ENERGY STAR Certified Homes - A Crash Course in Selling Updated February 2013
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A Crash Course in Selling
ENERGY STAR ® Certified Homes
Updated February 2013
1
What is Our Goal of This
What is your
Presentation?
goal?
• To close the deal
To help you meet your goal
SOLD
2
Desired Outcome
This presentation will help you begin the process
to:
• Explain the value of energy efficiency to each
homebuyer who walks through your door
• Differentiate your homes through energy
efficiency and quality construction
• Incorporate ENERGY STAR into each part of
your sales process
3
The Basics of an
ENERGY STAR Certified Home
4
How ENERGY STAR Fits in the Green
Building Community
• Components of Green Building
– Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
– Water Efficiency
– Environmentally Preferable Building Materials
and Specifications
– Waste Reduction
– Toxics Reduction
– Indoor Air Quality
– Smart Growth and Sustainable Development
5
What’s an ENERGY STAR Certified
Home?
• A home built to the ENERGY STAR
guidelines and verified by
a third party home energy rater
• Delivers savings:
– Up to 30% when compared to
typical new homes built to the 2009 IECC
(International Energy Conservation Code)
– Up to 50% when compared to
existing homes
• Provides improved quality, comfort, peace
of mind, $$ savings, and durability to
homeowners
6
What’s the HERS® Index?
• A way to measure the energy efficiency
of a home compared to both new and
existing homes.
• The lower a home’s HERS Index, the
more energy efficient it is.
• A typical resale home scores 130 on the
HERS Index while a standard new home
is awarded a rating of 100.
• Each 1-point decrease in the HERS
Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in
energy consumption.
7
The Home Energy Rater’s Role
• Your third party rater plays an integral part in the
ENERGY STAR process.
– Prior to construction: your rater may review your home plans to
see how it compares to a home built against a reference home
based on the 2009 IECC. The rater then recommends
construction practices and equipment to reach ENERGY STAR.
– During construction: your rater is responsible for completing
checklists to ensure details were installed correctly.
– Once construction is complete: your rater performs a final
inspection which includes a blower door test (to test the
leakiness of the house) and a duct blaster test (to test the
leakiness of the ducts). The rater generates a final HERS index
and an ENERGY STAR label and certificate for certified homes.
8
ENERGY STAR Certified Homes
include:
Core Energy Mandatory
Efficiency Inspection
Features Checklists
• Guarantees that • Sets standards for often
efficiency measures are overlooked details that
included in every have a critical impact on
ENERGY STAR certified efficiency, comfort,
home quality, & durability
9
Core Energy Efficiency Features
• Efficient windows and doors
• More insulation
• Lower air leakage
• Tighter ducts
• High efficiency heating, cooling, and water heating
equipment
• Efficient lighting and appliances
10Mandatory Inspection Checklists
• Checklists, reviewed by a third party certified
home energy rater, credentialed HVAC
contractor, or your builder, are designed to:
– Confirm proper installation of items
– Set standards for overlooked details.
• Reflect industry, EPA, and partner experience
11ENERGY STAR Certified Homes
Features
• Energy efficient products and materials
throughout the home
• A tight building shell
• A properly designed and installed heating,
cooling, and ventilation system
• Water-managed roof, walls, foundation, site, and
building materials
12Want to Learn More?
Download fact sheets:
• Thermal Enclosure
• Water Management
• Heating and Cooling
• Lighting and Appliances
• Independent Testing and
Verification
www.energystar.gov/newhomefactsheets
13The Sales Process
14Talk About ENERGY STAR
no discussion = no benefit to you
15EPA’s Consumer Messaging
• Better is better. The ENERGY STAR label means:
– Your new home has been designed and built to
standards well above most other homes on the market
today.
– Better quality, better comfort, and better durability.
– Better value for today, and a better investment for
tomorrow.
– Better process of inspections, testing, and verification to
ensure that it meets strict requirements set by EPA.
• Four Pillars. Peace of mind, enduring quality, wall-to-wall
comfort, and proven value
16Peace of Mind
• The result of a home that’s
built better
• Improved confidence that
savings will be delivered
• Satisfaction as a result of:
– A home built to rigorous
requirements
– Independent testing and
inspections
17Enduring Quality
• Better built home
– A durable home built to last
– Integrated whole-house
approach
• A combination of energy-
efficient features, high quality
materials, and equipment
18Wall to Wall Comfort
• A better way to live
– Consistent temperatures
from room to room
– Minimized leaks and drafts
– Reduced indoor pollutants
– Reduced noise from the
outside
– Minimized hot and cold
spots
19Proven Value
• A better investment for
today and tomorrow
– Uses up to 30% less
energy than code-built
homes
– Reduced utility bills
– Lower maintenance costs
– Label to help differentiate
when resold later
20Steps in Working with a
Prospective Homebuyer
1) Introduce your company through an elevator
speech
2) Evaluate and understand each prospect by
asking questions
3) Fulfill buyer needs by sharing talking points
important to your buyer
4) Point out features
5) Close the deal
21Elevator Speech
• For example:
– 100% of our homes are ENERGY STAR certified.
These homes are up to 30 percent more energy
efficient than other new homes in our market and
up to 50 percent more efficient than resale homes
on the market. AND, these homes are verified by
a third party rater. In the end this means your
home will be more comfortable, higher quality,
and save you money on your utility bills.
22Ask Questions
• Through a needs assessment, ask open-ended
questions to learn more about your prospective
homebuyer. Here are a few examples:
– What has prompted your visit today?
– Why are you considering buying a new home?
– Can you tell me about your current home?
– Can you tell me a little about your family?
23Talking Points
• Based on what you learn about your homebuyer,
highlight features and benefits they would be
interested in. For example,
– Child with asthma? Talk about how these homes are
design to have reduced indoor pollutants as a result
of the automated ventilation system installed to
industry standards that helps provide fresh air
throughout the home.
– Live in an old house? Talk about the high quality
insulation installed correctly and verified by a third
party rater that will keep heat out in the summer
months and keep the cold out in the winter months.
24Point Out Features
• In the sales model
– Point out visible features such as windows,
appliances, and vents
• In a home under construction
– Point out behind-the-wall features such as
insulation and air sealing
• Relate back features and benefits important to
the buyer
25Closing the Deal
• Bring up financial savings when you run
numbers
– You won’t waste $____ in utility payments each month like
you would with another house
– AND if/when fuel prices increase, that means even you’ll
be even better off
• Work with your team and your rater to find out
projected average $$ savings for the homes you
sell
26Resources to Help You Sell
27Work with Your Marketing Team
• Explain the features and benefits of an ENERGY
STAR certified home on your website
• Create an educational center in your sales office
around energy efficiency
– Testimonials
– Technology displays
– Handouts
• Add signage throughout your community
28Hold ENERGY STAR-related
Events
• Hold a muddy boots tour for prospects
– Point out “behind the wall” features in a home
under construction
– Invite your Home Energy Rater and
subcontractors to answer questions
– Invite happy homeowners as testimonials
• Host a lunch and learn for local agents
– Walk them through one of your homes under
construction
– Educate on the value of ENERGY STAR
29Visit www.energystar.gov
30Provide Consumer Brochures
•
www.energystar.gov/publications
31What’s new
• 100% commitment logo
• Homeowner Maintenance
Guide and Tips
• Coming Soon
– 5-minute consumer video explaining the features and
benefits of an ENERGY STAR certified home to
display:
• On your website
• In your sales office and model home
32Use of ENERGY STAR Brand by
Builders
• Builders who are ENERGY STAR partners and
construct at least one ENERGY STAR certified
home annually can use the name and logo.
• Not those who:
– Only install ENERGY STAR appliances
– Only display the HERS index
– Build to the ENERGY STAR guidelines but don’t
get third party verification
– Build to their own green building guidelines that
are not ENERGY STAR logomisuse@energystar.gov
33Next Steps and Q&A
34Next Steps
• Edit the elevator speech for your own use
• Incorporate roleplaying into your sales meetings
• Tour homes under construction at various
stages
• Shadow a Home Energy Rater
• Visit the ENERGY STAR website to order
brochures and print out fact sheets
35Thank you!
ENERGY STAR for New Homes
Main: www.energystar.gov/newhomespartners
Marketing: www.energystar.gov/newhomesmarketing
Publications: www.energystar.gov/publications
energystarhomes@energystar.gov
Join us on Twitter and Facebook!
@energystarhomes
facebook.com/energystar
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