The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on Tuesday said the number of New York homes certified as energy efficient increased by 10 percent last year, compared to 2011.
The figure is higher, despite housing starts nationwide remaining at low levels, NYSERDA said in a news release.
Construction companies built a total of more than 2,260 Energy Star certified homes in 2012, compared with nearly 2,050 in 2011, NYSERDA said.
According to the U.S. Census, construction starts in 2012 were at one of their lowest levels since 1959, when the census began reporting housing starts.
New York Energy Star certified homes are offered under NYSERDA’s low-rise residential new-construction program, which supports new construction and substantial renovation of environmentally friendly homes that are cost-effective to own and operate.
These programs offer technical assistance and financial incentives for builders and developers, NYSERDA said.
Each New York Energy Star certified home must pass an evaluation that includes a computer-based energy analysis of the home’s design, field inspections, and third-party performance testing to certify compliance with the required standards.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
