Energy Audits - HERS Rating
Our goal is to help home owners create a comfortable and healthy building environment while consuming energy efficiently. We evaluate energy-efficient upgrades and perform cost/benefit analyses. For new construction or additions we adhere to the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency's "Energy Star Homes" program for energy efficiency and the NAHB National Green Home Building Program.
Energy Efficiency is the place to start when thinking green. That’s because energy efficiency impacts new homes as well as existing homes. Existing homes comprise the vast majority of the currently available housing stock. Energy efficient homes save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality, and help protect the environment. I have yet to conduct an energy audit on an existing home where I’ve been unable to realize significant energy savings.
Currently there are efforts to develop certification for home remodeling projects. Given today’s mortgage market, it is likely that a certified energy rating may become a mandatory requirement for obtaining a mortgage. For example, take home #1 with an average monthly energy bill of $300 as compared to home #2 with a $400 average monthly energy bill. Home #1 could qualify for an additional $100 in monthly mortgage payments - an additional equivalent of about $20,000 in home value because of lower energy consumption. In the meantime these energy consumption comparisons compare future expenses to occupy the home. It’s the same as comparing cars' MPG ratings when considering the purchase of a new car.
For new homes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed strict guidelines for energy efficiency called an Energy Star Rating. An Energy Star certified home must be independently verified by a certified energy rater for conformance. The features of a qualified home include:
- An Efficient Home Envelope, with effective levels of wall, floor and attic insulation properly installed, comprehensive air barrier details, and high-performance windows and doors,
- Efficient Air Distribution, where ducts are installed with minimum air leakage and are effectively insulated,
- Efficient Equipment for heating, cooling and water heating,
- Efficient Lighting, including fixtures that earn the Energy Star, and
- Efficient Appliances, including Energy Star qualified dishwashers, refrigerators and clothes washers and dryers.
When considering the purchase of a new home or existing home, often a buying consideration is the reputation of the builder. But reputations do not equal a quantified certification from an independent 3rd party as to the build- quality of that home. The certification will also carry from one owner to another long after the builder's reputation is forgotten.
A detailed look at what is verified with each home that is certified through the Energy Star program and the National Green Home Building Program will be found on the Services page of this website.
