Best Practices for Selling ENERGY STAR Certified Homes

1

• Best Practices for Selling ENERGY STAR Certified
  Homes

Learn more at energystar.gov
2
Agenda

• The ENERGY STAR Value
• The Sales Process
• Best Practices
• QA / Discussion

2
3
The ENERGY STAR Value
3
4
Some Big Changes

• More stringent core efficiency measures
• New inspection checklists
• Move from features to systems
• Additional Quality Assurance
• New marketing platform Better is Better

4
5
Value in every certified home
Core Efficiency Measures
System Inspection Checklists
5
6
Value in every certified home

• Guarantees that efficiency measures are included
  in every certified home

Core Efficiency Measures
6
7
Value in every certified home

• Sets standards for often-overlooked details that
  have a critical impact on efficiency, comfort,
  quality, durability
• Reflects 15 years of experience from EPA,
  researchers, industry, and thousands of partners
  like you

System Inspection Checklists
7
8
Value in every certified home

• Unmatched value proposition for the homeowner
• Lower utility bills
• Better comfort, durability, and quality
• A more livable home

Core Efficiency Measures
System Inspection Checklists
8
9
The ENERGY STAR brand promise

• Cost-effective
• Meaningful improvement in efficiency
• Equal or better performance

CFL Quality
Lifetime
Reliability
Starting time
Color
9
10
Value through building science
If you want your homes to be..
Affordable
Comfortable
Durable
Building science says to have a..
1
2
3
Complete Thermal Enclosure System
Complete HVAC System
Complete Water Management System
10
11
Thermal Enclosure System
1

• Features
• High-quality insulation installation.
• High-performance windows doors.
• Tightly sealed home.
• Reduced thermal bridging in walls.

Thermal Enclosure System Checklist
11
12
Thermal Enclosure System
1

• Why is this important?
• A well-insulated and air-sealed home, with good
  windows and doors, reduces the amount of energy
  needed to keep the home comfortable.

Thermal Enclosure System Checklist
12
13
Complete HVAC system
2

• Features
• A right-sized and properly installed heating,
  cooling, and duct system.
• A ventilation system that meets the industry
  standard.
• Reduced safety and air quality risks from
  combustion appliances.

HVAC System QI Checklists
13
14
Complete HVAC system
2

• Why is this important?
• Improved airflow efficiency maintain comfort
  with less energy.
• Proper sizing costs less and better manages
  humidity levels.
• Ventilation systems remove indoor air pollutants,
  provide outdoor air, and filter dust and
  particles.

HVAC System QI Checklists
14
15
Water Management System
3

• Features
• Water-managed roof, walls, foundation, site, and
  building materials.

Water Management System Checklist
15
16
Water Management System
3

• Why is this important?
• Prolonged moisture in walls, floors, and ceilings
  can cause rot and mold, hurting durability.
• Wet walls, floors, and ceilings in air-sealed
  homes dont dry as quickly therefore, its more
  important to not let them get wet.

Water Management System Checklist
16
17
Thirdparty Verification

• Provides peace of mind that comes with making a
  smart purchase
• These homes undergo significantly more systems
  engineering, inspections, and testing than homes
  built to code.
• Therefore, you can identify and correct mistakes
  before they become problems.

17
18
The Sales Process
18
19
The Sales Process
19
20
Talk about ENERGY STAR
no discussion no benefit to you
20
21
Steps in Working with a Prospective Homebuyer

• Introduce your company
• Evaluate and understand each prospect
• Fulfill buyer needs
• Feature
• Advantage
• Benefit
• Evidence
• Validation
• Conduct financial analysis

21
22
Introduce Your Company

• Discuss with prospective buyers
• Why you build ENERGY STAR certified homes
• How does this explain who you are
• Your companys commitment to sustainability

22
23
Evaluate Understand Each Prospective Buyer

• What has prompted your visit today?
• Why are you considering buying a new home?
• Can you tell me about your current home?
• Can you tell me a little about your family?

23
24
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs
24
25
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs
25
26
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs
26
27
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs

• I know you really liked the idea of
• From what you told me
• Isnt it nice to know
• What this means for you is

27
28
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs

• Credible Documentation- ENERGY STAR
  Logo/Sticker- HERS Rating- Checklists- EPA
  Fact Sheets - Testimonials- Warranties (energy
  bills, comfort)

28
29
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs

• Technology Displays
• See the difference (e.g., Open wall showing
  advanced insulation installed correctly)
• Feel the difference (e.g., Advance Window next to
  a standard window)
• Hear the difference (e.g., bucket with advanced
  insulation and noisemaker inside)
• Photos
• Digital (testing, verification, technology)
• Infrared (x-ray vision for quality)

29
30
Mini Presentation Fulfilling the Buyers Needs

• Wouldnt you agree that

30
31
Financial Analysis

• Proven better performance than non-certified
  homes
• 20-30 better energy efficiency vs. typical new
  homes
• Even better, when compared to most re-sale homes
  on the market
• Estimated to save thousands of dollars in utility
  bills over typical 7-8 years of ownership

31
32
Financial Analysis

• ENERGY STAR investment of X at X interest for
  30 years
• BUT, savings of X per month in utility bills
• AND if fuel prices increase, savings increase
• Investing in energy efficiency
• saves monthly costs
• valued with the home
• a growing sales incentive as energy continues
  to play an important role in the daily cost of
  living

32
33
Recap

• Introduce your company
• Evaluate and understand each prospect
• Fulfill buyer needs
• Feature
• Advantage
• Benefit
• Evidence
• Mini-close
• Conduct financial analysis

33
34
Best Practices
34
35
Train Your Staff

• ENERGY STAR Website
• Fact sheets
• Continuous training at sales meetings
• Role-playing

35
36
Create Simple Messages

• Weve got a 90 AFUE furnace, a 14 SEER air
  conditioner, R-15 staple-less batts, R-8 duct
  wrap
• Minimize use of technical terms or jargon
• Simplify your messages and use analogies and make
  comparisons instead.

36
37
Use Analogies

• Our air sealing is like closing a hole in your
  wall the size of a window.
• Think of heating and cooling ducts as the lungs
  of your home...

37
38
Make Comparisons

• Did you know that a typical home can cause twice
  the greenhouse emissions of the typical car?
• Homes typically contain a half-mile of cracks
  and gaps around windows and doors.

38
39
Make the most of your Happy Homeowners

• Post testimonials in your sales office
• Connect to customers on social media sites
• Provide a cash bonus or gift referral

39
40
Hold Homebuyer Events

• Hold a Muddy boots Tour
• Invite top prospects to tour a home under
  construction
• Explain how your homes compare and point out
  behind the wall features
• Home Energy Rater and top subcontractors are in
  attendance to answer questions
• Invite happy homeowners

40
41
Cultivate Real Estate Champions

• Host a training or breakfast in your sales office
• Walk them through one of your homes under
  construction
• Educate on the value of ENERGY STAR
• Drop off flyers to top offices
• Maintain communication

41
42
Use Consumer Brochures
www.energystar.gov/publications
42
43
And Fact Sheets

• Thermal Enclosure
• Water Management
• Heating and Cooling
• Lighting and Appliances
• Independent Testing and Verification

www.energystar.gov/newhomefactsheets
43
44
Referencing ENERGY STAR

• Always write ENERGY STAR in all caps
• Always add in superscript the first time ENERGY
  STAR is mentioned on a document
• Homes are now certified
• Program specifications are guidelines not
  standards
• XYZ Builder is a partner not endorsed by EPA
  or the government

44
45
Stay Connected

• Follow us on Twitter twitter.com/energystarhomes

45
46
Stay Connected

• Like us on Facebook facebook.com/energystar

46
47
Action Plan

• Train your staff
• Practice selling ENERGY STAR features and
  benefits (e.g. role-play)
• Hold events
• Use ENERGY STAR resources available online

47