Initiates Home Builder's 'Green Build Kentucky' program

Contact:  Ricki Gardenhire 502-564-5525 or Lee Colton 502-564-7192

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 21, 2008) – With an insulation wand in hand, Gov. Steve Beshear today got some hands-on experience in making a newly constructed home ‘green.’ 

In celebration of Earth Day, the governor added his touch to a new home in Lexington and installed insulation behind an uncompleted wall, helping kick off the ‘Green Build Kentucky’ program, sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Kentucky.

The governor was joined by the secretary of the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet Robert Vance and others on a walk through an ENERGY STAR home that’s being built by Ideal Homebuilders, a recent ENERGY STAR Award of Excellence recipient. 

“One area that can lessen the impact we have on our environment is in the residential construction industry,” said Gov. Beshear. “Since residential structures represent about a third of the electricity usage in the nation, this is an important energy issue.  And, building more energy efficient homes can save the homeowner about 30 percent on utility bills and lessen the amount of pollution.

“In fact, these homes address other environmental issues. Construction methods reduce the waste generated and sent to landfills, lowering costs for local governments. Using low-water use fixtures reduces demand on water supplies. Ten homes built to these standards eliminates greenhouse gases equivalent to emissions from seven vehicles,” the governor added.

Bill Hodges, Lexington builder and chairman of the state association’s Green Building Committee, said, “Green Build Kentucky is a voluntary program that incorporates the National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines and the federal ENERGY STAR program.

“We are extremely pleased that Gov. Beshear is calling attention to this program that is designed to provide environmentally sound principles in residential construction,” he added.

ENERGY STAR is a federally sponsored program by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information about ENERGY STAR or to find ENERGY STAR-certified builders in Kentucky, visit www.energystar.gov. Other Web sites of interest include the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet at www.eppc.ky.gov and the Governor’s Office for Energy Policy at http://www.energy.ky.gov/.