Wednesday, November 17, 2010

HIS or HERS?! The EnergySmart Home Scale

The HERS Index...   you may be hearing a lot about it, but what is it?  (currently this rating is being re-branded as the "EnergySmart Home Scale")

















The HERS Index is a scoring system in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a home's HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is.

Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home.  So, a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home and a home with a HERS Index of 65 is 35% more energy efficient.


If you're buying a new home ask to see the HERS Index!  (if the home doesn't have one, get it tested!)

If you're building a new home, make sure to ask your architect to design it for a specific HERS Index.  (70 or lower is a good goal and also the threshold to meet the DOE's Builders' Challenge)

Stay tuned for info on Green Line Architects' Net-Zero Energy Home being built high up in the Colorado mountains.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

House Size Matters?

This Japanese home is extremely space-efficient, and besides the lack of art on the walls, looks very livable.

Could you be comfortable living in roughly 825 square feet?

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