What is a Home Energy Score?
Homes that are listed for sale in the Portland, Milwaukie and Hillsboro real-estate market are required to receive a Home Energy Score, which provides comparable and credible information about a home’s energy performance. Homes will be scored by professional Home Energy Assessors on a ten-point scale: 1 Indicates highest energy use | 5 Indicates average energy use | 10 Indicates lowest energy use. The Home Energy Score helps sellers more easily showcase energy efficiency improvements. It provides sellers with a means to highlight prior investments made in energy efficiency features that increase the value of the home. It also helps sellers understand cost-effective improvements that can be done prior to listing to enhance the
marketability of the home. Want to know more? Check out these helpful resources:
HOW IT WORKS
The Home Energy Assessment takes about an hour to complete. The Assessor will gather information about the home’s envelope (foundation, insulation, walls, windows) as well as its heating, cooling and hot water systems. The Home Energy Score assumes standard operating conditions to allow homes to be compared on an apples-to-apples basis, independent of current occupant behavior. As soon as the data points are entered into the software, the Home Energy Score and Report will be available at the Green Building Registry: www.greenbuildingregistry.com/Portland.
FAQs about the portland home energy score
ARE ALL HOMES IN PORTLAND COVERED UNDER THIS RULE? Check the address on www.portlandmaps.com and review the “jurisdiction” field. If the jurisdiction is noted as “Portland” then a Score is required. A few building types do not require a Home Energy Score (e.g. manufactured homes, mobile homes, accessory dwelling units and condominiums with units stacked one on top of the other). Visit www.pdxhes.com for more information.
ARE THERE EXEMPTIONS? Yes, exemptions are available for conditions such as foreclosure sales, uninhabitable and condemned structures and other unforeseen hardships which may prevent obtaining a Home Energy Score. To
apply for an exemption, visit www.pdxhes.com.ARE NEW HOMES EXEMPT? Home Energy Scores are required for new homes at the time of advertising the home for sale. The Score can be obtained before or during construction based on plans and other information conveyed from the builder to the Home Energy Assessor. Some exemptions apply, see www.pdxhes.com/builders.
HOW LONG IS A HOME ENERGY SCORE VALID? A Home Energy Score is valid for 8 years after issue. Home Energy Scores are invalid and a new Home Energy Report must be obtained after any alteration or remodel of the home that affects the heated square footage, the quality and type of windows, insulation, HVAC equipment, or remodeled spaces such as basement or attic, or other changes that are reasonably expected to impact the Home Energy Score and associated estimates of energy use. If the Home Energy Score is to be used again in a new listing after 2 years from the initial issue date, a new Report must be printed (for free) at www.greenbuildingregistry.com. This new report will automatically include updated utility rates and carbon factors.
Homes listed for sale by owner or realtor MUST have a home energy score report before the listing is advertised publicly. If a Portland home is advertised without a home energy score it could result in a $500 fine. Yikes!
Providing a home energy score report voluntarily, even if your home is not listed for sale in Portland is still a good idea. Prospective buyers often search for homes beyond Portland, in the greater Portland areas of Beaverton, Gresham, etc...Having the home scored will make the listing more appealing to buyers, especially if recent energy efficiency improvements have been made to the home.
Even if you are not selling your home, a home energy score can be an inexpensive way to learn about the energy your home uses and how to make it more efficient. A comprehensive energy audit can be costly, but a home energy score assessment can provide you with simple recommendations for improvements or upgrades.