Diagnostic Service
HERS Ratings: The Official Score for Your Home's Energy Performance
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is the national standard for measuring home energy performance. We deliver RESNET-certified scores that lenders, appraisers, builders, and rebate programs accept as documented proof — not an estimate.
What Number This Test Produces
HERS Index Score
0 = net-zero home, 100 = standard new-construction baseline — lower is better
Which Rebate This Unlocks
HOMES Modeled-Savings Rebate Tier
Your HERS score is the documented input HOMES program calculators require
What the HERS Index Actually Measures
The HERS Index compares your home against a reference home of identical size and shape, built to the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code. A score of 100 means your home performs exactly like that baseline. A score of 0 means net-zero energy performance. Every point below 100 represents a percentage of energy savings against that reference — a HERS score of 70 uses roughly 30% less energy than the baseline home.
Unlike a walkthrough opinion, the HERS Index is calculated using RESNET-approved modeling software fed by real, on-site measurements: blower door air leakage results, duct leakage testing, insulation R-values, window specifications, and mechanical system efficiency. That calculation methodology is exactly why it's accepted as objective, transferable proof of performance instead of a marketing claim.
What a "Good" HERS Score Looks Like
Interpreting your score depends on context — a 1980s home scoring 95 may represent excellent retrofit work, while the same 95 on new construction would be disappointing. Here's the general band reference we use when explaining a report:
| Item | Rating Tier | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 0 – 50 | High performer | Net-zero-ready or solar-ready construction |
| 51 – 70 | Above average | Modern code-built or well-retrofitted home |
| 71 – 100 | Standard baseline | Typical new-construction reference home |
| 100+ | Below code baseline | Older or unretrofitted housing stock |
RESNET-Certified Raters vs. General Auditors
A general home energy audit identifies problems and prioritizes fixes — valuable, but not interchangeable with a HERS rating. Only a RESNET-certified HERS Rater can issue the official index score, because doing so requires accredited training, calibrated equipment, and standardized modeling software subject to third-party quality assurance. When a program, lender, or listing specifically asks for "a HERS score," a general audit report will not satisfy that requirement — you need the certified rating.
RESNET accreditation isn't a one-time certificate — raters work under a Quality Assurance Provider that field-reviews a sample of their ratings on an ongoing basis, and their modeling software has to be RESNET-accredited itself. That oversight structure is what makes a HERS Index score portable and comparable nationwide: a 62 issued in one state was calculated under the same accreditation rules as a 62 issued anywhere else, which is not something a one-off contractor estimate can claim.
Confirmed vs. Projected Ratings
Projected Rating
Modeled from architectural plans and specifications before construction finishes. Useful for early design decisions and pre-sale marketing, but not verified against as-built conditions.
Confirmed Rating
Field-verified through pre-drywall and final on-site testing — duct leakage, air leakage, and insulation inspection confirm the home was actually built to the modeled specification. This is the number that counts for ENERGY STAR certification and most rebate documentation.
Why Lenders and Rebate Programs Ask for a HERS Score
Energy-efficient mortgage products, green appraisal add-ons, and modeled-savings rebate tiers like the HOMES program require a standardized, third-party-verifiable number — not a contractor's estimate of savings. Because the HERS Index is calculated the same way nationwide by certified raters, it functions as a portable performance credential: the same score means the same thing whether your home is in Denver or Charlotte.
That portability matters most at the moment money changes hands. An appraiser weighing a green-certified addendum, a lender underwriting an energy-efficient mortgage adjustment, or a rebate administrator calculating a HOMES payout all need a number they can trust without re-verifying it themselves — and a RESNET-certified HERS Index is built specifically to be that number, backed by an accreditation chain instead of a single company's word.
HERS Rating Questions
What's the difference between a HERS rating and a general energy audit?+
A general energy audit diagnoses problems and recommends fixes. A HERS rating is a standardized, RESNET-certified score — the same 0-100 index used nationwide — that quantifies your home's performance against a reference-home baseline so it can be compared, financed against, or submitted for program eligibility.
Who is qualified to issue a HERS score?+
Only a RESNET-certified HERS Rater can issue an official HERS Index Score. General auditors and home inspectors can flag problems, but the certified score itself requires RESNET accreditation and calibrated modeling software.
Does a HERS rating help with resale value?+
Yes. A documented HERS score gives buyers and appraisers an objective performance figure instead of a vague "energy efficient" claim, and it's increasingly requested in MLS listings and green-certified appraisals.
What's the difference between a confirmed and a projected HERS rating?+
A projected rating is modeled from plans before construction is complete. A confirmed rating is verified on-site with pre-drywall and final testing — the number that actually counts for code compliance, ENERGY STAR certification, and most rebate programs.
Other Diagnostic Services
HERS ratings are often bundled with these related tests for a complete performance picture.
Whole-Home Energy Audits
BPI-standard diagnostic-grade audits
BBlower Door Testing
Air leakage measured as an ACH50 score
TThermal Imaging
Infrared scans reveal hidden thermal loss
IInsulation & Air Sealing Assessment
R-value verification and bypass diagnostics
UUtility Rebates & Tax Credits
25C, HOMES, HEEHRA, and utility programs
CCombustion Safety & IAQ
Backdraft, CO, and ventilation testing
NNew Construction Verification
Duct blaster and code-compliance testing
MMultifamily & Commercial Assessments
Scaled diagnostics for larger buildings
Get Your Official HERS Score
Book a RESNET-certified HERS rating and get the documented performance number your lender, appraiser, or rebate program requires.