Builders can claim that their homes are energy efficient. But many of the energy efficiency features in a home are not visible, so how can home buyers really be sure? Look for homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR—these homes have had their energy efficiency independently verified by an inspector known as a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater. These professionals advise builders how to select the most appropriate energy-efficient features for a home, inspect and test the home during construction, and then verify that the home meets EPA’s strict guidelines for energy efficiency.
HERS raters are trained to evaluate construction techniques, take key measurements, and perform inspections and testing procedures to verify a home’s energy-efficient performance. Here’s how the process works:
Selection of Energy-Efficient Features
HERS raters help builders choose energy-efficient features for their ENERGY STAR qualified homes in two ways.
- With a traditional HERS rating, a HERS rater simulates a home’s energy use with specialized computer software. The results of this analysis allow the HERS rater to identify the most effective upgrades to meet ENERGY STAR performance guidelines.
- With a Builder Option Package, a HERS rater does not do a blower door test to calculate the home’s energy use. Instead, the builder and HERS rater use a set of climate-specific construction specifications developed by EPA called a Builder Option Package (BOP). The BOP specifications have been pre-determined based on extensive analyses to consistently meet ENERGY STAR guidelines.
Completion of Field Verification
Regardless of how the energy efficiency features are selected, HERS raters must also conduct on-site inspections and testing of a home. This field verification ensures energy measures are consistent with ENERGY STAR guidelines. The process usually includes a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house), a duct blaster test (to test the leakiness of the duct system), and completion of a thermal bypass checklist (a visual inspection of common construction areas where air can flow through or around insulation).