What if home shoppers could compare properties based on energy consumption, the same way vehicle buyers do with mpg ratings? In a trend expected to go national, homebuyers in parts of Oregon and Washington now can.
The Energy Performance Score (EPS), a residential energy labeling system that enables buyers to directly compare energy consumption, has proven popular enough in the Northwest that it has been rolled out on a voluntary basis for new homes in Oregon and in a 5,000-home pilot for existing residences in Seattle. The tool provides homeowners with both an energy consumption score and an associated carbon emission score. Earth Advantage Institute, a leading nonprofit green building resource that has certified more than 11,000 homes, played a key role in the conceptualization, promotion, and adoption of the Energy Performance Score (EPS).
Both Oregon and Washington state legislatures have created task forces to explore the potential of mandatory energy labeling at time of listing. Homeowner surveys indicate the public is heavily in favor of having a rating system that can help them obtain information on energy performance, where to make improvements, and how to add to the value of their home.
Now the federal government has turned its eyes to energy labeling. The Department of Energy has targeted October as the deadline for developing a voluntary national rating standard that may serve as a tool for banks and other institutions to provide preferred finance products for energy-efficient, healthy homes.
Last month the EPS won first place in the energy category at Change.org's "Ideas for Change in America," and it has now moved on to the final round of internet voting. If the idea is voted into the top 10, the EPS will be presented to key White House administration officials.
Would a home efficiency rating change the way you'd approach buying or selling a home?
Seth Masia
Liz Merry
