According to Stormie Andrews, sales and marketing manager for Concordia Homes, these homes can collectively save homeowners about $65,709 on utility bills each year.

"While the financial savings to individual homeowners are significant, the environmental benefits of these Energy Star-qualified homes are equally impressive and translate to eliminating emissions from 72 vehicles, saving more than 435,000 pounds of coal, planting 119 acres of trees and eliminating more than 854,000 pounds of CO? per year," he said.

Concordia Homes is a member of the Southern Nevada Home Builders Association Green Building Partnership and one of few builders nationwide to be a NHQ Certified Builder.

It is the first builder in Nevada to sell homes inspired by GE Ecomagination. Concordia Homes' newest community, Sommerset, located in Henderson, features homes with solar panels that are certified to meet the stringent Environments for Living, Green Building program, which incorporates the latest energy saving technology. Concordia Homes is the first home builder to offer an all solar powered community in Nevada.

"Concordia Homes' commitment to the environment plays a major role in our long-standing history of excellence and customer satisfaction," Andrews said.

According to Sam Rashkin, National Director of Energy Star for Homes, "Energy Star qualified homes are better homes that cost less to own, protect our environment, reduce our reliance on imported energy, and improve our economy. Leadership in Housing Award recipients are making a meaningful difference at this critical time in our country's history."

Homes that earn the Energy Star meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the EPA. Energy Star-qualified homes are at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code. They include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30 percent more efficient than standard homes, such as effective insulation, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and Energy Star qualified lighting and appliances.

Now in its eighth year, Nevada Energy Star was recently recognized by the EPA at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., with its most distinguished award, Sustained Excellence.

This is the sixth consecutive year Nevada Energy Star Partners has received this award -- a feat accomplished by no other Energy Star partnership in the country. For more information visit thinkenergystar.com. For more information on Concordia Homes, visit concordiahomes.com.