Climate-Specific Recommendations

For a home to be truly energy efficient, its design and construction must consider local conditions. Home Energy Raters are trained in climate-specific energy saving techniques, and their knowledge and field experience help ENERGY STAR builder partners select the most appropriate energy-efficient features.

Field Verification

Raters conduct onsite inspections and testing of ENERGY STAR qualified homes to ensure they meet rigorous program guidelines. The process typically includes a blower door test to measure air leakage in the house, a duct blaster test to measure duct leakage, and a comprehensive set of inspections to assure proper construction details.

Quality Assurance

Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR typically undergo significantly more systems engineering, inspections, and testing than homes built to code. This verification process helps to identify and correct mistakes before they become problems and holds builders accountable to higher standards.

Peace of Mind That Comes with Making a Smart Purchase

Look for the blue ENERGY STAR label—typically located on a home’s circuit breaker box. It assures you that the home has been verified by an independent Home Energy Rater to be truly energy efficient.