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As a homeowner, how do you know whether your home is energy efficient or not? You could guess based on your own understanding of energy efficiency, but it’s much more effective to evaluate the energy efficiency of a home using the Home Energy Rating System (HERS®). To earn a HERS index score, a home must comply with many mandatory standards, including components like window sealing, wall sealants, and insulation. Let’s take a closer look at the HERS® Index, and why it’s so important.
Based on a scale of 0 to 150, the HERS® Index measures a home’s energy efficiency, with 0 being a net-zero energy home that generates as much energy as it consumes. On the other end of the scale, 150 indicates a home built to the minimum standards specified by the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). A professional energy auditor determines the HERS® Index Score of a house after physically inspecting the house and conducting a detailed analysis of its energy consumption. Newly constructed homes are expected to score 100 on the HERS® Index, so any score lower than that indicates higher energy efficiency than a standard new home. A home that scores 70 would be 30 % more energy efficient than a standard new home, while a home with a score of 130 would be 30% less energy efficient.
A home’s HERS® Score is calculated by a certified inspector from the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Conducting an energy audit on your home, the inspector compares the data against a ‘reference home’, a designed model home. This model home will be the same size and shape as your home, to keep the score relative to the size, shape, and type of house in which you live. The Energy Rating includes variables like the exterior walls, the floors over unconditioned spaces, ceilings and roofs, attics, foundations and crawlspaces, windows, doors, vents, and ductwork, and HVAC systems, water heating systems and the thermostat.
Determining your home’s score can give you a lot of information about your house. You can learn how efficiently it’s operating, and how you can save money on energy costs by making minor modifications. If you’re planning to sell your home, working towards a better HERS® Index Score can increase its value, and if you’re buying a home, looking at the HERS® Score can help you determine where you might want to make some changes to increase its efficiency.
Talk to Landmark customers and you’ll hear the same thing, over and over. Landmark Fine Homes are built to be both beautiful and energy efficient, and the proof is in the low energy costs for residents of Landmark communities. When you’re ready to build your dream home, Landmark Fine Homes has beautiful new and custom-built homes in a variety of sizes and floorplans, just waiting to become yours. Our homes are, not only energy efficient, but also built with the utmost attention to detail; some are located in active adult communities where you’ll find plenty to do. Make your next house the home of your dreams by contacting Landmark Fine Homes today!\