Dominion Homes is Recognized with a 2009 ENERGY STAR® Leadership in Housing Award

Dublin, OH (PRWEB) April 22, 2009 -- Dominion Homes is pleased to announce it has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a 2009 ENERGY STAR Leadership in Housing Award. This award recognizes the important contribution Dominion Homes has made to energy-efficient construction and environmental protection by building ENERGY STAR qualified homes for sale (http://www.dominionhomes.com/) last year. Collectively, these custom homes will save new homeowners more than $50,064 on utility bills each year.

The environmental benefits of these ENERGY STAR qualified homes are equal to the equivalent of:

•    Eliminating the emissions from 54.88 vehicles;

•    Saving 331,968 pounds of coal;

•    Planting 90.72 acres of trees; or

•    Saving the environment 651,056 pounds of CO2 per year.

To earn the ENERGY STAR, a home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These custom homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes. Dominion Homes has gone beyond that. Dominion's partner, Nu-Wool guarantees a 40% energy savings on all new Dominion homes for sale insulated with Nu-Wool cellulose insulation.

"Living green doesn't mean having to live with less. At Dominion Homes, we have a long-standing tradition of building high-quality custom homes with superior craftsmanship, innovative design, and beautiful details that are also energy efficient. We are very proud to be an ENERGY STAR builder," said William Cornely, CEO and president of Dominion Homes.

ENERGY STAR qualified custom homes (http://www.dominionhomes.com/dominion-home-school/living-green.asp) offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-saving features like effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, properly-sized and installed efficient heating and cooling equipment, efficient products, and third-party verification of energy performance.

"Most homebuyers focus on what's outside the walls," said Sam Rashkin, national director for EPA's ENERGY STAR Homes Program, "but they also need to look behind the walls for the energy-efficient features found in ENERGY STAR qualified homes that help ensure comfort, quiet, improved indoor air quality, and low utility bills for years to come."

About Dominion Homes:

Founded in 1952, Dominion Homes is one of the leading homebuilders in Columbus Ohio, as well as Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky, and is among the top builders in the country. Its priority is to construct quality, energy-efficient homes in the best communities for its customers, to provide great service, to be a leader in innovation, and to be a good neighbor. It is this commitment that ensures its continued success in building affordable, high-quality, eco-friendly homes. For more information about Dominion Homes' living green initiative, visit http://www.dominionhomes.com/green.

About ENERGY STAR:

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992, as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 12,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

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