Since January 1, 2008 all new residential single family units built within the City of Santa Fe have been required to post confirmed Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index (Ordinance 2007-38). Initially, there was not required target for those HERS indices.  However since adopted of the Residential Green Building Code, specific HERS indices are required based on the size of the residence.

HERS indices must be calculated by a certified HERS rater.  A list of certified HERS raters can be downloaded here or found here.

The City highly recommends getting a projected HERS rating early. The benefit of working with your HERS rater early in the process is that he or she can help identify simple changes in the building design or specifications that can reduce the homes energy requirements and save the homeowner money over time.

Confirmed ratings involve an on-site inspection of a home by a residential energy efficiency professional, a home energy rater. Home energy raters are trained and certified by a RESNET accredited home energy rater training provider.  The home energy rater reviews the home to identify its energy characteristics, such as insulation levels, window efficiency, wall-to-window ratios, the heating and cooling system efficiency, the solar orientation of the home, and the water heating system. Performance testing, such as a blower door test for air leakage and duct leakage, is usually part of the rating.

The data gathered by the home energy rater is entered into a RESNET accredited computer program and translated into rating score. The home receives a score between where 100 is equal to a model home and lower scores are more efficient and higher scores are less efficient. An estimate of the home’s energy costs can be provided in the report.

Please check with the City of Santa Fe Land Use Department to ensure you use the appropriate format to document the results of your HERS analysis.  You will note that there is a location in the upper righthand portion for you to insert your logo or other information about your company.

When conducting the analysis, unless you inspect the insulation, you must give it a grade 3.

To find the percent better or worse the residence's energy use is than the 2006 IECC, run the IECC 2006 UA Compliance Report.  The percent better is provided towards the bottom of the report.  A sample of the report can be seen here.

The completed form should be placed inside the building in the window closest to the front door facing outwards.  Please leave an extra copy for the City inspector to retrieve.

Please note, when doing your evaluation you must use ASTM test for thermal conductance for R-values, not effective R-values that are sometimes provided. For materials for which no test has yet been conducted, R-value must be calculated using the R-values of the component materials.

Should you have any questions you can call Katherine Mortimer at 955-6608 or email.