About the High Efficiency New Homes Program
The High Efficiency New Homes Program is a joint offering between CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy. Together, they promote high efficiency home construction that exceeds the Minnesota Residential Energy Code. These homes are built to higher standards, and each is inspected and tested by a third-party professional trained in advanced building science. The resulting homes feature advanced construction practices and design elements and materials that deliver improved quality, comfort and energy savings for a lifetime.
Click here to see how these homes are built to a higher standard
What is the HERS Index?
An official savings scorecard Lower score = more savings
HERS is short for Home Energy Rating System.® The system uses an index to create a HERS score, a measure of energy efficiency. The lower the score, the more energy efficient the home is. Typical existing homes have scores of more than 100, while standard-built new homes have scores in the range of 85 to 100. Homes built through the High Efficiency New Homes Program often score below 70 — and may be lower than 55 — signifying the home is 45 percent more efficient than a 100-point reference home. Builders that participate in the High Efficiency New Homes Program use a combination of proven technologies,advanced building practices and performance testing to produce homes with low HERS scores.
