All New Homes Are Not Created Equal: Some are HERS

Ideal Homes EnergyAdvantage homes are designed with your family in mind. Buying a new home does not just entail a down payment and mortgage. It also includes the everyday operational costs of being a homeowner. One of the most consistent ongoing costs is the energy bill. Not all homes are built the same and not all builders take the time to create the most energy efficient houses so that the home is not just affordable upfront, but continues to make livability easier in the long-term investment. Only the best-built homes have a Home Energy Rating System Score (HERS)What is the HERS Index? The Residential Energy Services Network RESNET created the nationally recognized system, Home Energy Rating System Index, which has become the industry standard by which energy efficiency is measured.

• The HERS index is a comparative analysis between your home's energy efficiency assessed against similar homes.
• In order to receive a HERS Score a home is inspected by a certified RESNET Home Energy Rater.
• Scores range from 150 (least efficient) to 30 (most efficient).

How does the HERS Index Score work? The lower the rating on the HERS index the more energy efficient a home. The more energy efficient the home the more savings realized on a monthly basis.

• A typical resale home scores 130 on the index according to the US department of Energy
• A standard new home that is not HERS certified scores around 100
• An Ideal Home rates between 65 and 35 on the HERS index
• An Ideal Home will save a homeowner over 60% per month on heating and cooling bills over a typical used home
• An Ideal Home will save a homeowner over 30% off a standard built new home by other builders.

Understanding and knowing where your home ranks on the HERS scale helps you calculate the true cost of homeownership. The savings you realize as you live in a HERS home can be put toward a multitude of possibilities while saving on your overall energy costs. And when it's time to sell your home, a HERS score could help command a higher resale price over similar homes on the market.