The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that new multifamily high-rise residential buildings are now eligible to qualify as Energy Star.
In the past, only single family homes and units in low-rise multifamily buildings were eligible.
EPA says expanding the Energy Star eligibility will save money and help protect the environment, while providing property owners a way to increase the value of their assets.
To qualify for Energy Star, new or substantially rehabilitated multifamily high-rise buildings must meet energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and be designed to be at least 15% more energy-efficient than buildings that meet the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers energy use standard.
Qualified buildings feature a combination of energy-efficient improvements including:
- Effective insulation systems
- Properly sized heating and cooling equipment
- Tight construction and ducts
- Energy Star qualified lighting and appliances
- High-performance windows
An independently licensed professional engineer or architect is required to verify that the program’s requirements are met through on-site testing and inspections conducted throughout the construction process.
Energy Star was started by EPA in 1992 as a market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy-efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products as well as new homes and commercial and industrial buildings that meet strict energy-efficiency specifications set by EPA.
Last year alone, Energy Star products and buildings saved about $18 billion in energy costs while preventing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the annual emissions of 33 million vehicles.
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