

If you're working with an E-Star^TM Builder, rest assured that your investment will perform well 'under the hood'.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

For additional information on the E-Star^TM program, visit the E-Star Colorado web site at: www.e-star.com.