Home Energy Ratings - Evaluating Your
Home's Energy Performance
Snapshot & Benefits:
Home energy ratings are performed on
new and existing homes to evaluate each home's energy performance. Home energy
ratings are performed on new homes to verify energy performance for programs
such as Energy Start Qualified homes. Existing homes may benefit from energy
ratings by identifying cost-effective energy-efficiency improvements for the home. Additionally, home energy ratings are utilized by many
financial institutions to qualify homes for energy-efficient mortgages.
Estimated Cost Savings:
Home energy ratings can identify
cost-effective improvements
that potentially save homeowners hundreds of dollars
each year.
Issues:
Please be careful
not to assume
that your home inspector can perform an energy rating. In fact, many do not.
Getting It Done:
Energy ratings are performed by Certified Home Energy Raters. Find a list of qualified raters at the
Residential Energy Services Network's (RESNET's) online
Certified Rater Directory.
Videos On This Topic:
From EcoBroker International:
From Other Sources:
Home Energy Audit (9:26) - Green Dream Group -
An important step
to ensuring that your home is operating at its highest possible level is to get
a home energy audit. These audits will not only tell you if your home is
wasting energy, it will tell you where and, in some cases, how to fix it. One
of the most common tools used in home energy audits is the blower door test,
seen in this video explaining a typical audit.
Meeting the Green Challenge
- Home Energy Audit (8:04) -
In this video,
watch as a home energy auditor surveys an older house for places for potential
improvements, including appliances, attic leaks, and old furnaces.
More Information On This Topic:
Residential Energy Services Network: About Home Energy Ratings and Mortgages
Residential Energy Services Network: Home Energy Ratings - A Primer
Energy Star: Verification of Energy Star Qualified Homes
Lightly Treading, Inc.
EnergySmiths