=DEAS Builders Bringing Eco-Friendly Features Home (NAPSA)—Asrising gas prices pinch the pocketbook, saving green and living green is fast becoming today’s mantra. And with less travel forecast for this year, it’s only natural that more of us are looking homeward for ways to cut back on energy use. National homebuilders are keeping pace with this moveto be more environmentally responsible, designing houses that are energy conscious from the ground up. For those looking to buy a new home, some builders are offering features designed to lower operating costs and save money yearround. For example, Beazer Homes is incorporating products designed to save energy, conserve water and improve indoor air quality as standard features in its new homes. Called eSMART,it is the first comprehensive program of its size for a top-10 national homebuilder, andis helping to raise the benchmark on eco-friendly building across the country. All new Beazer homes come equipped with programmable thermostats, ENERGY STAR dishwashers, higher-efficiency air filters and water-saving faucets and showerheadsas standard features. “Today’s home buyers want to do their part to help the environment, but they also need to save money,” said Tony Callahan, senior vice president of planning and design for Beazer. “With our eSMART homes, they can do both.” For example, compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), which also come standard in all Beazer Taking a few simple steps at home can help you save money and the environment. homes, are expected to save the homeowner about $331 each year in energy and replacementcosts. For Older Homes Anew homeis not in the future for everyone, so here are some suggestions from the Environmental Protection Agency and other experts on how to cut back on energy use now: Seal Gaps in Windows and Doors. You want the seal to be tight, so you may need to caulk where the frames meetthe siding. Tighter seals will prevent warm and coolair loss. Switch to CFLs. About 10 percent of electric bills come from lighting. Using CFLs will help cut back on whatit costs to light your home. Update Appliances. In most kitchens, the refrigerator is the largest energy-using appliance. Replacing a 20-year-old refrigerator with a new ENERGY STAR model will save enough energy to light the average home for nearly four months. Learn More. For more infor- mation on how to save energy and money with a new home, visit www.beazer.com/esmart/.
