The United States saw a 30 percent increase in the number of homes that were HERS rated and issued a HERS Index Score in 2015. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau 190,180 homes were rated, representing over 38 percent of all new homes sold in the nation. Minnesota saw a 31 percent increase in the number of homes rated in 2015 over 2014.
“Homebuilders are increasingly seeing energy efficiency as a major selling point for buying a new home. To take advantage of this opportunity, builders across the nation are presenting their homes’ energy performance in a way that every home buyer can understand, the home’s HERS Index Score. I expect that this trend will continue.” – Steve Baden, RESNET Executive Director
The average HERS Index Score was 62. This is 38% more efficient than homes built as recently as 2006 and 68% more efficient than a typical re-sale home. Minnesota’s Average HERS Index Score dropped from 57 in 2014 to 53 in 2015.
2015 HERS Index Scores By the Numbers
The average HERS Index Score of the homes rated in 2015 was 62.
The six leading states in terms of homes receiving a HERS Index were:
- Texas – 38,988 (28,874 rated in 2014)
- Florida – 15,337 (14,994 rated in 2014)
- N. Carolina – 12,757 (10,271 rated in 2014)
- Arizona – 11,245 (3,318 rated in 2014)
- Colorado – 10,159 (8,315 rated in 2014)
- Indiana – 9,197 (8,007 rated in 2014)
The six states with the lowest HERS Index Scores were:
- Hawaii – 35
- Vermont – 49
- Montana – 50
- Nebraska – 51
- Maine – 52
- Minnesota – 53