Energy-Efficient Erie: Built by Maleno
Caption:
Maleno Builders, Inc. was presented with the Award of Excellence for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability at the 2019 Builders Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania Annual Banquet (Pictured Left: FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program Manager, Zach Ambrose. Pictured Right: Maleno Builders, Inc., Natalie Washburn).
By Zach Ambrose
At the Annual Banquet on Saturday, November 9th the Builders Association of Northwest Pennsylvania (BANWPA) announced winners of the 2019 Awards of Excellence.
An Erie home was recognized for the New Construction Energy Efficiency and Sustainability category, as the year’s most energy-efficient residential property built in Northwestern Pennsylvania.
The award, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program, was presented to Maleno Builders.
Erie-based Maleno Builders, Inc. was recognized for the third consecutive year for their continual commitment to construction practices that create year-round comfort and provide hundreds of dollars in annual energy cost savings for their homeowners.
“We are honored to have won the New Construction Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Award. It is a fantastic achievement to be voted for the third year running. We understand the importance of responsible stewardship for our environment and commitment of high value to our customers,” stated Dominic Maleno, Builder/Owner of Maleno Builders.
The award-winning home, located off West Grandview Boulevard, features a state-of-the-art smart home package with learning thermostat controls, a low energy-use mechanical ventilation system, and advanced insulation and construction practices that help control air movement in and out of the house.
Features of modern, energy-efficient homes include LED lighting, high efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, energy-efficient appliances and smart thermostats that allow better control over homeowner energy expenses.
The Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Award from the Home Builders Association culminates a year of transition for many Pennsylvania homebuilders. Pennsylvania energy code changes implemented October 2018, now require all residential new construction to be roughly 25% more energy-efficient than homes built to previous standards.
The Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program, offered by FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania utilities (Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power), reviewed entries for the Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Award. The Energy Efficient New Homes Program can offer guidance and financial assistance to builders who need help making the transition to the updated building codes and learning how to make their homes more energy efficient.
In addition to receiving recognition from their peers across the region, builders whose projects qualify for the Energy Efficient New Homes Program can earn hundreds of dollars or more in financial incentives. For multifamily projects, builders can earn thousands of dollars per building with rebates issued on a per-unit basis.
For information on energy code changes or incentives from the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program, contact Zach Ambrose at coordinator@energysavepa-newhomes.com or call 412-715-2297.
