E-Star: Advancing Energy Efficiency in Housing

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Existing Home Sample Energy Rating

A certified E-Star Energy Rater performs the Energy Rating. The Rater collects data and enters it into E-Star’s computer-based modeling system that evaluates, scores, and helps produce the rating report. The following areas are measured or tested:

  • Insulation R-values
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  • Building Volume
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  • Air Leakage
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  • Mechanical Systems
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  • Square Footage
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  • Local Climate
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  • Building Orientation
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  • Windows
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  • Duct Work
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    Moving the mouse over areas of interest on the image below will call up pertinent information about that area of the sample rating. A printable (coming soon) version of the sample is also available.

    Scale: The E-Star Energy Rating Scale awards 1-5+ stars, as well as a score on the 1-100 scale used by lenders and appraisers when qualifying a home for an Energy Improvement Loan. This score is a measure of the energy efficiency of the home, or the 'mileage' the house is getting out of the energy it uses. As-Is Rating: The current energy-efficiency score for the home. Estimated Annual Energy Costs: Anticipated energy costs per year broken down by major energy-using systems before and after recommended improvements. Estimated Annual Savings: The total amount of anticipated annual savings the homeowner can realize by making the recommended home improvements. In this case, the savings opportunity is $331 per year. CO2 Reductions: Environmental benefits of bringing the home up to the rating score with upgrades. In this case, the home would produce 4.3 fewer tons of carbon dioxide each year. This is equivalent to eliminating 10,750 miles of car travel each year. Rating with Upgrades: The score the house would achieve if the homeowner carried out all the recommended improvements. Energy efficient loan packages are available to help with financing cost-effective recommended improvements. As-Built: Entries from the data collected by the E-Star Rater. Recommended: Recommended improvements to home systems or elements. While the "w/UPGRADE" Rating indicates the post-improvement home rating if all improvements are made, the homeowner can select to carry out only those upgrades that have the greatest impact on comfort or energy savings. Cost of Upgrades: Costs here are based on current, local averages, including labor, which can be a useful starting point for homeowners requesting bids from contractors. Savings/Year: The savings per year is broken down here by each recommended home improvement, to allow homeowners to consider the savings opportunity of each upgrade. The total is the same as in the Estimated Annual Savings box. Measure Lifetime: The expected lifetime of each improvement. For example water heaters are expected to last 12 years on average. Improvements lasting longer than 30 years are capped at 30 years, as this is the usual maximum length of a home mortgage. Rating Change in Points: The score improvement, in points, for each recommended improvement. This is especially useful for those attempting to achieve a specific score, such as for the purposes of qualifying for a particular energy-efficient loan package. Benefit/Cost Ratio: This is an expression of the energy savings each feature will generate compared with its expected cost of installation, which can be helpful in determining which upgrades to implement. Present Value: The E-Star Home Energy Rating Software calculates the present value of each recommended improvement's energy savings over its lifetime, taking into account upgrade cost, interest rates, and other measures. These values are used by lenders and appraisers. Information for Lenders and Appraisers: This information is supplied specifically for lenders and appraisers for use in processing energy-efficient loan qualifications. Much of this information is presented in the Present Value column of the table above. The energy rating can increase the appraised value of the home.

     
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