RALEIGH, N.C. (November 12, 2007) — Advanced Energy, a resource for innovative and market-based approaches to energy issues, announced its SystemVision program is proven to save 15% more in energy use and costs than standard code-built homes. The study compared 12 months of energy usage data in central North Carolina homes that were less than five years old. While a typical 1,700-square-foot house used approximately 17,056 kWh of energy with total costs of $1,431 yearly, the homes built to SystemVision standards used approximately 14,579 kWh of energy with total costs of $1,223, a savings of more than $200.
“Our goal is to improve energy efficiency in every home receiving public or charitable funding, at least to ENERGY STAR level, while improving the homes’ safety, durability, comfort, affordability and environmental impact,” said Brian Coble, director of affordable housing programs at Advanced Energy.

Launched in 2001, SystemVision, Advanced Energy’s Affordable Housing Program, provides the training and technical support that leads to improved health, safety, durability, comfort and energy efficiency of affordable homes. Non-profits developing low and moderate-income housing within North Carolina are eligible to start building with SystemVision and, through the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, funding is available to these non-profit organizations to help defray the costs often associated with building high performance homes.
To date, Advanced Energy has built 1200 homes in its SystemVision program.
Advanced Energy provides ongoing support throughout the design, construction and marketing processes, and all homes in North Carolina’s SystemVision program carry a heating and cooling energy guarantee. These house plan-specific guarantees generally range from $16 to $40 per month, with most falling between $25 and $30. If a home exceeds its guaranteed usage at the end of the year, Advanced Energy pays the difference to the homeowner. SystemVision homes also carry an Advanced Energy comfort guarantee to ensure that these homes are not only financially affordable to purchase and live in, but comfortable and enjoyable too.

About Advanced Energy
Advanced Energy is a Raleigh, N.C.-based nonprofit serving as a North Carolina and national resource that focuses on industrial process technologies, motors and drives testing, and applied building science. Its facility houses state-of-the-art laboratories for testing and applied research in all three of these evolving disciplines. Advanced Energy creates economic, environmental and societal benefits through innovative and market-based approaches to energy issues.