Delaware launches Green for Green rebates for Delaware new home buyers

Delaware has launched Green for Green, a first-of-its-kind rebate program for Delaware home buyers who purchase nationally certified, energy-efficient green homes.

The program is a collaborative effort among the Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Home Builders Association of Delaware.

The program provides homeowners with rebates of $3,000 to $6,000 toward the costs of newly constructed homes that have been upgraded to national green standards for energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, building materials and other conservation-oriented, energy-saving features.

“Improving energy efficiency is both financially and environmentally responsible,” said Gov. Jack Markell. “We want smarter, more sustainable home building that drives down energy use and energy cost. By encouraging green building, we are creating new opportunities in the building industry and ultimately, new jobs.”

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Energy at a level up to $300,000, the rebates will fund energy upgrades for approximately 80 homes throughout the state. During its first year, the program could produce an estimated 284 local construction and related jobs and $22.5 million in local income, according to a Delaware-specific study performed by the National Association of Home Builders in 2009.

To qualify for a rebate, a home must be certified by third-party inspection to meet the standards of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) National Green Building Standard (NGBS) program or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes (LEED-H) and follow the guidelines of the Delaware Green for Green Program.

“Delaware is emerging as a national leader in green home building,” said Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara. “The Green for Green program promotes green homes that provide significant environmental and financial benefits for homeowners and all Delawareans by using less energy, water and resources and providing a healthier and safer environment.”

According to the NAHB Research Center, on a per-capita basis, Delaware ranks No. 1 in the nation for certified green homes in the NGBS program, and the state has the fourth largest number of certified green homes in the country in terms of actual numbers.

To meet the criteria of the program, eligible homes should be located in designated growth areas, according to Delaware’s strategies for state policies and spending, stateplanning.delaware.gov/strategies/strategies.shtml
. While exceptions will be considered, in general, nongrowth areas are not served by infrastructure and services, tend to consume more land and require inefficient expenditures of taxpayer dollars, and have greater effects on natural resources, traffic and roads, agriculture and air quality.

The program will be administered by the SEU Energize Delaware program in partnership with the Office of the Governor, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the Home Builders Association of Delaware.