Home Energy Ratings & Energy Audits



Inhabit provides RESNET and BPI-accredited Home Energy Rating and certification services as well as Energy Audits for homes. See below for a description of each.

 Energy Ratings / HERS Ratings
HERS Ratings (Home Energy Rating System), also known simply as Energy Ratings, are required for a number of building programs, including Energy Star for Homes, Built Green Colorado, the City of Boulder’s Green Points and Boulder County’s BuildSmart programs. They can also be useful to homeowners wanting to make energy efficient improvements to their home, as an energy rating can identify exactly which improvements will yield the best “bang for the buck”.

A HERS Rating is a comprehensive, technical view of a home’s energy efficiency.
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It takes into account everything from the properties of the windows and doors to the insulation to how deep the foundation is below grade to which direction the house is facing as well as the major mechanicals in the home (furnace, water heater, A/C, etc.) and more. It also uses a blower door test and often a duct system air leakage tester called a “duct blaster” to determine how air tight the home and its duct system is. A HERS Rating can be conducted on existing or newly-built houses (called a “Confirmed Rating”) and can also be done on a set of plans to predict how a particular house design will perform (called a “Projected Rating.”) Both the City of Boulder and Boulder County usually require a Projected HERS Rating before issuing a building permit. Among other things, a HERS rating results in a HERS Index score.

 Click here for the RESNET Standard Disclosure Form.
Click here for the RESNET Home Energy Rating Systems Standards document.

Energy Audits
An Energy Audit is somewhat less technical than an Energy Rating, but is also less costly -- particularly so if you live within a city or county that subsidizes part of the cost of the audit, such as Boulder County’s REAP (Residential Energy Audit Program). Customers of Xcel Energy can also sign up for
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heavily subsidized Energy Audits through Xcel. While an Energy Audit will not meet the requirements of a building program which requires a full Energy Rating, an Audit is often the best choice for a homeowner wanting to improve their home’s energy efficiency, where a full Rating could often be overkill. For example, an Energy Rating generates a HERS Index for the house which is required for many programs, but might not be of use for a homeowner looking only to make energy efficiency improvements.

An Energy Audit will examine the following in a home for energy efficiency and possible improvements:
  • Heating & cooling system
  • Duct system (if applicable)
  • Water heating system
  • Windows & doors
  • Insulation
  • Lighting
  • Major appliances
  • A blower door test will be performed to gauge the overall leakiness of the house and to help pinpoint areas of air leakage
  • An infrared camera will be used to scan for air leaks and insulation problems