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More Than Two Million Homes Are Now HERS-Rated

America’s leading builders have done a great job of educating homeowners about energy efficiency ratings like the Energy Rating Index (ERI) and the Home Energy Rating System (HERS). The latter just reached an important milestone: there are now more than 2 million HERS-rated homes in the U.S.

“New homes today have an average HERS score of 62 compared to a typical HERS score of 130 for homes built prior to 2000,” says Steve Baden, executive director of RESNET, the nonprofit organization that oversees the HERS Index. “That means that they’re 68% more energy-efficient than the average existing home.”

Both HERS and ERI are “how low can you go?” rating systems. The lower the score, the higher the energy efficiency. One way to lower those scores is to install products like LP® TechShield® Radiant Barrier above the attic. Numerous studies have shown that adding radiant barrier sheathing can lower a home’s HERS or ERI score by up to three points.

Although there’s nationwide interest in energy efficiency ratings, most HERS-rated homes are in Sunbelt states. “Texas, Arizona, Florida and North Carolina have the highest numbers mainly because they’re leading the nation in new single-family construction,” says Baden.

Baden feels that HERS scores will continue to plummet, possibly reaching the 50s in just a few years. “When a home is that energy-efficient, it’s a persuasive selling point for builders,” he says.

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