HES for Homeowners

Home Energy Scores help homeowners make smart energy decisions

A home's energy use is hard to see. The efficiency of a home's assets aren’t always apparent, and the information provided isn’t always understandable. Home Energy Scores take out the guessing of a home’s energy efficiency and help homeowners and potential buyers understand the energy use of a home. Home Energy Scores are easy to get and display - schedule a quick Home Energy Score assessment with a certified assessor, receive a Home Energy Report (often available same day) and display the report on any home listing or advertisement. Continue reading to learn more!
 

For an overview of the Milwaukie Home Energy Score Program, watch a recording of the Home Energy Score Informational Webinar by clicking here!
 

What is a Home Energy Score and how does it measure home energy efficiency?

The Home Energy Score is a measurement of the energy efficiency of a home based on an onsite evaluation of the physical characteristics of the house. A Home Energy Score is not a measurement of the household's actual energy usage, which is influenced by occupant behavior and number of occupants. 

If your home scores a 5, it is expected to perform comparably to an average home in Portland in terms of energy use. If your home scores a 10, it ranks among the 10 percent of homes expected to use the least amount of energy. A home scoring a 1 is estimated to consume more energy each year than 85 percent of homes.

Scoring a 1 does not mean your home is poorly built. A beautiful home with up-to-date equipment can still get a low score if the square footage is high or if there is insufficient insulation. A low score just means there is significant room for improvement to reduce a home’s energy use. Scoring a 10 does not mean your home cannot improve. Even a home that uses less energy than most of its peers may benefit from additional energy efficiency or renewable energy investments. 

Milwaukie has partnered with the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) to use the U.S. Department of Energy Home Energy Score model and software as the official scoring system for the city. For more information on scoring methodology, visit the U.S. Department of Energy website at www.homeenergyscore.gov.
 

Who needs to get a Home Energy Score?
Certain homes publicly listed for sale after Oct. 1, 2020 within the tax limits of the City of Milwaukie require a home energy score at the time of listing. A home energy report and score is required if the home is:

• Located within the Milwaukie jurisdictional boundary. Check to see if a home falls within city boundaries by using the Milwaukie Maps Lookup tool and entering the home's street address.
• Detached single-dwelling unit on its own lot.
• Attached unit, such as a row house, duplex, condominium or a townhouse, regardless of whether or not the unit is on its own lot. Typically, these building types own the space from the foundation to the attic.

​Exceptions to the Milwaukie Home Energy Score Program
Not all homes need a Home Energy Score at time of listing. Review the list below to see what building types are not included in the Home Energy Score program. Housing types NOT covered by the policy include:

• Manufactured homes.
• Mobile homes.
• Multiple housing units that are vertically stacked, such as a two-story four-plex, or an apartment building or condo where the unit owner does not own the space from the foundation to the attic.
• Floating homes.
• Detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
• Single-dwelling units used primarily for commercial purposes.

Review the Residential Energy Performance Rating and Disclosure Ordinance to see, if a home requires a home energy score at time of listing. For questions, email homeenergyscore@milwaukieoregon.gov or call 503.786.7688.

Home Energy Score Compliance

All qualified homes as determined by the Residential Energy Performance Rating and Disclosure Ordinance are required to obtain and display a Home Energy Score report at time of listing and on public advertisements of the home, including printed copies at all open houses. Home owners who do not comply will receive a notice of violation and may receive a fine if they do not comply. Read the Residential Energy Performance Rating and Disclosure Ordinance and Chapter 16.40 Residential Energy Performance Rating and Disclosure in the Milwaukie Municipal Code to learn more.

Home Energy Score Program Exemptions

A homeowner can apply for an exemption to the Milwaukie Home Energy Score program if the sale of the home is due to a situation indicative of financial distress. For a home to be exempt, the homeowner must fill out an exemption application, submit supportive documentation and receive confirmation of exemption from the city. Visit HES Exemptions to learn more.

Low Income Assistance

If a Milwaukie homeowner's household income falls below 80% of the area median income, they may qualify for a free Home Energy Score assessment through Community Energy Project. Visit HES Low Income Assistance to learn more.

How to Schedule a Home Energy Score Assessment

Home Energy Score assessments need to be performed by a certified Home Energy Score assessor before the home is listed for sale. Getting a Home Energy Score takes a few simple steps. These steps can be accomplished while still living in the home or if you are selling an already vacated home. 
 

STEP 1: Schedule a Home Energy Assessment

Contact an authorized Home Energy Assessor to get a Home Energy Score and Report before listing or otherwise announcing your home for sale on the market. Visit ODOE's Home Energy Score for Consumers page to find a certified Home Energy Score assessor.

Home Energy Assessors are independent companies and there are many from which to choose. We recommend calling more than one to find cost and scheduling that meet your needs.
 

STEP 2: Prepare for the Home Energy Assessment

The Home Energy Assessment is a streamlined and simple process. It will require that the Home Energy Assessor has access to your house for 45 minutes to an hour. The Assessor will need to access your attic and crawl spaces so clearing items which may be blocking access to these areas in advance is advised. You do not need to be present for the Assessment.

More than seventy pieces of home information are collected during an energy assessment. Information about a home’s envelope (foundation, insulation, walls, windows) and its heating, cooling and hot water systems will be entered into the modeling software.

Information about how residents operate the house and non-permanent house features like lighting, home electronics and appliances are not included in the Home Energy Score calculation. The scoring methodology assumes standard operating conditions in order to allow homes to be compared on an apples-to-apples basis, independent of occupant behavior.

For more information, check out this City of Portland video on What to Expect During an Assessment.

To review the US DOE Home Energy Score assessment methodology, visit: www.homeenergyscore.gov
 

STEP 3: Obtain the Home Energy Score and Report

Once the assessment is complete, the Home Energy Assessor may need some additional time to enter the data points gathered and generate the Report. Check with them on what the turnaround time will be on providing the Report to you and how they will send it. If you are working with a real estate professional, request that the Home Energy Assessor provide the Report to both of you at the same time. 

As soon as the data points are entered into the software, the Home Energy Score and Report will be available immediately at the Green Building Registry.

Once the Report is complete, you will need to ensure the Score and Report are displayed in any sale advertisements and copies of the Report are available at the home. Find out more about how to Display a Home Energy Score by visiting Displaying a HES Report and Score.

Reading the Home Energy Score Report

The HES report contains important and valuable information about your home. Learn what information each section of the HES report contains by visiting the Reading a HES Report page.

Questions? Email homeenergyscore@milwaukieoregon.gov or call 503-786-7688.

Using Your Home Energy Score 

In addition to providing information on how your home uses energy, the Home Energy Score provides a list of recommended improvements that can be made to improve your score and save money on your energy bills. You may be eligible for incentives from Energy Trust of Oregon to help you finance these improvements. Learn more here.