Residential New Home Construction

We make saving money stress-free.

As you enter the planning stages of construction, we’ll work with you to find the program that gives you the most benefits. Our impact is immediate, as we initiate the process and stay with you throughout the lifetime of the program to make sure the necessary paperwork is completed and the maximum rebates are attained.

Did you know that additional testing (blower test/duct leakage test) is required for all new homes? We will offset the cost of those tests.

Here are the utility partners who you will be working with depending on where you receive your electric or gas service:

Eversource
Michael Loughlin
603-634-2022
michael.loughlin@eversource.com

Liberty
Horizon Residential
603-369-4834
nhsaves.com@horizonres.com

New Hampshire Electric Cooperative
Kurt Campbell
603-536-8672
campbellk@nhec.com

Unitil
Ben Stephenson
603-513-7436
stephenson@unitil.com

A way to build better homes.

The ENERGY STAR Homes Program is a program run jointly by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to help consumers and business owners reduce energy costs and protect the environment through the installation of certified energy-efficient products.

ENERGY STAR is the trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, helping us all save energy, save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices. The ENERGY STAR label was established to eliminate the need for additional power generation plants, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features and comfort.

The ENERGY STAR Homes Program is for new construction and major renovations that are 15–30 percent more efficient than standard homes. In order to earn certification, homes must reach a level of performance regarding insulation, windows, heating and cooling equipment, air-tight construction, lighting, appliances and water protection systems. Third-party verification from a certified home energy rater is required to earn ENERGY STAR certification.

Which program is right for you?

There are three ENERGY STAR programs that will help your single or multi-family home reach its full potential for savings and energy efficiency. Choose the one that is right for you.

Programs:

• Drive to ENERGY STAR Code Plus Initiative (exceeds current code, but does not meet ENERGY STAR certification)
• ENERGY STAR 3.1 (bonus incentive program)
• Net-Zero Challenge (certification as an ENERGY STAR 3.1 home is a prerequisite)

To earn the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification, your home must meet guidelines that will make it 15–30 percent more efficient than a standard, code-built home. Homes achieve this level of performance through a combination of energy-efficient improvements, including:

• Air-tight construction.
• Effective insulation.
• High-performance windows.
• High-efficiency heating and cooling equipment installed by a certified HVAC contractor.
• Well-insulated and sealed heating and cooling ducts.
• ENERGY STAR certified lighting and appliances.
• Water protection systems to improve indoor air quality and durability.
• Third-party testing and verification for superior energy performance.
• We will work with you to ensure your home earns the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification, including having a required third-party verification by a certified home energy rater. The rater will work closely with you and the builder throughout the construction process to help determine the necessary energy-saving equipment and construction techniques.

Tried-and-true best building practices followed by independent inspections and testing from certified professionals mean that you can be confident things were done right.

To ensure your home earns the EPA’s ENERGY STAR certification, third-party verification by a certified Home Energy Rater is required. The rater will work closely with you and the builder throughout the construction process to help determine the necessary energy-saving equipment and construction techniques.

Enrollment Form

The ideal time to apply is before constructions starts.

New construction rebates require an insulation and thermal bypass inspection, so applications must be submitted before the home has drywall installed. This is where your utility program partners can really help you along in the process.

If you need more information, please contact your utility partner.

We make sure you’re covered.

To ensure your home earns ENERGY STAR certification, third-party verification by a certified home energy rater is required. The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index tells you how efficiently your new home will operate.

The HERS rater works closely with homeowners and builders throughout the construction process to help determine the necessary energy-saving equipment and construction techniques.

Your utility program partner will assign a HERS rater to your project. The HERS rater will contact you and:

• Request building plans.
• Review your plans with you and your team.
• Explain the program and discuss how to maximize the use of energy-efficient technologies that make sense for your home and your goals.

The HERS rater will also explain the benefits—including rebates—and the steps to earn ENERGY STAR certification.

Our HERS rater partners include:

Advanced Building Analysis
Gail Brown
2 Woodlawn Street
Amesbury, Massachusetts 01913
978-270-3911
aba@advancedbuildinganalysis.com

Building Alternatives
Bob Tortorice
15 Nature Drive
Franconia, New Hampshire 03580
603-728-5707
bobt@buildingalternatives.com

GDS Associates
Bruce Bennett
1181 Elm Street, Suite 205
Manchester, New Hampshire 03101
603-656-0336
bruce.bennett@gdsassociates.com

Energy Code Advisors
Steve Roy
370 Calef Road, Suite 1
Manchester, New Hampshire 03103
603-486-8400
steve@energycodeadvisors.com

Your HERS rater will keep you on track.

Your HERS rater will conduct at least two on-site inspections. You will be responsible for contacting and scheduling these inspections with the HERS rater.

Mid-point insulation inspection: HERS rater will need to inspect 100% of the insulation prior to any drywall being installed.

Final inspection: HERS rater will conduct the final inspection when the house is in move-in condition. This inspection will include a blower door test to measure air tightness and a duct leakage test to measure air flow through the ducts. The rater will also collect all model numbers off heating and cooling equipment, appliances and lighting fixtures. The test results, along with information from the plan review, help determine your home’s final HERS Index score.

Get rewarded for your work.

When your home is completed and the final HERS Index score has been calculated, your HERS rater will submit the completed home energy report to the utility program partner. Once the program partner reviews and approves, a rebate check will be sent.

Are you ready to up your game?

This design-and-build competition awards contractors for building energy-efficient, net-zero-energy single- and multi-family homes. First prize is $5,000, with second and third place winning $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. Homes must earn the ENERGY STAR label, be completed and in move-in condition and be located within the service territory of Eversource, Liberty, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative or Unitil. Homes will be inspected during construction and at completion.