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Today’s new construction projects, such as new home developments on Long Island, now offer the “green” choice: Energy Star rated homes. Energy Star new construction houses are houses that meet certain stringent government guidelines regarding energy efficiency.

To be considered an Energy Star efficient new house, these new houses must meet these criteria set by the government at www.energystar.gov:

1. Efficient Insulation 2. High-Performance Energy Efficient Windows 3. Air Tight Construction 4. Efficient Cooling and Heating Equipment 5. Efficient Appliances 6. Third-Party Verification

What precisely is an Energy Star rating and how is it the green choice?

We’ll talk about green choices. Regrettably, the concept is tossed around so often that many companies claim many products are “green” just because they do slightly less damage to the ecosystem than other products. When we discuss about green, we’re discussing a major reduction of contaminants or a significant conservation of energy.

With houses, the main green impact is energy savings. Electricity and heat can be conserved in a number of ways, reducing the requirements for fossil fuels. Electricity, which is clean when used, still needs to be produced. Most often, it is produced by burning coal or other fossil fuels with massive negative effects on the environment. By cutting the electric demand, you can help reduce the amount of toxic fuel that needs to be consumed. By doing certain things in your new home, you can significantly reduce the electric demand.

First, you need to use high quality insulation in new construction. Make use of enough insulation to adequately protect your house from the outside elements. Ideally, you should insulate your basement, walls, floor and attic to help keep an even inside temperature. The steadier the temperature inside, the less often your heat will kick on, using energy to level the temperature.

Next, think about your windows. With new homes, you can use higher efficiency windows that reduce drafts, insulate outside cold temperatures and help block UV light (which can fade fabrics, paint and carpets, requiring you to replace them sooner).

Tight construction is critical. Small cracks and holes can create significant air flow points that can allow heat to escape in the winter and air conditioning to escape in the summer. When this happens, your heating and cooling systems need to work doubly hard to compensate. Fixing these leaks will significantly reduce your energy costs. With new construction, tight construction, especially around ducts and pipes leading outside, you will see a major impact.

Finally, as you choose a builder, for example www.EmmyHomes.com on Long Island, be sure the new homes have a verification of their Energy Star rating. This protects you to ensure that you receive the energy benefits that you expect from your new construction.

Craig Axelrod is one of the principals from Emmy Homes. Emmy is which is one of LI’s premier home developers. Emmy’s Commack real estate features new construction in Commack. Visit EmmyHomes.com for details.