Informative Material

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), every certified Zero Energy Ready Home has a comprehensive package of measures to help minimize dangerous pollutants, provide continuous fresh air, and effectively filter the air you breathe. What this means to you is your family can breathe better every day knowing your home was designed and built to help manage indoor air quality. 

Even if the initial purchase price of the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home were more than a code-built home, homeowners would still pay less each month when utility bill savings are considered, and homeowners get a much higher quality home as well.

Market value of energy efficiency and sustainability is rising and becoming more definitive for many reasons, including evolving social and cultural priorities, increased public awareness about energy and sustainability in buildings, more accessible information tools and comps, and an expanding track record of technical know-how and implementation success in practically all sub-sectors of the real estate market. No longer invisible and oft-overlooked, energy performance and sustainability have become standard, even central criteria for defining and distinguishing value in buildings. As the market share of green and energy-efficient buildings continues to grow, market awareness and preferences for efficiency and sustainability will likely become more and more evident via sales comps to appraisers everywhere, with effects pushing in both directions – toward increased value for efficient and green buildings, and toward diminished value for underperforming buildings with greater expenses and larger negative environmental impacts.

Recognition of Energy Costs, IMT & Appraisal Institute, 2012