Homeowners and builders have long used the The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index to measure the energy efficiency of a home. Now, RESNET is expanding the program with HERSH2O, a whole house water efficiency rating index. The program comes at a time when water is becoming a scarce resource in drought-prone areas, and water and sewer rates are on the rise, in some places rising faster than energy costs.
RESNET spent the past three years developing the program, which will rate the indoor and outdoor water usage of a home including the bathroom and kitchen, clothes washer, pools, and irrigation, while also accounting for leaks, excess pressure, and waste to derive a HERSH2O score, says the company. The score is derived by comparing the rated home to a reference home, which is typical of construction practices in 2006.
The rating system has now entered its formal pilot phase, a process that will test the technical guidelines as well as the inspection checklist, inspection guidance document, and the calculation spreadsheet. The organization is seeking builders and HERS raters interested in participating in the HERSH2O pilot. Feedback gained during the pilot phase will allow RESNET to improve the rating and inspection process and develop training materials. Those interested in participating should attend a free informational webinar on June 20th at 1:00 pm EST.
