What is a HERS Score?
Definition: HERS is short for Home Energy Rating System and is the industry standard for measuring a home’s energy efficiency. With HERS, the lower the score, the more energy efficient the house is.
The average new home in Minnesota has a HERS rating of 50. With GreenHalo Builds passion for creating Net-Zero ready homes as a standard, our average home has a HERS rating of 25 and under. Below you will find an explanation of each HERS rating and how it impacts your home.
HERS index score of 50
This home is 50% more energy efficient than a standard new home and 80% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home (equivalent to the 2006 IECC), which already puts it in a better bracket than a standard new home.
HERS index score of 40
This is an excellent score indeed! The builder has done a lot of the right things to make this home more energy efficient, like using energy-efficient lighting systems and installing efficient heating and cooling equipment. A RESNET-certified Rater can recommend further improvements that could result in even more significant savings.
HERS index score of 30
A great score! This home is 70% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home (equivalent to the 2006 IECC). It has been designed and built with energy efficiency in mind, resulting in an environmentally friendly home with a high comfort level and low energy costs.
HERS index score of 20
This is a tremendous score! This house is well on its way to becoming a Zero Energy Home, which is environmentally friendly and produces as much energy as it consumes. Homeowners can apply for Energy Efficient Mortgages to help them finance the energy improvements they need to transform their homes into high-energy performance ones.
HERS index score of 10
This is a truly outstanding score! Tremendous effort has gone into making this home very energy efficient. These homeowners will enjoy watching their utility bills decrease while the comfort level of their home increases. The next step would be eliminating energy costs by having the house produce its energy. A RESNET-certified Rater can show you how to convert your home into a Zero Energy Home that produces as much energy as it consumes.
HERS index score of 0 (Net Zero)
This home is a Net Zero Energy Home. This means that this home produces as much energy through renewable resources, such as solar panels, as it consumes. Only a Net Zero Energy Home can score 0 on the RESNET HERS Index. Among the advantages of a Zero Energy Home are:
Improved health and comfort: a Net Zero Energy Home reduces temperature fluctuations.
Cost-effective: a Net Zero Energy Home that produces energy, shields its owner from price fluctuations, and can eliminate energy bills.
Environmental sustainability: a Net Zero Energy Home protects the environment by reducing greenhouse gases, cutting carbon emissions, and saving energy.