The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET®) has announced that over four million homes in the United States have now been rated with a HERS® Index Score, measuring a home’s energy efficiency. The most recent milestone of 3 million HERS-rated homes was met just three years ago in 2021. Like the miles-per-gallon calculation for cars, a HERS Index Score allows for a uniform estimate of a home’s energy consumption and provides buyers/owners with a reference point for how energy efficient it is as compared to other homes. Heating, cooling, and water heating constitute the largest cost of homeownership outside of the mortgage loan, and the HERS Index Score can help homeowners outline the energy features of the home and the expected cost of utility bills. The HERS Index Score plays an increasingly important role in the housing industry, used by builders, utilities, real estate professionals, and government agencies to measure the efficiency of their homes, as rated by certified RESNET Home Energy Professionals. Says RESNET Executive Director Steve Baden, “Reaching four million HERS-rated homes is a significant milestone. Moreover, reaching a million HERS-rated in just a little over three years speaks to the continued upward trajectory of home buyers choosing more energy efficient, comfortable, and healthier homes.” By 2012, there were more than one million homes HERS-rated, followed by another million homes by 2017, another million by 2021, and now the milestone of over 4 million HERS-rated homes a little over 3 years later. Since RESNET began tracking HERS-rated homes as part of its National Buildings Registry, there has been a 126% increase in the number of HERS-rated homes. Consumer awareness of building performance and indoor air quality has increased significantly in recent years, and many home builders across the country have answered the call. In addition to the increase in consumer awareness, tax credits, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, more stringent energy codes, and market-driven incentives have motivated builders in recent years to improve the energy efficiency of the homes they construct. The four million HERS-rated homes: • Reduced carbon dioxide emissions by over 74 million tons (the equivalent of taking nearly 15 million passenger vehicles off the road for one year) • Improved the health and comfort of more than 16 million residents • Saved homeowners over $12 billion in energy costs In 2023, over 360,000 homes were HERS-rated, with over 28 percent of new single-family homes built receiving a HERS Index Score. The RESNET Board of Directors recently adopted a goal that a million RESNET ratings will be conducted annually by the end of 2028. Achieving this goal would dramatically increase the business opportunities for all of the RESNET network. Initiatives beginning in 2024 including ESG reporting, tax credits, code compliance, green mortgage back securities, water and carbon efficiency, the build-to-rent market, and veterans’ home loans are expected to have the greatest impact on reaching this annual million goal. RESNET will commemorate the 4 million HERS-rated homes milestone throughout this year, recognizing the RESNET-certified raters, inspectors, and contractors across the country who helped to reach this milestone. Visit https://www.resnet.us/about/us/4-million-hers-homes-and-counting/ for more information.
