Fulton Homes first Arizona builder to build all homes to Energy Star 2011 standards

Fulton Homes announced that beginning October 1, all of their homes will be built to meet Energy Star New Homes Version 3.0 (also known as Energy Star 2011) standards. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), version 3.0 is designed to meet even more stringent standards than in previous versions of the Energy Star program. Fulton Homes will be the first builder in Arizona to build all of their homes to Energy Star Version 3 standards.

“At Fulton Homes, we welcome these tougher new standards and we’re fully committed to helping our community save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and technologies, while incorporating the latest building practices” remarked Dennis Webb, Vice President of Operations for Fulton Homes. “Our customers want more energy efficient homes and through our contemporary designs and work with our trade partners, we’ve designed homes that meet the strict new criteria of the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy. All of the homes in our new communities will now be Energy Star Version 3 homes.”

To qualify a home under Version 3.0, a home must meet the requirements of three checklists:

1) Thermal Enclosure System Rater Checklist

2) HVAC System Quality Installation Contractor Checklist

3) HVAC System Quality Installation Rater Checklist

Fulton Homes’ new ENERGY STAR Version 3 homes will feature innovative upgrades such as Louisiana Pacific Tech Shield Radiant Barrier, which deflects heat away form the attic and .25” and .35” vinyl windows – a highly efficient system that reduces ultraviolet rays from entering the home. Far more efficient 14 SEER Carrier air conditioners will also replace the previous 13 SEER models.

Fulton Homes will also be building all of their new homes to the new 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Level. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Energy Codes Program supports increased efficiency in America’s residential and commercial building by helping to advance building energy codes. The 2009 IECC, which is markedly stricter than the 2006 IECC, is an effort to increase the stringency of America’s primary residential energy code by 30%, greatly increasing the energy efficiency of the nation’s homes.

From July 2009 to June 2010, Fulton Homes closed 544 Energy Star Qualified homes, over 15.8% of all Energy Star homes in the Valley of the Sun.