GREEN DESIGN
We Build Efficient, Comfortable Homes Designed to Last a Lifetime
At Sterling Homes, sustainable home design and building are more than trends—they’re part of who we are. We believe that efficient and sustainable construction are crucial (we’ve even installed solar panels at our own South Burlington office!) and have been leaders in green home building in Vermont for decades, even before it was called “green!”
We know that our high standards—the ones set by third parties like Efficiency Vermont, and the ones we set for ourselves—might make our work more challenging at times. But to us, there’s no other way. An efficient home is about so much more than financial ROI or certifications. It’s about your quality of life in a home that is comfortable, healthy, and built to last.
Your Sustainable Home Building Options
Defining “green” home building can be a challenge. There is no single definition or set of standards that every builder adheres to, and each homeowner comes into the process with different ideas about what efficient or sustainable means to them.
At Sterling Homes, our goal is to make it simple for you by explaining all of your options. You don’t need to be an expert in green home design—that’s our job. The various standards may seem complicated, but we guide you through the process to achieve the result you want.
Just because a home is newly built doesn’t automatically mean it has been built with efficiency in mind. We choose to certify our homes through third party organizations to meet objectively high standards of efficiency. Here are the standards we build to, depending on your sustainability goals for your home.
The RBES is a set of energy standards that all residential buildings are required to meet by state law. Each individual builder must self-certify new homes to meet current state RBES standards.
We build all of our homes to the National Green Building Standard, which provides independent, third party verification that a home is designed and built to achieve high performance in six key areas.
By making a few upgrades to our standard home including balanced ventilation and continuous insulation, your home could be Efficiency Vermont Certified (exceeding code requirements). Building an Efficiency Vermont home gives you access to a personal energy consultant, incentives, and performance testing.
High Performance Homes exceed the criteria for Efficiency Vermont Certified ™ 2.0. High Performance Homes are built to deliver the highest energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and comfort possible. If you are interested in building a high-performance home, Sterling can work with you to design and build a custom home.
Certifications & Partnerships
National Green Building Standard™ (NGBS)
Sterling Homes has been building homes to NGBS since before its ANSI approval in 2009. NGBS provides independent, third party verification that a home is designed and built to achieve high performance in six key areas. To date, Sterling has certified 13 Bronze, 71 Silver, and 7 Gold-level homes through NGBS.
Efficiency Vermont Efficiency Excellence Network
The Efficiency Excellence Network (EEN) is made up of independent contractors committed to providing customers the highest level of professional energy efficiency services in Vermont.
National Association of Home Builders Certified Green Professional
Sterling Homes president Bart Frisbie and vice president Collin Frisbie are Certified Green Professionals (CGP) through the National Association of Home Builders. The CGP designation recognizes builders who incorporate green and sustainable building principles into homes— without driving up the cost of construction.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Sterling Homes has built five LEED-certified homes in the South Village neighborhood in South Burlington.
ENERGY STAR®
Sterling Homes was one of the first major Chittenden County builders to begin certifying all of its homes to the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR Home standards. While we have currently paused our participation in this program due to lack of value for our customers, we still believe in installing energy-efficient appliances.
Vermont Residential Building Energy Code Advisory Group
Collin Frisbie is an active contributing member of an advisory group with the goal of updating the state’s building energy codes.
Your Happy, Healthy, Efficient Home
Everyone has different goals for their new home. Our focus on efficient construction gives us the opportunity to guide our clients in getting exactly what they want from their home. For some people, being as green and environmentally friendly as possible are top priorities. For many others, a comfortable and long-lasting home that balances efficiency with great finishes is more their style.
We believe our job is to work with you to create the right balance of efficiency, sustainability, and your personal style to create a healthier, more comfortable home. Your return on investment is more than financial—it comes from you being happy and healthy in your home.
Empowering you to live comfortably in your new home
Education is a crucial component of living comfortably in your new home and keeping all of its systems running smoothly for years (even decades!) to come. We provide you with all of the education and resources you need to keep your home in peak operating condition and reap all of the energy efficiency benefits. Understanding how your home works empowers you to maintain it properly.
- Multiple orientations at different stages of the construction process allow you to see the inner workings of your house’s systems. We take the time to explain how each system and appliance operates for maximum efficiency.
- Online client portal is updated several times per week so you can see the construction process and attention to detail even when you can’t be on-site.
- Photo records of framing include clearly labeled photos of your home’s construction from start to finish, so you’ll always have a reference for your home’s inner components.
- Home binders containing all of the documents and manuals you need is also given to you at the time of closing. You also receive a thumb drive with digital copies of your documents and all of the pictures from your client portal.
Helpful Green Home Building Resources
Technology and advancements in the construction industry have allowed green home building to move forward rapidly over the last several years. In 2018, Efficiency Vermont raised the bar on their qualifications for rebate and incentive programs. The resources below help homeowners understand how Efficiency Vermont’s updated standards are helping lead Vermonters toward a better energy future.
Building Your New Home with Efficiency Vermont: Specifications & Incentives
Balanced Ventilation: Improve air quality and health
