At Jamestown Estate Homes, we get the HERS rating for each and every home that we build. The photo on the right shows the HERS rating on the home we closed most recently. Here you can see that this home is 42% more efficient than a standard new home.
You might be wondering what it means for a home to be more efficient. A more efficient home requires less energy to operate (i.e.. lower electric and gas bills). Factors that affect the HERS rating of a home include: insulation, heating and cooling systems, windows and doors, and duct work. We work with a certified HERS rater throughout the construction of each home, and a series of tests are performed on the completed home prior to closing. These tests include a duct-blaster and a blower-door test which test the air leakage of the HVAC ducts and the whole house respectively.
While most builders these days participate in some form of Green Building program, we feel that the HERS rating is especially important because it adds value to your home by saving you money. Not all builders get HERS ratings on every (or any) of their homes, so while you’re shopping for your next home, be sure to ask for the HERS rating!
The HERS rating is just one part of Jamestown Estate Homes’ Green Building Program. For more information on Green Building, please visit: http://www.greenbuiltgulfcoast.org/index.php.