NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL

June 10, 2010
Vol. 40, No. 201

Contact:  Lee Ann Walling, DNREC Chief of Planning, 302-739-9006, or Melanie Rapp, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Delaware launches "Green for Green" rebate program for state’s new home buyers

DOVER – Today, Governor Jack Markell, Senator Harris McDowell, Co-chair of the Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), Secretary Collin O’Mara of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), and Mark Grahne, President of the Home Builders Association of Delaware announced the launch of “Green for Green” – a first-of-its-kind rebate program for Delaware homebuyers who purchase nationally certified, energy-efficient green homes. The program is a collaborative effort among the SEU, DNREC, and the Home Builders Association of Delaware.

The program provides homeowners with rebates of $3,000 - $6,000 towards the costs of newly constructed homes that have been upgraded to national green standards for energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, building materials and other conservation-oriented, energy-saving features.

“Improving energy efficiency is both financially and environmentally responsible,” said Governor Markell. “We want smarter, more sustainable home building that drives down energy use and energy cost. By encouraging green building, we are creating new opportunities in the building industry and ultimately, new jobs.”

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) through the U.S. Department of Energy at a level up to $300,000, the rebates will fund energy upgrades for approximately 80 homes throughout the state. Over its first year, the program could produce an estimated 284 local construction and related jobs and $22.5 million in local income, according to a Delaware-specific study performed by the National Association of Home Builders in 2009.*

To qualify for a rebate, a home must be certified by third-party inspection to meet the standards of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) National Green Building Standard (NGBS) or LEED-H (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes), and follow the guidelines of the Delaware Green for Green Program.

Three levels of rebates are being offered: $3,000 for a NGBS Silver certified home; $5,000 for NGBS Gold certified home; and $6,000 for NGBS Emerald certified home. LEED certified homes of Silver or greater qualify for a $5,000 rebate.

 “Delaware is emerging as a national leader in green home building,” said Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara. “The ‘Green for Green’ program promotes green homes that provide significant environmental and financial benefits for homeowners and all Delawareans by using less energy, water and resources and providing a healthier and safer environment.”

According to the NAHB Research Center, on a per-capita basis, Delaware ranks number one in the nation for certified green homes in the National Green Building Certification Program, and the state has the fourth largest number of certified green homes in the country, in terms of actual numbers.

Building to LEED-H or to the NGBS Silver or Gold standard will produce significant energy savings for homeowners and reduce energy consumption of nearly 10 million kilowatt hours over the next 30 years.

According to the NAHB Research Center, based on an average monthly electric bill of $131.23, a Delaware homeowner of a Silver-certified home can expect to save at least $21 per month or about 16 percent over other newly constructed homes. A Gold-certified home homeowner can save about $47.24, or about 36 percent on an average monthly electric bill.

Senator Harris McDowell, co-chair of the SEU said, “Energy efficiency is the cheapest and quickest way to transition to a clean energy future. This program will show that more efficient homes make economic and environmental sense.”

"Delaware builders in partnership with the State of Delaware continue to lead the nation in utilizing green building technology and building energy efficient homes. The first NGBS gold certified home in the nation was built in Sussex County in 2008 and Delaware now leads the nation in the number of green homes built per capita.  The new "Green for Green" program enables Delaware builders to offer energy efficient homes to more homeowners, thereby increasing jobs while reducing our carbon footprint. It’s a win-win for everyone,” said Mark Grahne, President of the Home Builders Association of Delaware.

To meet the criteria of the program, eligible homes should be located in designated growth areas, according to Delaware’s Strategies for State Policies and Spending, http://www.stateplanning.delaware.gov/strategies/strategies.shtml. While exceptions will be considered, in general non-growth areas are not served by infrastructure and services, tend to consume more land and require inefficient expenditures of taxpayer dollars, and have greater impacts on natural resources, traffic and roads, agriculture and air quality.

The “Green for Green” rebate will be offered to homeowners by Delaware builders who have registered and qualify for the program. A new website, www.degreen4green.com has been created that includes: program details; homebuyer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs); a list of qualified builders; and builder FAQs. The website can also be accessed from partner websites: the SEU’s Energize Delaware, www.energizedelaware.org; the Home Builders Association of Delaware, www.hbade.org; and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), www.dnrec.delaware.gov.

The program will be administered by the SEU Energize Delaware program in partnership with the Governor’s office, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Home Builders Association of Delaware.

For more information on green building, visit U.S. Green Building Council LEED for Homes, www.usgbc.org/leed/homes or the National Association of Home Builders National Green Building Standard, http://www.nahbgreen.org.

* (December 2009 study: “The Metro Area Impact of Home Building in the Appoquinimink School District in Delaware Income, Jobs, and Taxes Generated” by Housing Policy Department, National Association of Home Builders, D.C.)