Home Energy Scores in the City of Portland

As of January 1, 2018, homeowners in the city of Portland are required to get their home assessed for a Home Energy Score prior to selling their home, and make the score and report available to buyers when putting their home on the market. Here’s some facts about it.
What is a Home Energy Score?
A Home Energy Score is an energy audit that prioritizes energy upgrades and details the cost savings of each upgrade, calculated in a numerical score from 1 to 10. It’s also used as a method of comparing homes based on energy use, like miles per gallon used for vehicle efficiency.
What is Measured in a Home Energy Score?
A Home Energy Score only considers the home’s assets, which include the building attributes, envelope, and equipment. It does not include personal behavior, appliances, or lighting.
Who is Required to Provide a Home Energy Score?
The Home Energy Score must be provided by the seller to all potential buyers, their realtors and the City of Portland while it’s for sale and the score be posted on all listings (MLS, Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, etc.). There is a $500 fine for noncompliance.
A score of 1 means the home is expected to use more energy than 85% of the homes in the United States, and a score of 10 means the home will use less energy than 90% of homes in the United States (adjusted for climate). The “score with improvements” is the score if all the recommended energy upgrades are completed. A Home Energy Score report prioritizes energy upgrades and details the annual energy savings of each upgrade. The recommendations are specific to each home.
Things to remember about the Score: