New Home Buyers: What to do with your Home Energy Score report?

Starting in January 2018, Portland-area home buyers received more than just the keys to their new place. With the introduction of the City of Portland’s Home Energy Score in 2018, home buyers now also receive key tips and recommendations about how to improve their new home’s energy efficiency.

The Home Energy Score measures a home’s energy use and cost on a scale of 1-10. Homes receiving a score between 1-7 particularly have room to improve the energy efficiency of the dwelling. Homes scoring between 8-10 typically use less energy, and may meet or exceed modern building codes, likely because they were built or well retrofitted with efficiency in mind.

Since Home Energy Scores became a requirement this January, more than 4,100 homes have been scored around the city. The average score so far is 4.5 - a relatively low score, which means there’s plenty of room to improve many homes.

If you don’t already have a copy of your report, search by entering your address at greenbuildingregistry.com/portland.

So how can a new home buyer determine how to improve their energy usage and costs in a home they’ve not lived in very long? Fortunately, the Home Energy Score report takes much of the mystery out of this question, providing a list of recommended improvements that can pay for themselves within 10 years or less.

“If every home implemented the cost-effective recommendations found in the Home Energy Score reports, the average score would improve to 7.1, saving the homeowner more than $300 each year in utility costs,” said Jason Elton, quality systems manager at Enhabit, a local nonprofit that helps transform homes to become better places to live. Enhabit is one of the leading home energy scorers in Portland and also advises homeowners how to improve their home’s energy efficiency, health and safety.

Insulation is an example of one recommendation a homeowner might find on their Home Energy Score report. Many homes are under-insulated, or not insulated at all, so the home lacks the insulative barrier to hold in the heat or keep out the cold. Other easy and low-cost recommendations on the report could include air and duct sealing. These improvements typically payback much sooner than 10 years.

Despite having the recommendations on the Home Energy Report, some homeowners still need help deciding what improvements will deliver the greatest benefit.

Elton encourages homeowners to take advantage of Enhabit’s free 15-minute consult with one of the nonprofit’s expert energy advisors. During this consult, Enhabit’s advisors can help interpret the Home Energy Score. They can also talk about other improvements or gaps that the homeowner may see in their home, many of which aren’t included in the Home Energy Scoring process. Important safety features such as earthquake-readiness and radon risk are common concerns of Portland homeowners, but are not tested during the Home Energy Score assessment.

During the free consultation, Enhabit can also provide financing and incentive options available to homeowners to help make the costs of home improvements convenient and affordable for the homeowner.

To get a personalized 15-minute consultation with Enhabit, visit enhabit.org.