New Report: Trends in HERS-Rated Homes

Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) is out with a new analysis of HERS-rated homes in the United States in 2023, Trends in HERS-Rated Homes. The report is the fifth installment of the organization’s Trends report. It is made possible by RESNET’s Suppliers Advisory Board, which is comprised of suppliers of goods and services to the homebuilding market.

The report reviews national trends in the number of HERS ratings and the average index scores. It also includes interesting state and municipal-level data, including the total number of HERS homes by state and the percentage of new homes receiving ratings.

Last year was another record year for HERS-rated homes, with more than 362,000 homes receiving ratings. A deeper look at the characteristics of those homes reveals the following:

• The average HERS index score was 57, representing a 43% improvement in efficiency over a home built in 2006.
• There’s been a 6-point decrease in the average HERS index score since 2013.
• 77% of all homes rated last year were one and two-family dwellings, while 23% were multi-family units.

State-Level Data Shows Clear Leaders

Massachusetts is by far the leader in the total percentage of HERS-rated homes, and 98% of all new homes built in the commonwealth last year received a HERS rating. A distant second is Arizona, with 73%. In all, six states saw 50% or more of their new homes HERS-rated in 2023.

In absolute numbers, Texas had the highest total number of rated homes, with 89,000. Nine U.S. states had more than 10,000 homes rated. The report also includes data from municipalities, with strong showings for those in Arizona and Texas in particular.

Characteristics of HERS-Rated Homes

The Trends report further looks at components of HERS-rated homes for single-family and multi-family properties, including foundation types; above-grade wall insulation (cavity versus continuous); ceiling insulation and radiant barriers; window U-value and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC); envelope leakage rates; ventilation types; heating, cooling, and water heating equipment; as well as the use of photovoltaics in HERS homes. The analysis also includes data on the HERS H20 metric, a whole-home water efficiency rating that can be used to achieve the WaterSense label for homes.

Other Interesting Stats

Among other interesting details revealed in the analysis:

• 80% of all single-family homes and 62% of all multi-family HERS homes had an envelope leakage rate of between 2 and 5AHC50 and nearly 32,000 properties achieved an air leakage rate of less than 2 ACH50.
• 85% of homes had cavity only insulation for above-grade walls while 15% also had continuous insulation.
• The average annual energy cost savings for single-family homes was $894 while the average savings for multi-family units was $610.

To read the full report, click here.

This article was originally published in the Insulation Institute Blog and is republished with permission.