Some of you may have heard the term Energy Efficient in relation to electronics and cars – but homes? This is a newer term used to describe a home that uses less electricity or gas to power the home. Truthfully, this concept has been around for quite some time, but people have only identified it with Energy Star. Truthfully there are many ways to save money and have an energy efficient home!
There is an energy efficient rating system called HERS, which stands for Home Energy Rating System and is monitored and certified by an organization called RESNET. The HERS rating is an easy way to quantify savings. The HERS scale is 0-100, with 0 being a home that uses 0 energy and 100 being a home that uses the ‘normal’ or ‘average’ amount of electricity – so its similar to golf, the lower the number the better. If a home has a HERS rating of 40, this means that the home is energy efficiently saving the home owner 60% on their utility bills. (Calculation – 100 (average) – 60 (Savings %) = 40 (HERS Rating)
Energy Star is a commonly known term that people associate with GE or Kenmore products, but this term is also cropping up with new home builders. Energy star certified homes save the homeowner 15% on their utility costs, which translates to a HERS rating of 85. Builders who promote Energy Star homes include Columbia Builders and Baldwin Homes.
Some homes can go even more energy efficient than Energy Star. Selfridge Builders offers homes with a HERS rating of 60 which saves the consumer 40% on their utility costs. They do this using a number of different methods including Energy Star appliances, special insulation, and in some cases even solar panels. With the use of solar panels existing home owners can increase their energy savings as well.
Several energy efficient homes are currently on the market. Follow the links to see what’s out there and start saving today!
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