Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final WaterSense single-family new homes specification today, creating the first national, voluntary, water-efficiency specification for an entire new home.
WaterSense labeled new homes, which will be 20 percent more efficient than typical new homes, must be independently inspected and certified by an EPA 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.
If the approximately 1.27 million new homes built in the United States each year were WaterSense labeled, it would save more than 12 billion gallons of water.
Source: December 10, 2009 EPA News Release
More Information:
- The full news release is at http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/778EA162223967EC85257688004D543D
- More information on the new homes specification is at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/spaces/new_homes.html
Prepared by: This message was distributed by Kellen Mahoney, who may be reached at e-mail: kmahoney@eetnews.com
