Home Energy Labeling

Home energy labeling programs provide an assessment of a home’s energy performance and recommendations for energy improvements. They provide valuable information for homeowners, homebuyers, and other stakeholders such as real estate professionals, appraisers, lenders, and contractors. The energy label and supplementary information can be used to inform real estate purchasing decisions or investments in energy efficiency upgrades.  

NASEO works with the State Energy Offices on several labeling initiatives. Visit the NASEO Events page for meetings of the NASEO Residential Energy Efficiency and Beneficial Electrification Task Force on this topic.

Residential Energy Disclosure Policies in States and Cities

The NASEO Residential Energy Disclosure Policies map provides an overview of active state, county, and city labeling disclosure policies and is intended to serve as a resource for State Energy Offices to explore labeling disclosure efforts across the country. It includes initiatives that require public disclosure of the home energy label either directly to prospective buyers or renters or through a publicly available database. Energy benchmarking or other labeling initiatives that do not publicly disclose the energy efficiency of participating buildings are not included in this map. Email Alannah Bell (abell@naseo.org) with any changes or additions.

Map Legend

Grey: Statewide policy
Green: Local policy
Blue: Both Statewide and Local policies

Resources

  • The Value of Adding Home Energy Score to Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs 
    This paper published by NASEO explores the value of documenting energy efficiency improvements completed in low-income energy efficiency programs and explains that the benefits participants experience can be enhanced by obtaining an energy label, which provides additional value to participants by documenting the upgrades and improvements to their home.
  • Energy Metrics to Promote Residential Energy Scorecards in States (EMPRESS)
    NASEO and the Rhode Island Energy Office partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, the Missouri Division of Energy, the Arkansas Energy Office, the Oregon Department of Energy, as well as Energy Futures Group, Earth Advantage and Vermont Energy Investment Corporation on the Energy Metrics to Promote Residential Energy Scorecards in States (EMPRESS) project.
  • Home Energy Labeling: Steps states can take to support city-based home energy labeling initiatives
    Earth Advantage created this resource outlining the steps states can take to establish a home energy labeling framework that supports city-level labeling policies and programs. It provides four steps states can take: Define the State's Role, Set the Rules, Enable Statewide Energy Labeling Infrastructure, and Analyze and Educate.
  • Home Energy Information Accelerator (HEIA) Toolkit
    This toolkit is a product of the Better Buildings Home Energy Information Accelerator from the U.S. Department of Energy. It helps readers interested in improving access to home energy information navigate the many resources, lessons learned, and best practices developed through the Accelerator.