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While not the worlds greatest conservationist, I think the new building codes in the towns of Brookhaven and Babylon on Long Island, NY to make all new construction Energy Star compliant makes good sense. The additional cost to make the average home fit withing the Energy Star requirements is minimal compared to the cost savings that the owners will get over the life of the house.

The new laws put both Brookhaven and Babylon in the vanguard of towns in New York State that have passed measures requiring a level of “green” home building. They are the first on Long Island to do so, but several other towns are considering identical or similar measures.

…

“Energy Star homes will save homeowners money on energy costs by requiring, for example, certain types of insulation and installation techniques, and the use of energy-efficient appliances.

“The No. 1 thing is the envelope of the house: the insulation and the windows,” said Andrew Manitt, research director for the Neighborhood Network. A certificate of occupancy will be issued only after inspectors trained in new tests required by the standard have verified that the homes pass muster.
In comparison with a home built under current codes, an Energy Star home priced near the median on Long Island, about $500,000, would save owners about $21,600 in energy costs over the term of a 30-year mortgage, the Network estimates.

The houses cost slightly more — $2,000 to about $5,000, builders say — but environmentalists say the upfront cost of building an energy-efficient home pays off in the long run. “A house can last 30, 40, 50 years or longer and if they’re built as energy hogs, it’s very difficult to fix that later on,” said Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island, a nonprofit sustainable energy group in Bridgehampton. “Doing it right the first time around,” he added, “is the way to go.” via  New York Times.

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