Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland’s three completed Freeport units were awarded Energy Star certification for high energy efficiency.

“In November my heating bill was only around $70,” said Habitat homeowner Nyapeni Doulthan. “I expect to it to go up in December and in the colder months, with the heating estimate for the year to be only around $375.”

The three units received scores between 41 and 43, verifying that the homes are nearly 60 percent more efficient than the average house built to code.

“This ranking places our homes far above a typical house, saving our Habitat homeowners thousands of dollars over the course of their ownership, and preserving valuable natural resources,” said Chad Mullin, construction manager for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland. “When many Maine families are struggling to heat their homes, Habitat families are spending around half the cost of one oil tank fill-up for the entire winter on their efficient natural gas heat.”

A new home earning the Energy Star label has undergone a process of inspections, testing, and verification to meet strict requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, delivering better quality, comfort, and durability.

Certified third party energy raters work with Energy Star builder partners to select energy efficient features for their homes and provide the independent verification necessary to earn the Energy Star label.

Each of the units built by Habitat received a Home Energy Rating System score, verifying its energy consumption in comparison to the average home built to minimum residential code. The estimated total annual energy cost for one of these homes, including: heat, hot water, electricity, and service charges, is between $1,300 and $1,400.

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