Find out how energy efficient your home is by contacting a certified RESNET
HERS Rater for a comprehensive HERS home energy rating.
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Your HERS rating is calculated by a home energy rater. They perform an extensive examination of the home and use a computer model to generate your HERS rating. The model takes into account many different aspects of your home including (but not limited to) the insulation, the type of windows, how air tight the house is, the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems and the efficiency of your appliances.
Getting a HERS rating can help you understand the energy performance of your new home, and where you can make the most efficient upgrades in order to reduce energy consumption, making your living space more comfortable and more affordable to heat and cool! Furthermore, when in the process of buying and selling a home, a HERS rating can be a useful tool in calculating the cost of home ownership and the resale value of a home.
As more and more states recognize its benefits, HERS certification is becoming a more commonly required part of the building code for residential and commercial construction. The fact is, understanding energy codes and energy consumption can be complex. When states require HERS testing, they transfer the verification process to a third party, a HERS rater, who is specially trained in the science of energy efficiency.
Green certified homes sold for 9.5% more than non-certified homes. Even when accounting for the size difference between homes (high performance homes were an average of 4.3% larger), high performance homes had a higher market value, selling at a median of 3.6% more per square foot.
This study is not alone in finding higher market values for homes with greater energy efficiency. Research has found that high performance homes across the country (CA, TX and DC) sell for a premium of 3.5% to upwards of 9% more compared to average homes.
Research by the North Carolina Energy Efficiency Alliance shows that, on average, ENERGY STAR homes sell 89 days faster than traditional homes. And in California, the premium for energy efficiency far exceeds the associated incremental costs, continuing to demonstrate that efficiency is cost-effective for builders and developers.
Market premiums are not the only hidden value in energy efficient homes. The University of North Carolina and the Institute for Market Transformation found that the odds of mortgage default are one-third less for ENERGY STAR rated homes when compared to non-rated homes. The risk of defaulting also decreased by 4% with every point decrease on the HERS Index (a lower HERS score means more efficient), suggesting that the degree of efficiency is also important.
Energy efficiency is a priority for buyers on the house hunt. In a survey done by the National Association of Home Builders(NAHB), 46% of builders reported that marketing green homes was easier than marketing non-green homes, and a 2013 NAHB survey—aptly-titled “What Homebuyers Really Want”—found that energy efficient appliances, windows and home rating were three of the top 10 most-wanted home features. What’s more, buyers said they would be will to trade off home size for amenities like energy efficient features. Finally, while 71% of households think that energy efficiency is important, only 35% are satisfied with the current efficiency in their home.
These findings paint a broader picture of the value of energy efficiency and the continued demand in the marketplace. Not only do energy efficient homes help ensure a high performing, healthy, comfortable and resilient indoor living environment, but they also keep residents in their homes longer and sell more quickly and for a higher value than non-energy efficient homes.
Looking at the broader picture, these messages may be able to generate support for improved building energy codes and collectively move us towards a more efficient building stock.
