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The Home Energy Score Report is a useful tool to help you “see inside the walls” of the homes you are considering buying. It lets you compare the full costs of owning and operating each home you consider on an apples-to-apples basis.
Check the Home Energy Score
All homes advertised within the city of Portland should include a Home Energy Score (HES). The HES should appear in all listings, public advertisements, and during on-site showings and open houses.
You don't have to wait for a seller or a real estate professional to show you the Home Energy Score and Report; if there is an HES, you can find it on the Green Building Registry. Simply search for the property address to view the HES:
Find a listing without a Home Energy Score?
There are some exceptions, including mobile, manufactured homes and floating homes as well as multi-family complexes with stacked units. There will also be certain instances where a home is exempt including foreclosure, condemned or uninhabitable properties. These homeowners have applied for and received exemptions from the City.
Also, this requirement only applies to homes sold within the Portland city boundary. If you are looking at homes in neighboring jurisdictions or unincorporated areas, even those that list "Portland" in the address, this policy may not apply.
If you want to determine whether a home that doesn't have an HES is required to have one, please contact the Portland Home Energy Score help desk at hesinfo@earthadvantage.org or 503-278-5347.
How to read a Home Energy Report
A Home Energy Report provides a simple indicator of energy efficiency. For low scoring homes, it also provides a road map of improvements that can improve comfort, save energy and cut costs.
This home's score. Homes are scored on a ten-point scale, with "1" indicating higher energy use and "10" indicating lower energy use. The score conveys information about a home's estimated energy use based on physical characteristics (size, orientation, window type, insulation, roof materials, etc.) and its mechanical systems (heating/cooling, hot water heating etc.). It does not measure the actual energy use of the home's current occupants, so you can compare apples to apples.
Energy costs. The costs listed in the Home Energy Report are estimated based on typical use patterns in similar homes. Actual usage and costs may differ from the Report due to the behavior and choices of the occupants.
Assessment date. This shows the date the assessment was completed.
Score expiration date. The Report is valid for use to meet Home Energy Score requirements until this date, provided that no changes to mechanical systems, energy efficiency or square footage in the home has occurred. After this date a new on-site assessment is required, regardless of whether changes have been made to the home or not.
Score with priority improvements. Thisshows the Home Energy Score the home could achieve if all of the priority energy improvements are completed.
Estimated energy savings with priority improvements. The The amount of money you could expect to save on energy costs each year if all priority energy improvements are completed. This estimate is based on typical use of the home and does not reflect variances in occupant behavior or energy use decisions.
Estimated carbon reduction with priority improvements. The amount of carbon reduction you could expect to achieve annually if all priority energy improvements are completed.
Priority energy improvements. This list includes customized improvement recommendations which provide simple payback of ten years or less. There may be more energy efficiency measures that could have a positive impact on the Home Energy Score but fall outside of the 10-year payback window.
Additional energy recommendations. Energy efficiency measures that could have a positive impact on the Home Energy Score and reduce energy use but fall outside of the 10-year payback window will be listed here.
Interested in learning more about your Home Energy Score and Report? Watch this video:
Improvements based on your HES
If you are planning to purchase a home that needs energy improvements, the Home Energy Report is your roadmap to a more comfortable and affordable living space. Depending on the mortgage lender and product you select, there may be an opportunity at the time of your sale to wrap the cost of your planned improvements into your financing package.
With Fannie Mae's HomeStyle Energy mortgage, borrowers purchasing a home or refinancing an existing mortgage can make upgrades to reduce utility costs and improve the comfort and safety of their homes. This includes improvements recommended on your Home Energy Report. HomeStyle Energy eligible upgrades also include solar. Talk to your mortgage lender to see if they can offer this option.
For more information about how these financing options work and can be used to get your home upgrades done, check out this video.