Bend, Ore. – July 12 – At the 2011 Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) Tour of Homes, visitors can walk away with more than new home improvement ideas — $25,000 more. By visiting SolAire Homebuilders’ Zero Energy Home in NorthWest Crossing, or one of several other participating builders, tour-goers can become one step closer to homeownership by winning $25,000 through the Northwest ENERGY STAR Welcome Home campaign.
Not all homes are created equal, and now through the end of September the $25,000 giveaway will challenge home buyers to discover the differences by touring Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes and rating each house on their favorite features. Buyers can submit entries through the mail by picking up a game card at participating model homes or by scanning a bar code located in a participating model home with a SmartPhone. In addition to the $25,000 grand prize, Northwest ENERGY STAR® will hold monthly drawings for ENERGY STAR flat screen televisions as part of its Welcome Home campaign. Home buyers can find a complete list of builders participating in the campaign, including open dates and times for specific homes at: www.NorthwestENERGYSTAR.com.
“There’s a misconception that new construction is synonymous with energy efficiency”, said Erin Diamond, program manager of the Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program. “This campaign is designed to educate people that there are better options and building practices that can significantly reduce their energy bills above and beyond the savings provided by standard building codes and provide them with a more comfortable home all year long.”
Of the most progressive energy-efficient homes available, zero energy homes are quickly gaining global awareness for their cutting-edge use of technology and energy savings measures. SolAire’s single-level, Prairie-style home uses a combination of home shell insulation measures with passive and active solar energy to average zero electrical consumption over the course of a year. The home additionally uses an energy monitoring system, the EcoDog Inc. FIDO, which measures both the energy produced by the solar panels and the energy consumed by the homeowner. The energy consumption is then measured circuit by circuit so homeowners see where energy is being used and modify home operations or behaviors to reduce energy bills.
The home will qualify for certifications including Northwest ENERGY STAR Home, Energy Trust of Oregon Advanced Performance Home, Earth Advantage Zero Net Energy Home, Earth Advantage Platinum Home, and Oregon Department of Energy High Performance Home.
“If you think life is going to get more and more expensive, a zero energy home will be your lifetime friend,” said Cindi O’Neil, vice president of SolAire Homebuilders. “Stop by and see why a home that works this hard is truly a beneficial thing.”
Open dates to tour SolAire’s Zero Energy Home and enter to win $25,000 are July 15-17 and 22-24, from noon-6pm Fridays and 10am-6pm Saturday-Sunday. Visit www.NorthwestENERGYSTAR.com for more information.
About Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes
The Northwest ENERGY STAR Homes program promotes the construction and adoption of ENERGY STAR homes in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington and is an initiative of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA). NEEA is a non-profit organization that is supported by and works in collaboration with the Bonneville Power Administration, Energy Trust of Oregon and more than 100 Northwest utilities to maximize energy efficiency on behalf of more than 12 million energy consumers. For more information regarding NEEA, visit: www.neea.org. Consumers can learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified homes by visiting www.NorthwestENERGYSTAR.com or calling 1.800.539.9362.
About SolAire Homebuilders
Specializing in custom green homes and sustainable building practices, SolAire Homebuilders has earned numerous national and regional awards, including the National Association of Home Builders Green Building Project of the Year in 2009 and Oregon ENERGY STAR Builder of the Year in 2009 and 2010. To learn more about SolAire Homebuilders’ Zero Energy Home, visit: www.SolaireHomebuilders.com.
