Why You Should Get a Home Energy Score Just this month Ameren Missouri filed a request to raise electric rates by nearly 10 percent, the sixth time since 2006 the state's largest utility has sought a general rate increase. If the Public Service Commission (PSC) approves the rate increase it would take effect by June 2015 and the average household would pay roughly $10 more a month on utility bills. Already up 42% since 2006, rates will have risen more than 50 % if the PSC grants the latest request in full. Rising utility rates means that consumers will want to be more conscientious about the way they use energy in their homes. When shopping for a new home, consumers are likely to be more conscientious about how efficient a home is or what it will take to improve the home's efficiency. There is a measure available and gaining traction as a standard in the real estate industry and that is the Home Energy Score. What is the Home Energy Score? The Home Energy Score is generated by a tool developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and implemented by the Department of Energy (DOE). The Home Energy Score is like a vehicle's Miles per Gallon (MPG) rating, only for homes. This Federally recognized asset score allows homeowners to compare the energy performance of their home to other homes nationwide. To obtain a Home Energy Score for your home a Qualified Assessor has to collect energy information during a walkthrough of the home. The Home Energy Score Tool is used to generate a score for the home based on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being excellent, 1 indicated the home needs extensive improvements. In addition to providing a score, The Home Energy Score Report provides homeowners suggestions for improving their home's efficiency as well as providing cost savings estimates if improvements are implemented. By improving the efficiency of the home, homeowners will save money on their utility bills and enhance the comfort of their home. The Home Energy Score can be used to support appraisals and real estate listings. The data translates easily to appraisal information including Green Addendum and can also easily be transported to the MLS to support efficiency in real estate valuation. Click on the image to access the interactive graphic and learn more about Home Energy Score.
