Builders Challenge Launched at International Builders Show

DOE launched the Builders Challenge on February 14, calling on the U.S. homebuilding industry to build 220,000 high-performance, energy efficient homes by 2012. Thirty-eight homebuilders have already pledged to build an estimated 6,000 high-performance homes under the new voluntary national program. DOE aims for 1.3 million of these high-performance homes to be built by 2030, allowing the owners of those homes to collectively save as much as $1.7 billion in energy costs while avoiding the greenhouse gas emissions equal to the annual emissions of 606,000 cars.

DOE ranks all homes participating in the Builders Challenge on the EnergySmart Home scale, or E-scale, which rates a home based on its overall energy performance. Today's typical new homes score 100 on this scale, while zero-energy homes, which produce as much energy as they consume, score a zero. For the Builders Challenge, all homes must rank a 70 or better to qualify, making them a minimum of 30% more efficient than the average new home built to model energy efficiency codes. See the DOE press release and the Builders Challenge Web site.

To support builders participating in the challenge, DOE will make available "builder option packages," which provide guidance for building high-performance homes in different climate zones. These packages also outline the criteria for qualifying for a $2,000 federal tax credit per the Energy Policy Act of 2005. To earn the credit, homes must use only half as much energy for heating and cooling as an average home of comparable size. Currently, the credit applies to homes bought by the end of this year for which construction was substantially completed after August 8, 2005. See more information about the tax credits on the IRS Web site.

View photos of the launch event here.