6 Green Home Terms You Should Know

Finding an environmentally friendly home is important to many buyers. In order to truly understand whether or not the prospective home you are considering is “green” you should be familiar with certain terms. Here’s a breakdown of the different certification systems you can expect to hear about while shopping for energy-efficient homes.

6 Energy- Efficient Certification Systems You Should Know About

RESNET

RESNET stands for The Residential Energy Services Network which is a not-for-profit corporation. RESNET develops industry-wide standards for energy efficiency ratings as well as certifications for buildings. They certify contractors, builders, roofing and siding professionals as well as remodeling contractors. 

HERS Index

The Home Energy Rating System is used as an index to measure a home’s every efficiency.  If a home is built for current industry standards for energy efficiency  it will have a HERS index of 100. Lower scores indicate higher levels of efficiency. A home with a score of 70 is using 30% less energy than the average home. If a score is higher than 100, it is less energy efficient. RESNET (see above) is responsible for overseeing the HERS index.  

LEED

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification is given to environmentally friendly buildings and projects by the United States Green Building Council. A “LEED Platinum” certification is the highest certification a building or project can earn. The certification is based on points earned. Points can be earned based on many categories including indoor air quality and water efficiency. The more points earned, the higher your project’s certification level. 

Energy Star

You may have came across many appliances and systems throughout homes that are Energy Star certified. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency oversees the Energy Star program. Products such as light bulbs, refrigerators, furnaces and even an entire home can be Energy Star certified.  

Indoor airPlus

Administered by the EPA, this program certifies home that go beyond the Energy Star requirements and incorporate features that fight against moisture, mold, pests, and pollutants. 

National Green Building Certification

This program helps residential builders develop and build sustainable projects. The National Association of Home Builders oversees this program and certifies buildings with bronze, silver, gold or emerald certifications based on energy savings. The Emerald level is the highest certification a building can earn, which means it incorporates energy savings of 60% or more.  

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