RESNET and the Colorado Energy Office has entered into a partnership aimed at promoting the construction of energy efficient homes in the Centennial State. The intent is to raise consumers' knowledge of new home performance using the HERS Index.
Through its partnership with RESNET, the Colorado Energy Office will provide monthly, quarterly, yearly, and ad hoc reporting to the real estate professional community and the public on the new homes market using the HERS Index.
The Colorado Energy Office will promote and provide training on the HERS Index to builders, code officials, real estate agents, appraisers, lenders, and the general public as a method to compare the energy performance of new homes.
The Colorado Energy Office will promote the HERS Index rating by:
• Promoting the HERS index to the real estate industry including Realtors and appraisers.
• Developing consumer information and outreach around the HERS Index and builders that offer a net-zero or near net-zero energy homes.
• Providing technical assistance and code trainings for code jurisdictions in Colorado to promote the 2015 IECC and the HERS performance path.
• Working with the Colorado Springs and Grand Junction markets where there are high rates of construction but little uptake of the HERS score to increase the percent of new homes which receive HERS ratings.
As part of this partnership, RESNET will provide the Colorado Energy Office a monthly, quarterly and yearly review of all the average HERS Index scores of new homes in Colorado that have received a RESNET HERS Index.
RESNET Executive Director Steve Baden lauded the leadership of the Colorado Energy Office, "In 2015 there were 10,150 homes HERS rated in the Centennial State. The average HERS Index Score in the state was 57, which is 43% more efficient than a home built as recently as 2006. We expect that this dynamic partnership will increase the homes HERS rated in Colorado resulting in even more efficient homes. It is expected that this partnership will serve as a model to other States that would like to better understand the value of energy efficiency information in their new home industry."