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6/16/2003
Palladio Homes achieves Energy Star certification
By Patra Bucher, Contributing Writer
On May 21, a home on Daniel Island built by Palladio Homes became
the first in lower South Carolina to earn the coveted Energy Star
certification. The home, located in Center Park, was tested and
found to meet the EPA’s strictest guidelines for energy efficiency
and environmentally friendly construction.
According to Palladio Homes owner Rich Estes, achieving the Energy
Star label has been a goal since his company’s inception in January
2002. “In all the homes we have built to date we’ve used the same
techniques in an effort to eventually earn the Energy Star rating,”
he explains. “It’s just taken us some time to get through the
testing and approval process.” To earn the Energy Star label,
a home must be verified to be at least 30% more energy-efficient
in its heating, cooling and water heating than a comparable home
built to the 1993 Model Energy Code, and 15% more efficient than
the state energy code. The Energy Star label is earned only after
the home’s energy efficiency is verified by an independent third
party, such as an accredited home energy rater. “In 1993 the EPA
issued the Model Energy Code which scored houses on a scale of
0 to 100,” says Elias Deeb, Palladio Homes’ general manager. “The
EPA recommends that every house has a minimum score of 80. There’s
no requirement, but that’s their idea of an energy efficient home.”
According to Deeb, an Energy Star-certified home is subject to
even stricter standards that require a home to have a minimum
score of 86, with every percentage point increasing its energy
efficiency by 5%. Energy Star-qualified new homes achieve their
energy savings through a variety of reliable and established technologies
and building practices. Builders are free to select the energy
efficiency features used in their new homes in order to achieve
the 86 score. Estes notes that Palladio Homes employs a number
of innovative building techniques and materials, some exclusive
to his company in the Lowcountry home building market, which have
helped Palladio become the first builder locally to earn “partner”
status with the Energy Star program. One of these exclusive materials
is blown cellulose, a revolutionary insulation technique made
of environmentally friendly recycled newspaper and boric acid.
This improved insulation helps keep out excessive outside heat
or cold, but also maintains even temperatures between and across
rooms inside the home. “Not only is blown cellulose a far better
insulator than fiberglass,” points out Estes, “but it is also
fireproof and termite proof.”
Many Energy Star-qualified new homes feature tighter construction
than do other homes, which can result in improved comfort by reducing
drafts, noise and moisture; improved indoor air quality by keeping
dust, pollen, insects and car exhaust out of the home; and lower
costs by reducing the escape of conditioned air. Stricter construction
standards also improve the home’s structural stability, making
it more capable of withstanding natural disasters like hurricanes.
While homebuilders have the option of having only some of their
properties inspected and certified, Palladio is among those builders
nationwide that have opted to be a 100% Energy Star builder. “We’ve
chosen to have 100% of the homes we build in Charleston Energy
Star certified,” states Deeb. “We’re committed to this energy
efficient, environmental friendly approach to home building.”
“It’s somewhat of a personal agenda because I’ve always been concerned
about the environment,” adds Estes. “So a lot of the materials
we decided to use, such as recycled lumber and materials, are
not only energy efficient, they also reduce waste. “I think people
just feel good when they do something that is environmentally
friendly,” Estes concludes. “In addition, this will directly touch
their pocketbooks because they can expect a significant reduction
in their monthly utility bills inside an Energy Star-certified
home.”
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