Going Green is trending in clothing, food, and even the home industry. While many companies claim to “build green”, there are certain questions you can ask to be sure your home is truly green.

• Has the home received an EPS or HERS rating? If it hasn’t, you can be assured it may only have the minimum steps required to receive a bottom rung certification.
• What performance testing is being performed on the home? If the builder or broker can’t answer this, they may not be well informed on what it takes to build an energy efficient home and may not have done any performance testing.
• Is there an estimate prepared for the annual cost of energy for the home? Any builder serious about building performance will have their homes energy modeled. Would you buy a car if the salesman couldn’t tell you what miles per gallon or horsepower it had?
• What air sealing measures have been implemented into the home? If this can’t be answered or is deemed unnecessary, the home will not have good air quality and will leak energy.
• Does the home have a true rainscreen system or the code minimum? A true rainscreen system allows the walls to have airflow to properly dry out moisture that gets behind the siding to help prevent molding and rot. Dry siding also holds caulk and paint longer offering less maintenance for homeowners.