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For Builders

Memberservices homeservices rightchoicehomes forbuilders 1860x1046

Why build Right Choice Homes?

Guaranteed comfort and energy efficiency gives you a market advantage to sell more homes.

  • Increased sales
  • Reduced call-backs
  • Help your homes stand out
  • Third-party guarantees of your building standards

Increased Sales

  • Homebuyers are looking for the most house for their money. Energy efficiency and indoor air quality are easy features to sell, particularly when buyers understand that they will save money each year they own their homes.

Reduced call-backs

  • Comfort and moisture problems are frequent causes of call-backs, which cost builders time and money. The Right Choice process helps ensure that the building envelope and the heating and cooling system are correctly planned and installed - and Jackson EMC guarantees comfort and energy efficiency.

Help your homes stand out

  • Right Choice is a symbol of energy-efficient construction - a great selling point as Americans focus on saving energy.
  • Participating in Right Choice shows your commitment to building quality homes.

Third-party guarantees of your building standards

  • Right Choice homes offer energy and comfort guarantees.
  • Right Choice homes are backed by Jackson EMC, a name people know and trust.

The Right Choice program offers builders:

  • Rebates from Jackson EMC
  • Reduced or free underground service
  • Third-party review of the size and design of HVAC systems
  • Training and support
  • Inspection and high-tech performance testing by trained technicians
  • A one-year comfort guarantee and a three-year energy usage guarantee

Resources for Right Choice Builders

Builder Guidelines

  • Certification and Standards (PDF Version)

Right Choice Forms

Savings from Upgrading Your Heating and Cooling System

This calculator shows annual savings estimates from upgrading your heating and cooling system.

Right Choice Homebuyers Checklist (PDF)

Right Choice Program Certification Process

The Enrollment Meeting starts your success as a Right Choice builder. All stakeholders in the certification process are required to attend an Enrollment Meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to communicate the process and the value of Right Choice to the builder, HVAC and air sealer/insulation contractors; review the Certification and Warranty Management Processes; and openly discuss questions about the program standards and HVAC load calculations.

The builder must submit house plans to Right Choice for each plan to be built. Salas O'Brien, a state-certified mechanical engineer with Errors and Omissions insurance, will calculate the heating and cooling load based on ASHRAE Fundamentals and also prepare the Georgia Energy Code Compliance Certificate for each plan. This service is an added benefit from Jackson EMC.

When the first home for each floor plan reaches the dry-in phase and before the rough-in phase, Right Choice will meet on-site with the builder and HVAC and air sealer/insulation contractors and conduct a walk-through to discuss how each trade intends to install their products. The discussion will include proposed duct design and layout, HVAC unit sizing, air sealing requirements, and suggestions for a successful Pre-Insulation Inspection.

This inspection must occur before wall insulation is installed. At the Pre-Insulation Inspection, the HVAC contractor should have the duct system fully assembled and sealed with mastic. The air sealer contractor must have completed all blocking and air sealing. A Right Choice technician will visually inspect for proper air sealing and duct installation, and will pressure test the duct system for tightness with the Duct Blaster.

This inspection must occur after house has a permanent power meter and after HVAC system start-up, but before closing. A Right Choice technician will perform a blower door test to check the home's air tightness, perform an e-Scan test to check for proper air distribution from the HVAC system, check the thermostat for proper function, and will visually verify appropriate air sealing, insulation, equipment size, and moisture control.

Once the home passes its Final Inspection, the builder is approved for the rebate and the home receives Jackson EMC's Energy Advantage Rate. Right Choice warranties begin when the home closes. Our Right Choice Customer Relationship Manager is your homebuyer's single point of contact for warranty delivery, review and claims process. The energy warranty states that the annual energy used to heat and cool the house will be below a certain kWh amount and is valid for 3 years. The comfort warranty states that the temperature in the middle of every room must stay within 3 degrees of the temperature setting at the thermostat location for that zone, and is valid for 1 year. The comfort performance is based on average annual weather data. Warranties and Jackson EMC's Energy Advantage Rate are transferable.

Right Choice Standards

All homes in the program must meet the requirements of the Georgia Energy Code, which is the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2015 Edition with Georgia Supplements and Amendments. A copy of the supplements and amendments may be downloaded from www.dca.ga.gov/node/5689.

Program Prerequisites Are:

  • Homes must be served by Jackson EMC
  • Homes must have heat pumps and electric water heaters
  • No unvented gas fireplaces allowed

For a full itemized list of Right Choice Home standards, download the PDF below.

Right Choice Home Certification and Standards PDF