Responsibility
Bosgraaf is also listed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a leading builder of Energy Star qualified homes. Bosgraaf uses materials and construction practices that achieve the Energy Star Plus rating because it’s the right thing to do.
Energy Star Savings
Energy Star homes provide big homeowner savings on heating and cooling expenses, cut back on the amount of energy used and have less overall impact on our environment.
Energy Star Partner
The Making of an Energy Star Certified Home: You can’t tell from looking at the house. And you can’t tell from the price. But when you buy a Bosgraaf home, you are getting the most energy efficiency available in a new home today.
Since 1999, Bosgraaf Homes has committed to building every one of its homes to standards set by Energy Star — a program through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to encourage energy efficiency. In the Fall of 2006, Bosgraaf unveiled its 1,000th Energy Star certified home – more than any other builder in the state. “When you look at our homes from the outside and the inside, they look like a high-quality newly constructed home. It’s when you go beneath the surface that you see our homes take this quality and energy efficiency to another level,” said Michael Bosgraaf, president of Bosgraaf Homes. In 2006, the EPA named Bosgraaf an Energy Star Partner of the Year for its outstanding commitment to energy efficiency and protecting the environment. “We build every one of our homes to Energy Star standards because we know it is the right thing to do for the environment and the homeowner,” Bosgraaf said. “At the same time as we reduce greenhouse emissions, our homeowners are enjoying greater comfort in their homes and reduced utility bills.” Homeowners in Michigan can save more than $500 per year on their energy bills in an Energy Star home.
An Energy Star home is 40 to 50 percent more efficient than new homes built to the 1993 National Model Energy Code. Building to Energy Star standards is not complex or highly expensive. It simply requires using proven materials, setting a standard for quality construction, and testing the finished product to be sure it has accomplished the goals. When you look beneath the surface of a Bosgraaf Energy Star certified home, here is what you will see:
Insulation: All Bosgraaf homes have R-38 attic insulation and R-13 wall insulation manufactured by NU-WOOL, a Jenison, Michigan-based company. R-value measures insulation’s resistance to heat flow, and the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power. With levels as high as R-38 and R-13, homeowners are assured optimal energy performance and energy savings, as well as quality sound-proofing. Bosgraaf also employs strict procedures for insulation installation, ensuring there are no gaps, compressions or misalignments. NU-WOOL Attic Insulation and NU-WOOL WALLSEAL are manufactured from recycled fibers. Each pound of the insulation contains at least 85 percent paper fiber content. The fibers are treated with boric acid and sodium polyborate to create permanent flame resistance. The additives are mold-resistant, nontoxic, non-corrosive, will not irritate normal skin, will not give off odor during or after insulation, will not attract vermin or insects and will not adversely affect other building materials. This environmentally friendly insulation provides up to 40 percent savings on energy bills when compared to conventional insulation materials.
Furnace: Bosgraaf uses 92 percent Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) furnaces which use up to 20 percent less energy than standard efficiency models.
Air Conditioning: All Bosgraaf homes are equipped with SEER 13 air conditioners for greater efficiency and durability. SEER, or “Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio,” is defined as the total cooling output provided by the unit during its normal annual usage period divided by its total energy input during the same period. With SEER 13 units, Bosgraaf homeowners are enjoying optimal cooling with minimal energy use.
Doors: JeldWen steel doors complement the JeldWen vinyl Low-E windows in every Bosgraaf home. The doors are made of 24-gauge galvanized steel with an epoxy coated galvanized steel interior and two coats of baked-on white exterior finish. With an insulating core and customized fit, the doors provide maximum energy savings.
Windows: Bosgraaf uses JeldWen vinyl Low- E windows to keep its homes cool in the summer and warm in the winter. JeldWen, like Bosgraaf Homes, has been named an Energy Star Partner of the Year. Low- E, or low-emissivity, insulating glass features transparent microscopic layers of silver placed between layers of anti-reflective metal oxide coatings. These coatings block 83 percent of harmful UV rays and 96 percent of the sun’s infrared heat. In the winter, Low-E helps keep homes warmer, reduces condensation, and offers greater visible light transmittance than tinted glass. So Bosgraaf homeowners are ensured the best year-round performance and energy savings of at least 15 percent over clear glass.
Air-sealed home: Bosgraaf homes are sealed with caulks, foams, weather stripping, gaskets and door sweeps in places that commonly allow air filtration. Ducts are sealed and Pactiv Green Guard house wrap is installed to shed water from the house. The result is air-tight construction with proper ventilation.
Faucets: Moen faucets are made with patented one-piece cartridges, which means no washers, springs or discs which commonly cause drips. By preventing leakage, these faucets allow energy savings for Bosgraaf homeowners.
Light fixtures: Bosgraaf homeowners now have the option to install Kichler energy efficient light fixtures in their home. These lights use 2/3 less energy than conventional lighting and last 6 to 10 times longer.
Programmable thermostat: Bosgraaf homeowners use Lennox programmable thermostats to regulate moisture levels and temperature inside their home around the clock, providing convenience and comfort, as well as energy savings. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that homeowners can save about $100 a year in utility bills when using a programmable thermostat properly.
Water heater: Bosgraaf homes are equipped with high efficiency, gas-fired, power vented water heaters. A high efficiency gas-fired water heater can reduce water heating bills by 10 to 25 percent over a minimum efficiency gasfired water heater.
Appliances: When new home buyers opt for General Electric Energy Star-rated appliances in their home, they can enjoy additional energy savings. GE Consumer & Industrial has been recognized as an Energy Star Partner of the Year for three years and this year, won the Sustained Excellence Award for its outstanding commitment to creating highperformance household appliances and lighting products that help reduce energy spending and protect the environment. Energy Star qualified GE refrigerators use 40 percent less energy than conventional models sold in 2001, and about 50 percent less than models manufactured before 1993. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, replacing a 10-year-old dishwasher with an Energy Star model can save $25 or more per year in energy costs.
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