Energy Efficient New Homes Get a Marketing Boost

If buyers could see from the start how energy efficient new homes save major dollars on energy costs, would they be more likely to open their wallets wider for a new home over old? In a market heavy with competition from distressed properties, Los Angeles-based builder KB Home and other new-home companies are betting they will -- and slapping stickers on their new homes with the relevant numbers to prove it.

Taking a cue from automobile manufacturers, KB Home is now giving consumers the complete energy lowdown before they buy, so the new home sticker shock isn't quite so shocking. The company provides prospective homebuyers with an upfront estimate of what their monthly gas and electric bills would be living in a brand- new, energy-efficient KB Home.

The label also shows buyers where the home ranks on an energy efficiency scale, much like appliances.