Things are wrapping up on The Barn project, and we just had our final Energy Star inspection!
In case you’re not familiar, Energy Star is a government-backed program in the U.S. that helps consumers and businesses identify energy-efficient products, homes, and buildings. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy-saving solutions.
If you’re building a new home or undergoing a major renovation, you can follow the Energy Star for New Homes and Apartments guidelines to earn certification as an Energy Star Home.More...
I decided to go for Energy Star certification for The Barn because:
- It helped us stay on track with energy efficiency
- It included third-party inspections to ensure everything was built and installed correctly
- It came with rebates and tax incentives
The final inspection, when they test how your house actually performs, was the most helpful part of the program for me. I’ll talk more about that in a bit. But first, let’s break down how it all works.
The Barn: Current phase - site work
How the Energy Star Program Works
Homes that earn the Energy Star label are designed to perform better than standard new homes. They use less energy, offer better comfort, and reduce both utility bills and environmental impact.
Contractor Requirements:
To participate, your builder must be Energy Star qualified. It’s not a difficult certification to get, so if your builder isn’t already qualified, ask if they’re willing to become one.
If you’re installing a ducted heating and cooling system, your HVAC installer also needs to be Energy Star qualified. (Wall-mounted mini-split systems don’t require this.)
Building Requirements:
The program focuses on three key areas:
- Insulation
- Airtightness
- Efficient systems and appliances
How We Applied Energy Star at The Barn
The Barn wasn’t originally intended to be a long-term home. We planned to live in it temporarily, then turn it into a workshop once our main house was built. (But now that we’re here, and I splurged on a few upgrades, it’s feeling more like our forever home! It’s just too nice to give up.)
Because of that original plan, I didn’t go all-in on insulation. We used code minimum insulation in the walls, which I now regret. (Stay tuned for a future blog post on that mistake!)
But since we went above code minimums on everything else, we still exceeded Energy Star requirements overall.
My main goal was to build a super airtight house. Airtightness improves energy efficiency, helps manage moisture, and supports good indoor air quality. (You can read more about why airtightness matters here.)
Energy Star requires homes to have 3 air changes per hour (ACH) or fewer. (The lower the number, the tighter the house.) Our home tested at 0.5 ACH, so it's incredibly airtight!
We also added lots of attic insulation, which is a great place to invest since it’s relatively easy and cost-effective.
Our house is all-electrical, and all of our appliances and systems are Energy Star certified, including:
- Heat pump water heater
- Heat pump heating and cooling system
- ERV (energy recovery ventilator)
- Induction cooktop
- LED lighting throughout
This is what the house looked like during the first inspection.
The Certification Process
Here’s how the Energy Star process worked for us:
1. Submit Application
Your builder needs to complete the Energy Star application early, ideally around the start of construction. I submitted ours just before framing began.
2. Initial Inspection
An Energy Star rater visits once the home is framed, weather-tight, air-sealed, and insulated. They check the insulation and air-sealing details and let your builder know if anything needs to be fixed. It’s a great way to catch issues before drywall goes up.
What the blower door test looks like.
This is the box that measures air flow from the ERV.
3. Final Inspection + Blower Door Test
Once the house is finished, the rater returns for the final inspection and blower door test. This measures your home’s airtightness, and it’s how we learned our ACH was 0.5!
They also test the ventilation system to make sure the airflow rates meet requirements. For us, that part was really helpful: Our ERV wasn’t bringing in enough fresh air, and we never would’ve known without this inspection. The fix was simple, we just opened the vents into each room a bit more.
They also checked that the system was balanced, meaning it brings in as much fresh air as it exhausts. Ours was nearly perfect.
4. Get the HERS Report + Rebates
After the final inspection, the rater completes calculations and paperwork and issues a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) report, which tells you how energy-efficient your home is compared to one built to code minimum. We haven’t received ours yet, but I can’t wait to see the results!
Finally, we’ll receive a rebate check. Rebates vary by state, but in New Hampshire, Energy Star certification gets you a nice incentive. It makes the process well worth it even if you already know how to build a high-performance home.
Why It Matters
Having a certified rater inspect your home during and after construction gives you peace of mind that everything is done right and that it's performing as expected.
The Energy Star program has helped so many families build more efficient, comfortable, and healthy homes. It’s been an incredible tool for homeowners who want to reduce energy bills, improve air quality, and build smarter.
Unfortunately, the government is now considering ending the Energy Star program, which would be a huge loss for homeowners and the planet. If you care about energy-efficient homes, I encourage you to contact your state representatives and let them know this program matters.
Let’s keep this program alive.