According to RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network), Minnesota has the lowest average HERS (Home Energy Rating System) index score of any state in the country that energy tested over 3,000 homes in 2021. The lower the HERS Index Score, the more energy efficient the home. According to RESNET Minnesota energy tested 9,621 homes in 2021 and the states average HERS Index Score was 50.
Minnesota’s Green Path program provides the HPR’s (Home Performance Reports) that includes the energy efficiency score, the HERS Index developed by RESNET. The U.S. Department of Energy has determined that a typical resale home scores 130 on the HERS Index, while a standard new home is awarded a rating of 100. A home with a HERS score of 70 is 30% more energy efficient than a standard new home.
Housing First Minnesota’s Green Path program has provided HPR’s and HERS index scores for more than 35,000 homes that have been third-party tested since the program began. With the states average HERS score of 50 that means the average Minnesota Green Path energy-tested home is 50% more energy efficient than your standard new home and 61% more energy efficient than the average existing home.
Minnesota’s Green Path currently has 43 builders committed as Designated Green Path Builders. Designated Green Path builders agree to test at minimum 75% of their newly built homes annually and attend professional development events.
According to RESNET, there were 313,153 homes HERS Rated in the country in 2021. This pushed the total number of homes HERS Rated in the U.S. to date to over 3.3 million. The national average HERS Index Score in 2021 was 58.
For a breakdown of the number of homes HERS rated in 2021 and the average HERS Index Score by state go to 2021 HERS Activity by State
For more information on Minnesota’s Green Path program visit MnGreenPath.org
