The Home Builders Association of Lexington, KY., is the first U.S. builders association to support the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index.
HERS was developed by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), a trade organization that promotes healthy energy consumption.
The HERS index is clearly depicted using a thermometer-like scale with orange at the top, gradually shifting to yellow and then to green at the bottom.
Green, which is essentially the universal color symbolizing something is environmentally friendly, appropriately stands for homes using the least energy.
Homes on the index are given a score based on its energy performance. The lower the score is, the more energy efficient the home is.
Numbers high on the scale at orange are given a rating of 150. The standard number for a new home falls in the yellow color range, with a rating of 100.
HBAL members who are already certified as RESNET Energy Smart Builders include Jimmy Nash Homes, Mike Kerwin Homes, HM Homes, Captiva Luxury Homes, James Monroe Homes, Kelley & Beasley/K & B Homes, Hodges and Heathman, Gale-Davis Properties, and Ball Homes.
More information on the HERS index can be found here.
Related Stories
Data & Research
Guest Column: External Forces
NAHB's chief economist on what lies ahead for the custom home market?
Data & Research
Growth of solar power expected to cause PV shortage
The solar industry faces its first shortfall in eight years, and smaller installations could be put on hold as a result.
Data & Research
Researchers recommend new homes have safe rooms for tornado survival
Researchers recommend that tornado-prone areas adopt more robust design standards similar to those used by coastal regions to help homes survive hurricanes.
Data & Research
New-home sales rise 6.4 percent in April
Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 6.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 433,000 units in April, according to data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Data & Research
Builder confidence remains in holding pattern
Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in May fell one point to 45 from a downwardly revised April reading of 46 on the Housing Market Index.
Data & Research
Buyers of National Green Building Standard homes satisfied with purchase
A new study conducted by GuildQuality shows that homeowners who purchased a National Green Building Standard-certified home in the past three years are happy they did.
Marketing & Sales
The rise of Pinterest
Given its strong emphasis on visuals, Pinterest might seem like a perfect fit for marketing new homes, but builders should be mindful of their larger marketing strategy before jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon.
Data & Research
Remodeling Market Index recedes slightly in second quarter
The second quarter results of the Remodeling Market Index (RMI) slipped under pressure from a softening labor market, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), dropping two points to 45.
Data & Research
Seattle leads top 10 high-tech U.S. metros
A new study from Richard Florida, co-founder and editor of The Atlantic Cities, examines the top high-tech metropolitan areas in the U.S.
Data & Research
10 cities with the fastest growth in wages
PayScale, a company that compiles information on employee salary data, released an index of how many times private-sector wages have changed since 2006.