RESNET EnergySmart Builder

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Southern Creek Homes is proud to be a RESNET EnergySmart Builder and is committed to increasing the energy performance of the homes we build.
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​Outside of a mortgage loan, the highest cost of homeownership is energy. That’s why smart homebuyers ask for a home’s HERS Index Score to determine its energy efficiency before buying. The HERS Index Score is like a MPG (miles-per-gallon) sticker for homes. After all, it makes sense to know the energy performance of a home before making the investment.​
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​The EnergySmart Way to Buy a Home
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​With home energy costs skyrocketing, it only makes sense to find out how  energy efficient a home really is. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that a home built to the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code uses 30% less energy than older homes. Many builders today are building homes that use 70% less energy than existing ones.
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What the Numbers Mean
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A home built to the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code is awarded a rating of 100 on the HERS Index. This is taken as the RESNET Reference Home. The lower a home rates, the more energy efficient it is. Therefore, a home with a rating of 70 on the HERS Index is 30% more efficient than the RESNET Reference Home. A rating of 130, however, is 30% less efficient than the RESNET Reference Home.
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What is the HERS Index?
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The RESNET HERS Index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured. The HERS or Home Energy Rating System was developed by RESNET and is the nationally recognized system for inspecting, testing and  calculating a home's energy performance. Certified RESNET Home Energy Raters conduct inspections to verify a home's energy efficiency and recommend improvements that can be made to increase it.
As well as developing the HERS Index, RESNET is also responsible for the national training and certification standards for Raters, which are recognized by federal government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. mortgage industry. In order to qualify as a certified RESNET rater, home energy professionals must first complete the rigorous training and testing required and agree to abide by the RESNET Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. For more information about RESNET, visit www.resnet.us