LEARN MORE AT energystar.gov ENERGY STAR* a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy program, helps us all save money and protect our environment through energy efficient products and practices. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov. Bennett Homes: Moving Ahead of the Competition with ENERGY STAR® Qualified Lighting Fixtures and the Advanced Lighting Package Bennett Homes, an award-winning builder in the Seattle, Washington area, has built a reputation on their commitment to protect our environment by offering energy-efficient homes. When planning their WoodDale and WoodGrove ENERGY STAR Homes communities they enhanced their commitment by including the ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package. The ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package requires that at least 60% of the hard-wired lighting fixtures and all of the ceiling fans meet the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy-efficiency and quality. Bennett chose to set their company apart from the competition by offering the ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package to their homebuyers. To showcase their ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures and fans and to educate their customers, Bennett built four model homes. The model homes help sell the benefits of ENERGY STAR by allowing the potential buyers to evaluate the style and aesthetics of the fixtures as well as the light quality. "All of the ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures received positive reactions from potential buyers. They add to the integrity of the home, improve the buyer's investment, and are the next logical step in building green." Janice McNeal, Independent Realtor for Bennett Homes This Bennett Model Home has 29 ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures, and will save the home owner over $200 per year in electricity costs. Benefits of ENERGY STAR Qualified Light Fixtures and The ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package • Use 75% less energy, reducing energy costs • Produce 75% less heat, reducing cooling costs • Meet strict performance guidelines to satisfy customer needs • Provide an environmentally friendly alternative • Help reduce greenhouse gas emissions • Are available in over 16,000 models with a large variety of styles and finishes to choose from for every room in the home • ENERGY STAR Point of Purchase marketing materials, the Builder Brochure, and the Consumer Brochure help builders distinguish their homes from the competition ------- "Bennett's commitment to building green includes using the Advanced Lighting Package to help homeowners save energy and protect the environment, while setting us apart from the competition." Paul Glosniak, Bennett Homes President Leverage Marketing Tools to Move Ahead of the Competition Advanced Lighting Package Declaration Every Bennett home built with at least 60% ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures receives an ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package Declaration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Declaration includes information on the features and benefits of ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures and is customized by EPA with the builder's name and logo, the house address, warranty information, and the environmental message. The Declaration can be showcased in a model home and can be presented to homeowners upon purchase of the model home, or any home meeting the ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package requirements. Educational Materials Bennett Homes used the Advanced Lighting Package Builder Brochure as part of their in-house training for staff and their realtors. They also distributed the ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package Consumer Brochure to explain the features and energy and cost saving benefits of qualified residential light fixtures to potential homebuyers. Media Outreach To help publicize the opening of the four new model homes with the ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package, Bennett Homes and the regional utilities organized a media event. Reporters from local TV and radio stations, newspapers, and building industry magazines were invited to tour the model homes and engage with building and lighting experts to learn more about the features and benefits of ENERGY STAR lighting fixtures. ENERGY STAR point of purchase materials such as hang-tags and signs were used to showcase the qualified light fixtures and fans. How the Advanced Lighting Package Helped Bennett Homes • Differentiated Bennett from the competition by providing extra value to the homeowner; • Potential home buyers were able to see a large selection of attractive fixtures in a natural environment; • Trained staff and realtors were able to explain the benefits of ENERGY STAR qualified lighting including the energy savings, increasing the buyer's interest in a Bennett Home; • Media relationships were improved by creating a publicity event and new messaging, leading to free publicity; and, • Supplier relationships were improved by leveraging their expertise in selecting the best fixtures for the model homes. To learn more about how to use the Advanced Lighting Package in your homes visit www.ENERGYSTAR.GOV/ALP "EPA applauds Bennett Homes for including the ENERGY STAR Advanced Lighting Package in their homes. The Advanced Lighting Package offers builders across the country a way to save home buyers money by reducing energy costs and green house gas emissions while distinguishing them from the competition." Alex Baker, EPA ENERGY STAR Lighting Program Manager United States Environmental Protection Agency » Office of Air and Radiation 6202J » EPA 430-F-08-029 » www.epa.qov » November 2008 ------- |