E3 Power offers certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS®) rating services in the Denver area and throughout Colorado. As the most in-depth energy assessment of a home available, a HERS rating is the industry standard for measuring energy efficiency. HERS ratings are different from our energy audit services as they provide a more comprehensive analysis of your home and give you an Index Score based on your results.
Developed by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), each HERS® rated home receives a HERS® Index Score based on its performance, with a lower score meaning better performance. You can get a HERS rating score for a new home after construction, or for an existing home after energy retrofits, like upgraded insulation and efficient HVAC installation.
A HERS rating is a great choice if you’re:
- Planning on selling your home
- Interested in a net zero home
- Interested in reducing energy consumption
- Building a new home
- Looking for ways to improve energy efficiency, comfort, and indoor air quality
What Does a HERS Energy Rating Mean?
When a HERS rater performs an inspection of your home, they compare its performance to a baseline home that meets current building standards. The HERS Index rates homes on a scale, with 0 being net zero and 100 being the RESNET baseline home. You can learn more about the HERS Index and how different HERS ratings correspond to energy efficiency and heating and cooling costs in a home by using the RESNET interactive calculator.
At e3 Power, we use software provided by Architectural Energy Corporation called Ekotrope to calculate a home’s HERS Index score. During inspection, our HERS raters will collect data for many different areas of your home, including:
- Exterior walls (both above & below grade)
- Floors over unconditioned spaces (like garages & cellars)
- Ceilings & roofs
- Attic
- Foundation
- Basements & crawl spaces
- Windows & doors
- Vents & ductwork
- Heating, cooling, and water heating equipment
- Thermostats
- Air leakage & insulation
- Leakage in the heating and cooling distribution system
According to RESNET, the average HERS index score for homes tested in 2023 was 57, which is 43% more efficient than homes built in 2006. Each one-point reduction in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% decrease in energy consumption as compared to the reference home. A home with a HERS Index of 60 uses 40% less energy than the code minimum home of the same shape and size. It is important to note that a large home will most likely use more energy than a small home, assuming both homes are the same HERS index.
Benefits of a HERS Inspection for Home Sellers
It’s Easier to Sell Your Home
Many homeowners who are selling their property invest in a HERS inspection to help them sell their home. Energy efficiency is important to prospective buyers, and in addition to the total purchase price, many home buyers look at the operating costs of a residence to determine if it’s right for them. Utilities can be expensive, especially in an inefficient home. If you’ve recently made energy-efficient upgrades that have significantly lowered your HERS index score, this is something you’ll want to display.
You Increase Your Home Value
58% of real estate professionals say that highlighting energy-efficient home features can increase a home’s value. Researchers have found that an increase in rated energy efficiency has a direct correlation with a higher sale price.
You Have Proof Your Home Is Energy Efficient
Finally, an official HERS rating certification gives buyers proof that certain upgrades have made an impact on a home’s performance. You may have upgraded your insulation and performed air sealing, but without documentation of its effect, it’s tough for a buyer to find real value in it. HERS inspection results can give interested buyers an official reference point.
Make Sure Your Home is Code-Compliant with e3 Power
Our software will also issue International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ENERGY STAR compliance reports to you at the end of your rating. These reports are required by municipalities that have adopted the latest IECC codes to obtain a building permit.
E3 Power also provides insulation inspections and compliance checks for home renovations requiring energy code compliance. Many areas throughout Colorado now require the HERS rater to sign off on insulation inspections, blower door testing, and duct blasting to ensure quality work by the contractor and compliance with the relevant energy codes.
