H.  R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010

Thursday, 06 May 2010 07:47

Today, the House of Representatives will consider H.R. 5019, the Home Star  Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, legislation that will incentivize home energy  retrofits and increase employment in the construction and related sectors.

Home Star is a short-term program to create jobs, save energy, and lower  families' energy bills. Home Star will restart the assembly lines at factories  that manufacture energy efficiency technologies and will put construction  workers back on the job installing these improvements in the homes of millions  of American families.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Home Star?

Home Star is designed to spur home energy retrofits by providing rebates to  homeowners who install energy-saving products, such as insulation, windows,  doors, and heating systems. Home Star includes two tracks to provide long and  short-term benefits.

The Silver Star program will provide up-front rebates for the installation of  specific energy-saving technologies, including insulation, duct sealing, windows  and doors, air sealing, and water heaters. Homeowners will be able to receive up  to $3,000 in rebates under Silver Star.

The Gold Star program rewards 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.

Home Star also creates an innovative financing program to be sure that energy  efficiency investments continue after the program's conclusion.

How  Much Does Home Star Cost?

Home Star is authorized at $6 billion; however, H.R. 5019 will not include  any appropriated funds during floor consideration. The Congressional Budget  Office has said, "Enacting the bill would not affect direct spending or  revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures would not apply. H.R. 5019  contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the  Unfunded Mandates Reform Act

Why  Home Star?

Home Star is expected to allow 3 million families to retrofit their homes to  be more energy efficient. Consumers are predicted to save $9.2 billion on their  energy bills over the next 10 years as a result of Home Star's energy efficiency  investments. And, Home Star will create 168,000 new jobs here in the United  States. Construction jobs cannot be outsourced and more than 90 percent of  energy efficiency technologies are manufactured here in America.