Home energy rating

A home energy rating is a quantification of the energy inefficiencies in a house, obtained through an energy audit and calculated using a rating system such as the National Home Energy Rating (NHER) or Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS). It helps consumers and the building community assess and compare the energy efficiency of houses, and can be used to determine if a home meets specific standards in ductwork and envelope tightness, as well as containing specific types of windows, water heating equipment, or appliances, lighting or ventilation systems.From: Domestic Energy and Affordable Warmth [2019], Management, Quality and Economics in Building [2019], Adoption of Energy Star certifications: theory and evidence compared [2018]

Building Performance and Energy Efficiency

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Purchase Book

Published in Dorothy Gerring, Renewable Energy Systems for Building Designers, 2023

Dorothy Gerring

Energy usage patterns for different building types can be compared through energy rating systems such as the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index and Energy Use Intensity (EUI). HERS Index is used for houses while EUI is used for commercial buildings. Both systems compare energy usage to building area, so it is possible to directly compare the energy efficiency of buildings.

Adoption of Energy Star certifications: theory and evidence compared

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Journal Information

Published in Building Research & Information, 2018

Andrew R. Sanderford, Andrew P. McCoy, Matthew J. Keefe

Under the performance pathway, homes were required to meet a home energy rating score (HERS) threshold based on their geographical region; meet specific standards in ductwork and envelope tightness; and contain specific types of windows, water heating equipment, or appliances, lighting or ventilation systems. Under the builder option package, homes could be constructed to include a specific list of products relative to: heating equipment, cooling equipment, thermostats, ductwork, building envelope, windows, water heating and lighting. In both the performance path and builder option package, the home’s performance was required to be verified by a specifically trained third party firm (Energy Star Version 2). At the time a home buyer took possession of an Energy Star-certified housing unit certified under this framework, the home was capable of operating at a minimum of 20% more efficiently than a code-built home (Sanchez, Brown, Webber, & Homan, 2008).1

Home energy rating

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Building Performance and Energy Efficiency

Adoption of Energy Star certifications: theory and evidence compared