Looking for energy certifications for an address?

Home Energy Auditors use a measurement called "Conditioned Floor Area" (CFA) which differs from "Building Square Footage" listed on the MLS, Zillow, DIAL etc. We measure the inside dimensions of the exterior walls (inside of thermal envelope) to input into the software that produces the energy score. This gives a better estimation of predicted energy usage. Building assessors measure from the outside of the exterior walls or footprint to produce building square footage. 

No. The results of your Home Energy Score are legally required to be posted on the Green Building Registry for anybody to look up. However your personal info as a homeowner is private. No names, photos, contact info or other personal data are attached to the energy score and are definitely not listed on the Green Building Registry. 

Earth Advantage, who helps run the HES program has this to say:

Customer agrees that the Home Energy Score and any associated information will not be treated as confidential in jurisdictions where this information is required by ordinance. The customer hereby consents to allow the Home Energy Score Report to be collected and stored in order to be disclosed through accepted and secure methods of data transportation, for the specific purpose of publishing it on the Green Building Registry database. It is possible that this information will also be shared with applicable Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and/or similar real estate listing services and be identifiable to homeowner's property on the listing service.
 

Typically the homeowner (seller) pays for the home energy score however several of the real estate agents I've worked with prefer to cover the cost in order to simplify things and keep everything moving along. Most often I am scheduled by the agent who then coordinates with the sellers if necessary. Typically the HES certificate is furnished to both the agent(s) and homeowner/seller by email. Payment can be made by cash, check or credit card invoiced after the house visit.

An energy score is a basic and general estimation of energy usage and efficiency listed on a scale of 1 through 10. It is very much a scale to compare a home with a potentially more or less efficient home. A five is considered "average" and is actually a pretty good score because we as a community have pretty good houses in general. But our homes are typically not that efficient even when they look great. Our homes must be intentionally made to be energy efficient through incentives and codes. Your large beautiful home may be a bit of an energy hog when compared to a small older home that simply requires less energy to operate. Because the HES is largely about overall energy usage a smaller home receives credit simply for requiring less energy.  

Some discrepancies will exist between a home inspection report and the energy score as far as listed insulation R-values. This is because energy assessors are generally required to default to lower R-values and derate insulation in inaccessible cavities. For example, a home inspector will often measure one area of an attic and list the measured depth and insulation type along with an estimated R-value. Some inspectors refer to an installers document stapled  to a truss in the attic or go by the code for the year the home was built. As energy auditors we measure actual depth of insulation and then de-rate for any damaged or missing areas. We average the entire assembly including framing and displacement which usually results in a lower and more realistically accurate R-value. 

A site visit typically takes between 60 and 120 minutes though very large homes can take a bit longer. After the site visit the data is input into the Department of Energy HES Scoring Software at the office and the certificate is generated and sent to the client. 

According to the City of Bend ADU's and manufactured homes are exempt. Multi-family (townhouses) must get an energy score however apartments and townhomes which do not extend from the "foundation to the roof" are exempt. For example, I did energy scores for a 3 unit townhouse in which the side units were two story and had attics and crawlspaces but the middle unit was entirely on the second floor and did not extend from the "foundation to the roof" The middle unit was exempt from energy score requirements. 

Here's the an excerpt from the City of Bend informational document:

"A covered (i.e. covered by the city requirement) building includes any residential structure containing a single dwelling unit, regardless of size, on its own lot, or any attached single dwelling unit, regardless of whether it is located on its own lot, where each unit extends from foundation to roof, such as a row house, attached house, common-wall house, duplex, or townhouse. “Covered building” does not include detached accessory dwelling units, manufactured dwellings, stacked condominiums or dwelling units where the unit does not extend from foundation to roof, or single dwelling units used solely for commercial purposes."

There are exceptions for changes to title. Here's an excerpt from the City of Bend informational document:

"Certain sales of covered buildings are exempt from the requirement of obtaining a home energy score, including sales that occur through involuntary change of titles (i.e transfer of title pursuant to inheritance, change of title pursuant to marriage or divorce, etc.) or where compliance would cause undue hardship (i.e. trustees sale, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure sale, etc.)"

Yes.