Cooperative Living July 2017 - 28
EnergySense | by Pat Keegan, Contributing Writer
Energy-Efficiency Suggestions
for Homebuyers to Consider
Newer homes
generally are more
efficient due to recent
building codes that
promote higher levels
of energy
performance.
D
ear Pat: I recently became a real
estate agent and several of my
clients have been asking about the
energy efficiency of the homes I show
them. Do you have any suggestions about
energy-related questions I should help
my clients consider before they purchase
a home?
- Sharon
Dear Sharon: It's great to hear that you
want to help inform your clients. Many
homebuyers do not consider energy costs
(such as electricity, gas and propane),
which are significant expenses for any
home. The average home costs
approximately $2,000 in energy expenses
per year. Think about how much money
that is over the life of the home!
Your clients' preferences for the kind of
new home they want to buy can have a
strong influence on energy performance.
For example, the size of a home is one of
the most important factors that will
determine energy costs. As square-footage
increases, lighting requirements increase,
and more importantly, the burden on
heating-and-cooling equipment increases.
26 | Cooperative Living | July 2017
In general, newer homes have
better energy performance due
to advancements in building
codes, but buying a new home
does not guarantee efficiency.
Building codes are not always
enforced, and a minimum-code
home is not nearly as efficient as
homes built to a higher standard.
For example, if energy-efficiency
or green features are a high
The energy-efficiency of your new home will impact
your energy bills and comfort for years to come.
priority for your clients, look for homes
that have ENERGY STAR, Built Green or
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) certifications.
The Home Energy Rating System
(HERS) Index is like a " miles-pergallon "
rating for a home that allows
consumers to comparison-shop
based on energy performance,
similar to the way they can
comparison-shop for cars.
Newer manufactured homes are
typically much more efficient than older
manufactured homes, but do not have to
meet the same energy-code requirements
of site-built homes. Residents of
manufactured homes spend about 70
percent more on energy per square foot
of living space as residents of site-built
homes. If your clients are considering a
manufactured home, those built after
1994 or that have an ENERGY STAR
label have superior energy performance.
Once your clients are interested in a
specific home, one of the first factors
they should consider is how the energy
performance of that home compares to
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Cooperative Living July 2017
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