PrintEnergy conservation wasn't at the top of Ryan Smithson's list when he went house-hunting and ended up buying a home built to federal Energy Star standards.
Still, it has turned out to be a nice bonus for Smithson because electric rates are heading up, adding to the cost of home-ownership.
The Energy Star rating means his home will be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than a home constructed to just meet standard building code requirements.
"It has been pretty cheap to operate, I'll tell you that," Smithson said of his electric bills so far. "It doesn't use many watts."
Smithson's experience typifies the current state of energy-efficient home construction in Northeast Florida. Increasingly, builders are adding features to homes so they consume less electricity for everyday use. Almost 500 Energy Star homes have been built in the Jacksonville area the past two years. Home buyers are finding more choices if they want to compare the projected utility expenses for different homes.
"The builder side is shifting a lot faster, mainly because they see a lot of regulations coming down the pike and they want to get out in front of it," said David Reed, a conservation coordinator for JEA, the city-owned utility. "Home buyers are shifting more slowly, but they are starting to shift."
Electric bills weren't as big a factor for home buyers when JEA went 14 years without a rate increase and boasted some of the lowest rates in the Southeast. That streak ended in 2004. Since then, the monthly residential rate for a customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours has risen to $95.93 from $68.15. In July, that will bump up again to $110.93, which is a 63 percent increase compared with what customers paid four years ago.
Florida Power & Light recently announced it also needs a rate increase to cover the cost of fuel used for electric generation. FP&L would raise a 1,000 kilowatt-hours residential bill to $118.91 from the current $102.63.
In 2006, the Northeast Florida Builders Association joined with JEA to create Green Built Homes of Florida for homes in the utility's electric service territory. The program has certified 475 houses built to federal Energy Star standards by using features such as tight construction, improved insulation, high-performance windows, extra-sealed air conditioning ducts and energy-saving heating and cooling equipment.
Energy Star features can add 1 to 3 percent to the builder's upfront cost of construction, said Jim Williams of Home Energy Services, a Jacksonville company that does energy-efficiency inspections. But he said builders will recoup that cost by facing fewer warranty claims down the road. He said that enables builders to add Energy Star features without raising the price of the home.
In cases where an Energy Star home does cost more than a comparable home, buyers can figure out if the price is right by calculating if lower electric bills will justify higher mortgage payments.
Beazer Homes, which built Smithson's home, has nailed down the highest number of Energy Star certifications through Green Built Homes of Florida. Beazer, which builds all homes in the Jacksonville market to Energy Star standards, has found in surveys of home buyers that energy efficiency is gaining more interest.
"I would say that five years ago, it was very low," said Scott Phillips, division president of Beazer Homes in Jacksonville. "I would say it's moderate now and it's going to continue to climb."
After Beazer, the most active participants in Green Built Homes of Florida have been Ryland Homes, Cornerstone Homes, HabiJax and the Northwest Jacksonville Community Development Corp.
To achieve Energy Star compliance, a home is reviewed by a state-certified inspector using the 100-point home energy rating system (HERS). The lower the score, the better. A score of 85, for instance, means the home is 15 percent more efficient than if it were built to minimum standards of the International Energy Conservation Code. A score of 50 means the home is 50 percent more efficient.
Williams said he typically gets blank expressions when he starts talking about the rating system with home buyers and many builders. He compares it to the mileage ratings for cars -- home buyers can use the ratings in the same way car buyers check out a car's fuel efficiency.
Neither federal nor state law forces a homebuilder or home seller to call in an inspector for a rating. But Florida law does require all home buyers be given a chance to hire an inspector before closing on the sale. Prospective buyers are supposed to receive a brochure on how the energy rating program works, including notification that a good rating can qualify them for better financing terms on their mortgages.
Williams said an inspection costs $500 to $600. But most people never consider it because they don't even know it's an option. Reed said even Realtors aren't familiar with the brochure.
"Most people don't even know what's available to them," Williams said. "They don't even know that people like me exist."
david.bauerlein@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581
HOW GREEN IS YOUR HOME
The National Association of Homebuilders project that by 2012, 12 to 20 percent of new homes will incorporate "green" features. Here are some major programs for energy-efficiency:
ENERGY STAR. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency runs this program that also covers appliances. For homes, Energy Star uses the home energy rating system (HERS) to demonstrate energy efficiency of at least 15 percent compared with standard building codes.
GREEN BUILT HOMES OF FLORIDA. JEA oversees this program, based on the federal Energy Star certification for homes built in JEA's electric service territory.
LEED-H. The nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council runs Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system. Energy and water efficiency are two of the eight categories examined. A LEED-certified home is not necessarily as energy-efficient as an Energy Star house. Home buyers can ask for the HERS rating, which is part of the LEED examination.
FLORIDA GREEN BUILDING COALITION. This nonprofit group generally follows the LEED rating system but also measures the building's resistance to disaster, such as hurricanes.
FPL BUILDSMART. Florida Power & Light runs this program that calculates future energy savings from adding energy-efficient features. Homes don't necessarily meet Energy Star standards. But FP&L gives financial incentives for homes that undergo HERS testing.
FLORIDA WATER STAR. The St. Johns River Water Management District administers certification of homes for features that would reduce a home's total water use by 30 percent.
TRIM THE UTILITY BILL
Electric rates are heating up. Here are some cheap ways to save energy around the home. Savings are based on a 2,000-square-foot home with a $150 per month electric bill and $50 water-sewer bill.
SWITCH TO CFL
Pick five incandescent bulbs that get the most use -- the living room and porch light, for instance -- and replace them with high-efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs. Be sure the CFL bulb's size, color and features meet your needs.
Cost: About $10 for five bulbs. JEA offers a $1.50 rebate per package of CFL bulbs at some stores. Get the list at www.jea.com/green or call (866) 847-8237 for stores closest to you.
Savings: $67 a year.
GO WITH LOW FLOW
Older shower heads pump out 3.5 to 8 gallons per minute. New models deliver 2.5 gallons per minute. Look on the shower head for the flow rate or stick a container under the shower head to see how much water goes into it in a minute.
Cost: Shower heads start at $6.
Savings: $60 per year.
TURN DOWN HOT WATER HEATER
Instead of 140 degrees, drop the setting to 120 degrees.
Cost: Zero.
Savings: A typical family of four can save $100 annually
ABOUT THE FRIDGE IN THE GARAGE
If that second refrigerator is just storing sodas, unplug it.
Cost: Zero.
Savings: $100 per year
WASH WITH COLD WATER
Washing six loads in hot water costs about $10. But using cold water, the cost is about $1.
Cost: Zero.
Savings: $100 a year.
Source: JEA
SET THE THERMOSTAT
78 in summer, 68 in winter. Each 1-degree increase in thermostat setting will cut your air conditioner electric consumption by 3-5 percent.
Cost: Zero.
Savings: A 4-degree change will save $100 per year.
PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT
A programmable thermostat will raise the setting to a higher level -- 82, for instance -- when no one is home and then drop the setting to a more comfortable level in time for the return of residents.
Cost: When installed by a contractor, $150-$300.
Savings: Depends on your schedule. The federal Energy Star program says properly using a programmable thermostat can save $180 a year.
