How Energy Efficient Is That Home You Are Buying?

A new program in Minnesota, called Energy Fit Homes, is helping to bring energy efficiency into the process of buying homes. The program, offered by the Center for Energy and the Environment and the Neighborhood Energy Connection, offers multi-point energy efficiency inspections of homes. The inspections focus on a home’s heating system, insulation and air sealing, windows, lighting, and ventilation and combustion safety, and they then rate the homes on a 1-100 scale. Homes that achieve a score of 95 or higher will receive Energy Fit certification, while homes with lower scores will receive a report card that ranks the necessary tasks in order of importance. In addition, homeowners will receive a list of possible government or utility company rebates available for the work, and a second inspection will be conducted once the work is complete. Homes that achieve certification can be listed as green-certified on the Northstar Multiple Listing Service. Some homeowners have also found the energy audits useful even if they are not planning to sell, as a few minor repairs and upgrades can lead to significant savings in cases. | Read More