Monolithic Joins Energy Star Program
by Freda Parker
Monolithic
recently applied for and received official acceptance as an Energy Star
Partner.
Energy Star is a voluntary program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Its members include manufacturers of home and office equipment, home builders, lenders and others.
Energy Star strives to educate the public about the financial and environmental benefits of an energy efficient lifestyle. It also promotes consumer purchase of products that bear the Energy Star label and the construction of energy efficient homes and buildings.
As part of its Partnership Agreement with Energy Star, Monolithic is committed to constructing energy efficient homes that can earn an Energy Star label. This label is, by no means, an automatic stamp of approval gained simply because a builder is an Energy Star Partner.
To qualify for an Energy Star label, each new home must be evaluated and must earn a passing score of at least 86, on a scale of 1 to 100. Energy Star offers two programs for evaluation: the HERS (Home Energy Ratings System) entails hiring a certified energy rater to evaluate the home; the BOP (Builder Option Package) involves submitting documentation that substantiates construction specifications for a specific climate and getting a third-party verification. For detailed information on either HERS or BOP visit their website.
In 2000, Cheryl Roberts of LaJunta, CO, while trying to get a low-interest mortgage through CHAFA (Colorado Housing and Finance Authority) for the Monolithic Dome home she was building, learned that CHAFA required an E-Star rating. According to a letter from Megan Edmunds, Manager of ERHC (Energy Rated Homes of Colorado) Cheryl's dome home passed "with flying colors."
To date, as far as we know, Cheryl is the only Monolithic Dome owner who has applied for the Energy Star label. But others may want to because of the availability of low-interest mortgages and special financing programs and discounts for homes that earn the label.
All 50 states have Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) programs that include FHA, VA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These programs can make it easier to buy, sell or refinance a home if it has an E-Star rating.
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