HOME STAR is legislation proposed by the Obama Administration and is designed to employ workers in the hard-hit construction industry, offer environmental benefits, and rack up energy savings for US consumers. This proposed initiative would establish a $6 billion rebate program to encourage homeowners to make immediate investment in energy-efficient appliances, building mechanical systems and insulation, and whole-home energy efficiency retrofits.

For a detailed description of the HOME STAR proposed legislation including the two types of incentives, Silver Star and Gold Star, follow the links below:

• HOME STAR Coalition
• Efficiency First
  
  

The HOME STAR Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, more commonly known as “Cash for Caulkers,” passed the House of Representatives with flying colors (246 to 161). The bill now resides in the Senate and is under consideration. The bill has bi-partisan support and is backed by the HOME STAR Coalition, more than 1,300 supporters from labor unions, the Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, contractors, retailers, utilities and regulators, among many others. 

For up to the minute updates on the status of HOME STAR follow the link below:

• HOME STAR Coalition
• Efficiency First
   

HOME STAR is designed to create more than 168,000 jobs in the hard hit construction industry by using rebates to spur Americans to hire trained professionals to make energy efficient home improvements. To help ensure widespread participation and job creation, the government is making accreditation and training programs readily accessible to interested contractors.  

HOME STAR will provide additional information specific to certification and training for professionals. Certification will be handled on a state-by-state basis with federal funding. Until there is more information specific to HOME STAR, a great resource for training professionals in general can be found in the “Contractor Resource” section of the Efficiency First web site.
 

Yes. As currently proposed, contractors will need to enroll in the program by registering and presenting proof of licensing and insurance to a quality assurance provider through BPI, RESNET, or a provider designated by the state quality assurance plans.
 

Yes. We support HOME STAR and applaud its promise to stimulate demand and generate employment opportunities in the hard hit construction and manufacturing industries.

But, in passing the bill through the House, language requiring products to last five years in order to be eligible for tax incentives was recently changed to just one year.  

One year? This is simply not enough time to ensure that the weatherization efforts or the savings promised by HOME STAR to the American taxpayer will last.  Moreover, we believe that contractors and construction workers who are central to HOME STAR’s success deserve to have access to the longest lasting, most energy efficient products, and nothing less, to ensure their success.  

Therefore, as the bill goes through the Senate, we are lobbying to include language requiring all products used to retrofit the home to have sustained energy-efficiency. We believe that the previous five-year requirement or, an even more effective 10-year requirement, represents a more sound policy, from both economic and environmental perspectives.  

To get involved and demonstrate your support for HOME STAR with a minimum of a five-year product life for all tax incentive eligible products, please click here.
 

To demonstrate your support, use the links below to find contact information for Senators from your state. Then call and/or write to their offices urging them to support HOME STAR with the inclusion of a minimum of a five-year product life for all tax incentive eligible products.
 

• To find contact information for your Senators, go to www.senate.gov. Select your state from the “Find Your Senators” drop-down menu on the upper right corner of the page and click “Go.”

Click here to download a sample letter that you can modify and personalize in any way you choose. In addition to sending this letter to your state Senators, please also consider sharing it with your local media, Twitter, and Facebook fans Winning widespread support for the five-year minimum is critical to help ensure HOME STAR delivers sustained savings for America.
 

Yes. Under the currently proposed standards and the proposal to require products to last five years (or 10 years) in order to be eligible for tax incentives, GE’s family of silicone caulks would be considered eligible for tax rebates under the HOME STAR program, if approved.  

The proposed HOME STAR program would provide rebates to homeowners who retrofit their homes to increase energy efficiency. Improved air sealing with caulk, insulation and advanced building materials are just some of the recommended measures that would be eligible for tax rebates.  

For a detailed description of the HOME STAR proposed legislation including the two types of rebate programs, Silver Star and Gold Star, follow the links below:

• HOME STAR Coalition
• Efficiency First
   

HOME STAR does not currently call out specific caulks to use for weatherization. But if you want to keep your clients happy generate lasting savings for them by using 100 percent silicone, not acrylic caulk.  

Unlike acrylic caulk, which is vulnerable to the effects of Mother Nature and can break down over time, silicone remains permanently flexible, shrink-proof, crack-proof, and waterproof. In fact, 100 percent silicone remains unaffected by all weather and temperature conditions, helping prevent energy-wasting gaps and cracks.
 

A wide variety of organizations, corporations, and trade groups support HOME STAR. For a full list of supporters, please visit the web sites for the HOME STAR Coalition, a group of more than 1,300 organizations and businesses banded together to support the passing of HOME STAR; or visit Efficiency First, a national nonprofit trade association that promotes the benefits of efficiency retrofitting to help industry grow to meet unprecedented demand for quality residential energy improvements.