Here at Homes by Dickerson, building high-performance green homes is a part of our normal every day. It is what we believe in and what we are passionate about-not just for the security, health, and comfort of our clients but also for the environment.  Ensuring that each of our homes is built high-performance and green is not an additional option for our homeowners but rather part of their entire custom package.

So, while we may speak green for a living, we know that not all of our prospects are familiar with the terms and definitions with which we have become comfortable. Our new blog segment “If These Walls Could Talk” will focus on what goes into our homes that make them so energy efficient.  Each volume will address a specific aspect of our high-performance building efforts from certifications and HERS score ratings to conditioned crawl spaces and jumper ducts.  We want you to feel comfortable with the smart decisions you are making when you build with Homes by Dickerson.

The topic for today-HERS Score Ratings!

What is a HERS Score Rating?
HERS, the Home Energy Rating System, measures a home’s overall energy efficiency and then places it on the HERS Index. The lower the HERS score, the more energy efficient the home.  Most new construction homes built five years ago were given an approximate 120 HERS score, and a basic Energy Star home built today would be rated in the mid 80’s on the index.  Homes By Dickerson is proud to announce that our 2015 HERS Score rating averaged at 52!  While we did not start out at this number, we have made continuous strides every year to lower this number and improve the energy efficiency of all of our custom designs.  Let’s take a look at where we have come from:
Year                                HERS Score
2009                                   79
2010                                    73
2011                                     71
2012                                    64
2013                                    60
2014                                    55
2015                                    52

As you can see, Homes by Dickerson has lowered their average HERS Score by 17 points in the last seven years, meaning a better outcome for our environment and better living quality and cost savings for our homeowners!

How is a HERS Score calculated?
To calculate your home’s HERS Index Score, a certified RESNET HERS Rater will do an energy rating on your home and compare the data against a “reference home”– a designed model home of the same size and shape, so your score is always relative.  Some of the variables included in the energy rating are the construction of and the materials used in: Exterior Walls Flooring over conditioned or unconditioned spaces Ceilings and Roofs Attics, foundations and crawlspaces Windows and doors, vents and ductwork HVAC systems, water heating systems and your thermostat Air leakage of the home Leakage in the heating and cooling system

So why does this matter?
When building “The Home of Your Life™”, we at Homes by Dickerson want to do more than just make it aesthetically pleasing. We want to ensure peace of mind about your comfort, health, money and impact on the environment. These factors are of the utmost important to us and the main reason we use building materials such as low VOC paints, green label carpeting and formaldehyde-free insulation. Living in North Carolina, you could easily use both air conditioning and heat in the same week so we understand the need to conserve and properly channel our homes’ energy and resources.  We also have systems in place to help manage water usage and we use more durable, recycled products. Ultimately this means that you are spending less money to maintain and operate your home. It’s no surprise that building a new home can consume a considerable amount of resources and energy to construct  but Homes By Dickerson gives our homebuyers ease of mind by properly sorting waste from jobsites, recycling when possible, and using products that have pre and post consumer recycled components.

Want even more information on what a HERS Score is and how you can benefit from a lower rating?
Check out this educational video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klGa1rUdydo

For more information on any of our high-performance green homes, please view our website at www.HomesbyDickerson.com, call us at 919-917-3132 or email us at info@homesbydickerson.com

STAY TUNED FOR VOLUME II OF “IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK”-COMING SOON!