KB Home (NYSE: KBH), the first RESNET Energy Smart Builder, is joining RESNET to mark important milestones for the energy-efficient homebuilding. KB Home recently delivered its 25,000th home in Denver and RESNET reached more than two million HERS Index-rated homes nationwide.
KB Home and RESNET will host students from the University of Denver’s Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management at a live home energy rating demonstration event held at the homebuilder’s new community at The Meadows master plan in Castle Rock. KB Home has built more than 110,000 HERS Index-rated homes, and uses its proprietary Energy Performance Guide® (EPG®) to highlight the energy efficiency of its homes, which helps reduce utility bills for KB homeowners.
KB Home’s EPG labels, which are similar to the MPG stickers that are standard with every new car and show fuel efficiency, inform prospective buyers about the relative energy efficiency of a KB home and provide an estimated dollar amount for monthly electric and/or gas energy costs. Every KB Home receives a HERS rating that yields a HERS Index Score, which is based on several variables that affect the energy efficiency of a home, including exterior walls, attic, windows and doors, heating and cooling systems, ductwork, water heating systems, lighting and appliances.
The lower the HERS Index Score, the better the home’s energy efficiency. For example, on average, a homeowner living in a KB home located in the Denver area with an HERS Index Score of 59 can potentially save up to $1,400 annually in energy utility costs, compared to typical resale homes in the area.
“Like RESNET, we believe providing information about estimated monthly energy utility costs empowers our home buyers in deciding to purchase a home, and has fundamentally changed the way consumers shop for a home today,” said Jeffrey Mezger, chairman, president and CEO of KB Home. “Through the HERS Index Score and KB Home’s Energy Performance Guide (EPG), home buyers can better understand the potential benefits of living in a highly energy-efficient KB home.”
“Having built 25,000 KB homes and counting, we have seen firsthand in the last few years how our EPG has been effective in informing home uyers, in a real practical sense, of the benefits of our homes’ many energy-efficient features,” said Randy Carpenter, president of KB Home’s Colorado operations. “We are proud of our long track record of success here in the Denver metro area, and we are excited for this opportunity to educate tomorrow’s home building professionals about the important role of home energy rating systems in the industry.”
RESNET’s development of the HERS rating system and KB Home’s innovative EPG represent key sustainability advancements that in the last decade have helped consumers gain a better appreciation of energy efficiency in the home. KB Home takes a broad approach to sustainability, encompassing water conservation, healthier indoor environments, smart home capabilities and waste reduction as well as energy efficiency. KB Home is the only national builder to have won awards under all of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s programs aimed at home builders — ENERGY STAR®, WaterSense®, which establishes water efficiency standards, and Indoor airPLUS®, which focuses on indoor air quality. Recently, KB Home announced that it was the recipient of four prestigious awards for 2017: the 2017 RESNET® President’s Award, the 2017 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award, the 2017 WaterSense® Sustained Excellence Award, and Top Project of the Year from Environmental Leader’s Product and Project Award.
KB Home is currently open for new home sales at eighteen Denver metro-area locations.
