What is HERS?

With all the talk about green rating systems and programs, we thought we’d devote so time to trying to explain what some of them mean to the average home buyer.

“HERS” is the acronym for the Home Energy Rating System. The HERS index is a nationally recognized system for home a home’s energy efficiency is measured. The HERS program also sets the standard for home homes are inspected and scored.

The HERS index was created by an organization known as RESNET (the Residential Energy Services Network) in order to give homeowners and buyers a standard by which they could measure the energy efficiency of their home.

Home owners are also beginning to hide their garage and in the process creating a family entrance around the back of their home. This leads to an alternate layout that flips the home.

According to RESNET, the HERS score is similar to an automobile’s miles per gallon. Only for homes, a lower HERS score is better. A certified Home Energy Rater assesses the energy efficiency of a home, assigning it a relative performance score. Here’s how it works: A certified Home Energy Rater assesses the energy efficiency of a home, assigning it a relative performance score. The lower the number, the more energy efficient the home.

The U.S. Department of Energy has determined that a typical resale home scores 130 on the HERS Index while a standard new home is awarded a rating of 100. So a home with a HERS Index Score of 50 is 50% more energy efficient than a standard new home while a home with a HERS Index Score of 130 is 30% less energy efficient than a standard new home.

There are advantages of the HERS score, according to Steve Baden, the executive director of RESNET. “Today’s new homes are much more efficient in comparison to homes built just a decade ago. These homes are more affordable to maintain, comfortable, and have a higher value”.

To learn more about HERS or RESNET, go here: http://www.resnet.us/