Ostercraft Homes Earth Advantage® Silver and ENERGY STAR®

All homes built by OsterCraft are Earth Advantage® and ENERGY STAR® certified. Upon certification our homes achieve the rigorous Energy Efficiency standards set by ENERGY STAR and meets the Earth Advantage guidelines of Energy Efficiency, Healthier Indoor Air, Material Responsibility, Land and Water Conservation, delivering a superior built home to our buyers. This level of achievement is designed to help our homes perform better and exceed those that are built to standard building practices.

Typical Energy Efficiency Features:

Forced Air Gas Furnace - A furnace rated to at least 90 AFUE means that it is 12% more energy efficient than the federal code.

ENERGY STAR® Lighting Package - Seventy-five percent or more of the lighting fixtures of this home are fitted with ENERGY STAR® rated fluorescent lighting products or LED products. Fluorescent lighting products use a fourth of the energy of standard incandescent lighting products.

Exterior Doors Made of Steel or Fiberglass - These doors are better insulated and are more durable than wood doors.

Intermediate Framing improves the thermal envelope and the home’s overall energy efficiency by insulating areas that traditional framing techniques do not.

Ductwork Design & Seal standard duct systems can lose up to 30% of every dollar of heating and cooling costs. By using mastic to seal all duct connections, conditioned air loss is reduced to less than 6%.

Thermal Bypass Checklist - This is a detailed list of best practices prepared from ENERGY STAR® guidelines, which helps ensure that multiple areas of heat loss and air leakage are addressed.

Healthier Indoor Air Features:

Direct or Power Vented Water Heater - Reduces the chance of back drafting, which can occur with an atmospherically vented gas water heater. This feature helps overpower any negative pressures that might affect the water heater and improves indoor air quality by exhausting fumes outside.

Low-VOC Latex Paint has less volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) to off-gas during the curing process. This improves indoor air quality both during and after the construction process is complete.

House Tightening Measures help ensure the home’s energy performance by reducing air infiltration through the thermal shell. This is accomplished by sealing areas such as plumbing and electrical penetrations.

Green Guard Certified Insulation - This material is made from low-formaldehyde and recycled content, making it efficient and improving the overall air quality in the home.

Material Responsibility Features:

Whole House Pressure Regulating Valve - This feature conserves water that is usually lost by drips or leaks that result from high pressure. It also reduces wear on the water system by supplying a consistent flow rate.

Water Efficient Lavatory Faucets - These faucets use aerators to mix air with the flowing water. The perceived flow is comparable with normal fixtures, can save up to 500 gallons of water per year, and reduces energy bills.

High Efficient Toilets - These use up to 20% less water than the federal standard and can conserve up to 4,000 gallons a year.

ENERGY STAR® Dishwasher - Saves water and uses at least 41% less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption.

Low water use plants conserve water by requiring little or supplemental water to the climate’s natural rainfall.

Water Conservation Features:

Rain-screen Wall System - A moisture management system that increases the longevity of materials by preventing moisture from entering the wall cavity. It also integrates drainage and ventilation to remove cavity moisture.

Fiber Cement Siding - This material is extremely durable (40+ years), making it an efficient alternative to traditional wood siding.

Hard Surface Flooring - This flooring does not harbor dust mites, mold, household dust and debris, or harmful chemicals that can off-gas into the home over time. Increasing the percentage of hard flooring provides a surface that is more durable and easier to clean than carpet.

Extended Eaves - These help cool a home by providing extra shade and extending the life of exterior materials, protecting them from the outside elements.

Land Conservation Features:

Recycle Jobsite Waste - One hundred percent of metal and/or drywall, and/or shrink wrap, and plastic is recycled. Standard construction typically creates 4 lbs. of waste per sq. foot of structure. This reduces the amount of total waste sent to the landfill.

Condensed Lot Size - This reduces land development, encourages higher density living, and maximizes current land, all of which minimize urban sprawl.

Access to Household Services - This home is located within walking distance of essential services, allowing household members the option to walk to services rather than drive.

Access to Public Transit indicates the house is within walking distance to public transportation (public shuttle, bus, train, park & ride, or light-rail) allows household members to more easily use the system.

Local Materials - From raw material extraction to the final jobsite product, this house practices excellence in land conservation by keeping the entire lifecycle of a given material within a 500 mile radius.

In-Fill Lot - Using a preexisting lot saves resources and land compared with the development of a new lot.

Note: all features are subject to change, please check with us to verify each measure.
For more information visit our Earth Advantage partners at www.earthadvantage.org