RALEIGH -- The North Carolina State Energy Office is joining with the makers and sellers of manufactured homes and the support of utility companies to help the state’s consumers cut utility bills and get money back for buying energy efficient homes with the new North Carolina ENERGY STAR Plus Initiative.
Buyers of manufactured homes will receive a $500 rebate when they purchase an ENERGY STAR-rated home. In addition to the cash back, homeowners will save about $74 per monthor $888 a year – on utility bills compared with a home of the same size that is not ENERGY STAR rated. In many cases, electric service providers are offering additional savings incentives on energy-efficient homes.
NC ENERGY STAR Plus provides an incentive for homeowners to purchase a home that may have a slightly higher monthly mortgage, but ultimately saves the customer money through energy efficiency and lower monthly utility bills. The rebate also more than covers any increase in added down payment for the ENERGY STAR home. Homebuyers begin saving money as soon as they move into their new home.
For example, a family purchasing a new ENERGY STAR Plus manufactured home in Raleigh that is 1,570 sq. ft. is estimated to save $73 each month compared with a standard manufactured home. Upgrading to an ENERGY STAR Plus home will cost an estimated $25 per month in added monthly mortgage costs. Combined with the savings on utility bills, the total monthly homeownership costs will actually be $48 less each month.
“We want to get homebuyers to look at the advantages of energy savings that can help them purchase a higher quality home, save on utility bills and help the environment,” said Ward Lenz, director of the State Energy Office. “This helps consumers, conserves energy and even boosts North Carolina’s economy.”
The rebate program is sponsored, in part, by the State Energy Office with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Also sponsoring the program is the North Carolina Manufactured and Modular Homebuilders Association. The initiative is being supported by Progress Energy, Duke Energy, GreenCo (the energy efficiency and renewable resources initiative of the N.C. Electric Cooperatives) and Piedmont Natural Gas.
In addition to the rebate and monthly savings, Progress Energy and Duke Energy customers purchasing a new ENERGY STAR home also qualify for a 5 percent discount on their utility bills.
A special website, www.NCEnergyStarPlus.org, explains the program to North Carolina consumers and includes an easy-to-use, fill-in-the-blank calculator so potential buyers can see for themselves how much an ENERGY STAR-rated manufactured home can save them. The site also includes a listing of manufactured home retailers participating in the program. There are links to the website on the N.C. Energy Office web home page, www.energync.net.