There are a number of reasons to have a new home audited as well, not the least of which is to ensure that the building envelope and mechanical systems are performing as they were designed to perform. The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET®; www. natresnet. org), a not-for-profit membership corporation, has developed an index called the home-energy rating system, or HERS, that both predicts and confirms a new home’s energy performance. The HERS index can be used to evaluate a home’s plans and specifications before it is built, then assign it a number from 0 to 100. A house that scores a 0 is said to be "net zero," meaning it produces as much energy as it uses over the
A duct blaster is not quackery. similar to a blower door, a duct blaster is a calibrated fan. It is used on buildings with forced-air heat or central air-conditioning. Leaking ducts can decrease the overall efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20%.
course of a year. A home that scores 100 is built to the energy specs of the 2006 International Residential Code® (IRC). Once the house is completed, it is tested by a RESNET auditor using scientific testing equipment to ensure the as-built house conforms to the as-planned HERS rating.
The reasons to get a verified new-house HERS rating are fourfold. Not only can a HERS-index rating help homeowners to qualify for an energy-efficient mortgage, but it also assures them that building efficiencies have been verified by an independent third party. The HERS rating is also an excellent marketing tool, and it helps builders to qualify in the Energy Star® program.
