12.19.2007 - 11:35am ET

(CSRwire) ALBANY, N.Y., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- New York residents and builders have significantly reduced the state's overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions over the last six years simply by investing in homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR(R) Label.

Since 2001, more than 10,800 New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes have been built in New York, saving nearly 14 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 603 billion BTUs of fossil fuel to date. The collective energy savings from these homes means that more than 44,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide is kept out of the atmosphere every year; the same as taking nearly 9,000 cars off the road for a year.

Sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and in coordination with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes Program offers consumers the choice to purchase a home that uses approximately 30 percent less energy than conventionally built new homes.

"The typical home adds more greenhouse gas pollution to the atmosphere each year than the average car," said Paul Tonko, President and CEO of NYSERDA. "The New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes Program is committed to providing customers with dependable, affordable power while lessening the impact of electric generation on the environment. This milestone shows how passionate New Yorkers are about energy efficiency."

New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes achieve energy savings and climate benefits through improved air sealing and insulation techniques, high quality windows and doors, high efficiency heating and cooling systems, well-sealed duct systems and ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and lighting. New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes can be built in any price range without sacrificing style or comfort. That means customers benefit from reduced energy use and lower monthly energy costs, lower operating and maintenance costs, increased health and safety benefits, greater durability and a quieter, more comfortable living environment.

"Purchasing a New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Home was one of the best decisions we made with our new house. We take comfort in knowing that we live in a quality built and energy-efficient home," said Jim Stewart of Wilton.

With New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes making up nearly 14 percent of the state's new construction market, builders cite them as a symbol of quality building and say that offering energy efficient features to customers is a significant differentiator in the increasingly competitive home building industry. More than 430 builders statewide participate in the program.

DeGraff Bloom Builders in Charleton, NY has been part of the New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes program since 2002. Just this year, they made the decision to build 100 percent of their homes to ENERGY STAR standards, rather than offering it as an option.

"We've seen a shift in our customers' attitudes over the past three years," says Anne Rockwood, production manager for DeGraff Bloom Builders. "When gas prices started to skyrocket, people became much more interested in the program. In the past year or so, concerns about global warming have become a motivating factor as well."

While many builders claim to build energy efficient homes, only New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes pass a stringent evaluation that involves a computer-based energy analysis, inspections of systems and the way they work together as a whole, and certification testing. This advanced whole-house performance testing helps ensure that the home is properly insulated, doors and windows are installed correctly, cracks and gaps in a home are sealed, and carbon monoxide gases from appliances and heating and cooling systems are vented properly.

For more information about New York ENERGY STAR Labeled Homes and a list of ENERGY STAR builders, visit http://www.getenergysmart.org or call toll-free 1-877-NY-SMART.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) uses innovation and technology to solve some of New York's most difficult energy and environmental problems in ways that improve the State's economy.

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