LET’S TALK ABOUTENERGY EFFICIENCY! 

Did you know a Berks built home is not just beautifully built, but they are also built with energy efficiency in mind?  

I know that sounds great, right? But what does it really mean?  Let’s dig into the details!

We use windows with Low E Argon Gas, LED lighting, high efficiency appliances, energy efficient heating and air conditioning equipment, and insulate the basement walls ensuring the entire home is conditioned.  All these things combined, creates a home that is energy efficient.

And you don’t just have to take our word for it. All our homes are independently tested for their energy efficiency, called a HERS rating. What is this and why do we test?  The HERS index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured.  We believe it’s important to have this rating performed on each of our homes because of the cost savings to our customers and their overall health and the health of our environment. This is one time you want to rate a low score! A low HERS index can lower home ownership costs, saving anywhere from 5-30% on energy bills, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). Not only that, but fresh air ventilation allows cleaner, outdoor air to flow into your home, replacing the stale, indoor air, so you are always breathing fresh air inside your home AND your home’s pollution and carbon emissions are reduced, resulting in protecting the environment! In a nutshell, when a home is HERS rated, it means that the home has been built better and better insulated, making the home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.  

• Above and below grade exterior walls
• Flooring over unconditioned spaces, such as garages or basements
• Ceilings and roofs
• Attics, foundations and crawl spaces
• Windows, doors, vents and ductwork
• HVAC system, water heating system and the thermostat
• Air leakage from the home
• Leakage in the heating and cooling distribution system

How do they ensure that they, themselves are providing quality assurance within the rating industry? They have procedures in place such as:
• Each Rating Provider must employ a certified Quality Assurance Designee
    o The Quality Assurance Designee must independently verify internal consistency of a minimum 10% of all building input files
    o The Quality Assurance Designee must independently field verify the accuracy of a minimum of 1% of each certified Raters’ homes
• RESNET monitors the Rating Providers compliance with quality assurance requirements through annual quality assurance report submissions
• RESNET Staff also does enhanced quality assurance monitoring with 50% of all rating providers each year through online reviews and in-field site visits
• Tracking QA reviews in real time in the RESNET Registry