Ashton Woods Homes Is Recognized With A 2011 Energy Star® Leadership In Housing Award

July 13, 2011 - PRLog -- Atlanta, GA – Ashton Woods Homes is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a 2011 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award.  This award recognizes the important contribution Ashton Woods Homes has made to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection by building more than 949 ENERGY STAR qualified homes last year.  Collectively, these homes will save our customers approximately $424,203 on utility bills each year.

   
The environmental benefits of these ENERGY STAR qualified homes are equal to the equivalent of:

•       Eliminating the emissions from 465 vehicles;

•       Saving 2,812,836 lbs of coal;

•       Planting 769 acres of trees; or

•       Saving the environment 5,516,537 pounds of CO2 per year.

   
To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes are at least 20% more efficient than standard new homes built today.

“We have always been on the leading edge of providing our customers a healthier, more energy-efficient home. Ashton Woods Homes is proud to be a leader in the industry and committed to building environmentally friendly homes,” stated Ralph Farrell Sr. VP of Operations.

   
ENERGY STAR qualified homes offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-saving features like effective insulation systems, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, properly-sized and installed efficient heating and cooling equipment, efficient products, and third-party verification of energy performance.

“The value you get from an ENERGY STAR Qualified Home goes far beyond energy efficiency,” said Sam Rashkin, National Director for EPA's ENERGY STAR Homes Program. “ENERGY STAR Qualified homes provide more comfort, durability, and a healthier environment than homes built to code. On top of that, they’re tested and inspected to perform.”

Last year alone, with the help of ENERGY STAR and partners, Americans saved about $18 billion on their utility bills and avoided greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 33 million vehicles. Nearly 1.2 million ENERGY STAR homes have been built in the United States since the program first began labeling homes in 1995.

   

About Ashton Woods Homes

Ashton Woods Homes is one of the nation’s largest private homebuilding companies, with operations in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Austin and Phoenix. For more information, visit www.ashtonwoodshomes.com.  


About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 126,000 new homes were constructed to meet ENERGY STAR guidelines in 2010, by partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

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Ashton Woods philosophy is to build exceptional homes in growth communities and deliver superior service. Our commitment to excellence can be seen in dozens of uniquely designed communities in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Phoenix and Tampa.