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Today, the House passed the bipartisan Home Star Energy Retrofit Act (H.R. 5019). 

This bill will provide immediate incentives for consumers who renovate their homes to become more energy-efficient.   Home Star will create an estimated 168,000 American jobs in construction, manufacturing and retail and save about 3 million American families an estimated $200-500 per year on their energy bills.  The reduction in energy usage will reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Home Star will spur home energy renovation with two types of consumer incentives:

Silver Star – This provides up-front rebates for specific energy-saving investments, including insulation, duct sealing, windows and doors, air sealing and water heaters at the time of sale. Homeowners receive up to $1,500 per improvement, with a rebate of up to $3,000 or 50 percent of the total project cost.

Gold Star – This rewards homeowners who conduct a comprehensive energy audit and implement measures to reduce energy use, backed by a quality assurance program. Consumers receive $3,000 for a demonstrated savings of 20 percent, plus an additional $1,000 for each additional 5 percent energy savings up to $8,000 – capped at 50 percent of the project cost.