Replacement Windows & Home Star Energy Retrofit Act Passed the House
Posted by Bradley Chazin on Fri, May 07, 2010
The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act (H.R. 5019) passed the House by a vote of 246 to 161
The U.S. House on Thursday passed bipartisan, job-creating legislation that will help three million American families replace their old drafty windows with new high energy efficient Replacement Windows, renovate and insulate their homes, while putting 170,000 Americans to work.
What is Home Star?
Home Star is a two-year program designed to spur home energy retrofits by providing direct incentives to homeowners to install American-made, energy-saving Replacement Windows and conduct whole-home retrofits. The legislation will help three million families save an estimated $200-$500 a year on their utility bills, saving homeowners close to ten billion dollars in the next decade.
The Home Star Silver Program
The Home Star Silver Star program will provide up-front rebates for the installation of specific energy-saving technologies, including insulation, duct sealing, MN Replacement Windows and doors, air sealing, and water heaters. MN Homeowners will be able to receive up to $3,000 in rebates under Silver Star.
The Home Star Gold Program
The Home Star Gold Star program rewards Minnesota Homeowners who conduct a comprehensive energy audit and implement a full complement of measures to reduce energy use throughout the home. Consumers will receive $3,000, or half the cost, for measures that reduce energy use by 20 percent, and can receive up to $8,000 when additional energy savings are achieved.
How Do I Pay For My MN Replacement Windows?
Home Star also creates an innovative financing program to be sure that energy efficiency investments continue after the program's conclusion.
What Happens Next With Home Star?
The Senate version of the Home Star bill will need to get out of committee and on to the Senate floor for a vote. Right now the Senate is occupied with other legislation so I don't know when they will get this bill going.
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