E.P.A. Delivers Final Specification for WaterSense New Homes: This will help homeowners increase water efficiency and save on their utility bills

WASHINGTON - The E.P.A. (EPA) released its final WaterSense single-family new homes specification today, creating the 1st national, voluntary, water-efficiency specification for an entire new home.

"Home builders can now partner with E.P.A. and earn the WaterSense label for their newly built homes, helping to create livable communities and quality homes that are easy to maintain," said Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Water. "These homes will save homeowners as much as $200 a year on utility bills compared to their current homes."

E.P.A. worked with hundreds of stakeholders over the past 3 years to develop this specification, which was designed to complement existing green building programs. WaterSense labeled new homes, which will be 20 percent more efficient than typical new homes, must be independently inspected and certified by an E.P.A. licensed certification provider to meet the WaterSense criteria for water efficiency and performance.

The new homes will feature WaterSense labeled plumbing fixtures, Energy Star qualified appliances (if installed), water-efficient landscaping, and hot water delivery systems that deliver hot water faster, so homeowners don't waste water-or energy-waiting at the tap.

By investing in WaterSense labeled homes, American home buyers can reduce their water usage by in excess of 10,000 gallons per year-enough to fill a backyard swimming pool-and save enough energy annually to power a television for 4 years.

If the approximately 1.27 million new homes built in the U.S. each year were WaterSense labeled, it would save in excess of twelve billion gallons of water.

With this announcement, E.P.A. is inviting home builders to join the WaterSense plan and commit to building water-efficient new homes.

WaterSense, a partnership plan sponsored by EPA, looks for to protect the future of our nation's water supply by offering people simple ways to use less water.

More information on WaterSense labeled new homes: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/spaces/new_homes.html

To see a video message about the WaterSense new homes specification: http://www.epa.gov/multimedia/playercontents/video/watersense/index.html

There are currently no comments for this story. Be the first to add a comment!
Click here to add a comment about this story.