We’re happy to announce that we have awarded our first Home Performance with Energy Star certificate to Columbia
resident Kathy H. -- and it’s the first certificate of its kind awarded in Columbia,
IL. Homeowners (and Ameren customers) are rewarded
for their energy efficiency upgrades with this Energy Star certification, if it
meets the Energy Star criteria for energy savings. We hit the mark for both air sealing and
insulation and now Kathy lives in and owns an Energy Star home. Congratulations, Kathy!
Here’s the best part:
Imagine that you spend $200 this year to save $200 in the
next five years. That means your payback
period is 5 years. Well, the payback
period on Energy Star/green homes has a twist: since we know that green homes
are selling at a 9% premium (see this study conducted over five years and of over onemillion homes in California), Kathy has already reached
the payback period on her investment – and then some. We can’t think of another investment that
offers this kind of immediate return. And
we haven’t even gotten to the part about improved air quality, a more
comfortable home, a smaller carbon footprint and lower energy bills. This is the kind of home improvement we can’t
see from our recliners when the work is completed…but the benefits outnumber
just about anything else we can do to our homes – and for the people that live
in them.
If you're still not impressed, try this: Through Ameren's Home Energy Performance Program (HEP) program, Kathy got Ameren to pay for $750 of the cost of the project! True story. See our incentives page for the details on this program.
If you’re an Ameren customer and ready to save money while living in a
more comfortable certified green home, we can get you there.