Energy Star wins over first-time home buyers

Rosie Rubio and her boyfriend, Ian Goldberg, knew what they were looking for when searching for their first home: quality construction, affordability, a good location and follow-through in customer service and satisfaction.

They found something more. When they went to Silverado Place, a neighborhood under construction by Astoria Homes, they also found energy efficiency.

Astoria Homes, one of 17 local companies building Energy Star-labeled homes in Southern Nevada, is part of Nevada Energy Star Partners, a coalition of local builders, energy inspection/certification companies, mortgage lenders and other nonbuilder partners.

"I didn't even know Energy Star existed until I went to Silverado Place and learned of it," Goldberg said. "In the long term, we're going to come out ahead financially through both the cost savings on our energy bills and the resale of the home."

Rubio agreed, saying energy efficiency became an important consideration for them.

"Electricity is crazy here, it keeps going up and up," Rubio said. "It's amazing to see how builders are conserving energy and helping the home buyer. We really liked that with the house we bought."

Through ComfortWise, an independent third party, the home is certified as meeting energy-efficiency standards. Such homes lower utility costs, reduce pollution and add to the value of the home.

Homes that have earned the Energy Star designation incorporate energy savings in design and construction, and use 30 percent less energy for heating, cooling and water heating than a standard home.

Common features of such homes include better engineered heating, ventilation and air conditioning; tighter air ducts; and spectrally selective glass windows. The special windows not only reduce heat gained during the summer, they help reduce sun damage to interiors.

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