RESNET 2013 Annual Report Highlights

By Nick Sisler

RESNET just released their annual report for 2013. The report highlights RESNET's key accomplishments for the year. In this post we'll highlight some of those accomplishments and discuss what they mean.

Large Increase in HERS Ratings

2013 saw a 70% increase in the number of HERS ratings in the US. The chart below shows the number of HERS ratings in each of the last 5 years. We highlighted the Increase in HERS ratings in 2013 in more detail in a previous post.

RESNET HERS ratings chart

HERS Index for Code Compliance

To date, over 150 code jurisdictions in Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Mexico and New York have added either a HERS score option or requirement to their energy codes. For the full list of jurisdictions click here. In 2013, the International Code Council adopted a HERS index option for the 2015 edition of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). This will likely make its way into most state energy codes within the next 5 years.

MLS Listings

Multiple Listing Services (MLS) in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin now include the HERS score of homes in their listings. Realtors rely on the MLS to guide potential homebuyers and appraisers use the service to locate comparable properties. This will make it easier for builders to market the HERS scores' of their homes and for appraisers to calculate the market value of HERS rated homes.

Green Appraisals

The Appraisal Institute has developed the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum to provide appraisers with a tool for selecting comparable sales of the property they are appraising. This will allow appraisers to more accurately value the energy efficiency aspects of homes. In 2013, RESENT and the Appraisal Institute established an agreement that will allow RESNET accredited HERS software programs, like Ekotrope, to produce a copy of the addendum, pre-populated with much of the required data. This promises to streamline the energy efficient appraisal process in the years to come.

Builder Commitments

2013 saw an increasing number of builders make the commitment of becoming RESNET Energy Smart Builders. These builders commit to have all of their homes HERS rated. The list of national RESNET Energy Smart Builders includes some of the largest builders in the country like Lennar, KB and Ryland and the regional list boasts hundreds of builders.

RESNET and Ekotrope

In 2013, Ekotrope was accredited by RESNET as a HERS Rating Tool and a few weeks ago was also accredited by RESNET as an IECC Performance Compliance Software Tool.