HERS Raters inspect a home while it is under construction, and then test the home when completed (1) to visually verify that it complies with construction requirements and, using specialized software and equipment, (2) to determine its energy efficiency performance.
SPEER’s collaboration with the BUILT TO SAVE® program will provide excellent opportunities for continuing up-to-date education and training for home builders in the Rio Grande Valley—and ultimately a better quality of life for our residents.
There is no greater way to honor those that put their lives on the line for our country than to support them in their time of need. That’s what one local real estate company did when they volunteered to help Operation Finally Home, a non-profit organization, sell a lot they owned to help build homes for wounded veterans.
AEP Texas recently recognized three Rio Grande Valley builders participating in the 2020 AEP Texas High-Performance Home Program. The program promotes the construction of energy efficient homes that use less energy than typical new homes built only to minimum code.
AEP Texas congratulates Villanueva Construction and Divine Custom Homes on their accomplishment of each earning the Rio Grande Valley Builders Association’s Parade of Homes Award for the Most Energy Efficient Home with matching qualifying scores.
The opening of the 2021 Parade of Homes was kicked off in December 2020 with the annual raffle for a “Free Entry” into the Parade that was available to builders who registered early. The lucky first-place winner of the Free Parade Entry prize was Villa Homes.
BUILT TO SAVE™ is a voluntary high-performance home program for builders which certifies new homes using independent third-party home energy Raters that inspect and test homes in the program and predict their energy efficiency.
The benefits of the BUILT TO SAVE™ program for homebuyers that include savings on utilities, better indoor air, and enhanced home comfort are rooted in the whole-house systematic approach to good building science.
The rewards for those that buy energy-efficient homes are many and huge: lower utility bills, tighter quality construction, a more comfortable home with better indoor air, and peace of mind, to name a few. But what’s in it for the builder?
If you’re looking for a new place to live, you likely have a number of “boxes” you’d like to check, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, how much storage space is available, perhaps a yard, possibly the close proximity to public transportation, and certainly the cost of your rent or mortgage, and taxes—all important.
