Make it stand out.

• Assessment date and type (Test / Demo)
• Year built
• Number of bedrooms
• Dwelling unit type (single-family, duplex, townhouse)
• Number of stories above ground
• Average ceiling height (feet)
• Total conditioned floor area (sq ft)
• Front orientation (which direction the front faces)
• Was a blower door test conducted?
• Has the home been professionally air sealed?
• Measured air leakage rate (CFM50), if known

This section sets the baseline for how your home performs. A home’s size, shape, and construction era give us clues about insulation levels, air leakage, and mechanical system needs. Orientation affects passive solar gains. Air leakage tells us how “tight” or “leaky” the envelope is.

• Year built: Suggests insulation and air sealing levels
• Ceiling height & floor area: Impact heating and cooling loads
• Orientation: Affects solar exposure and comfort
• Blower door test & air sealing: Critical for modeling air barrier performance

This section helps model the home’s thermal boundary (size and layout) and its air barrier (tightness). A small, tight home can outperform a larger, newer home if it's better sealed and sized for its systems. These inputs affect everything downstream—how much energy is needed, how big the HVAC system should be, and how stable indoor temperatures will feel.

The blower door test is the gold standard for measuring how “leaky” a home is. A large fan temporarily depressurizes the house, pulling in outside air through gaps and cracks. This test helps locate and measure those leaks.

• Reveals: Hidden air leaks in attics, basements, and walls
• Guides: Air sealing and insulation upgrades for maximum impact
• Improves: Comfort by reducing drafts and temperature swings

🏆 Free or Low-Cost Blower Door Testing: Many utilities offer free or discounted energy assessments that include blower door testing. In Minnesota, this service is often available through the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) Home Energy Squad.

• ✔ Blower door test to measure leakage
• ✔ Infrared imaging to find insulation gaps
• ✔ On-the-spot fixes like weatherstripping or LED installs

• Check previous energy audit reports for year built, square footage, or leakage results
• Look up year built and size on tax records, building permits, or Zillow
• Use a tape measure or floor plan to confirm ceiling height
• Use Google Maps or a compass app to find home’s front orientation
• “Stories” counts floors above ground—exclude basement unless it’s a walkout or finished
• If your basement feels comfortable without space heaters, it likely counts as conditioned space
• No blower door test? Leave air leakage blank or let the tool assign a default

• Attic or ceiling type (unconditioned attic, cathedral ceiling, flat roof)
• Roof construction (standard, radiant barrier, rigid foam)
• Roof finish and color
• Insulation level (R-value)
• Attic floor area
• Skylights: presence and specs
• Knee walls: insulation and location, if applicable

The attic is a key control zone where heat is often lost in winter and gained in summer. Its construction affects the performance of all three control layers: thermal, air, and moisture.

• Conduction: Underinsulated ceilings increase heat loss.
• Radiation: Dark roofs increase attic temperatures; radiant barriers reduce gain.
• Stack effect: Warm air rises and escapes through attic leaks.
• Knee walls: Common thermal and air boundary failures if untreated.

• Seal attic penetrations before adding insulation
• Upgrade insulation to R-49 or higher (cold climates)
• Bring knee walls into the conditioned envelope if possible
• Consider cool roof materials or radiant barriers when re-roofing

• Use the insulation calculator if R-values are unknown
• Estimate attic area based on the conditioned floor below
• Split cathedral and flat areas into separate entries if needed
• Check for skylights and note shading or screens

• Foundation type (e.g., slab-on-grade, conditioned/unconditioned basement, vented/unvented crawlspace)
• Foundation area (sq ft)
• Floor insulation level (above crawlspace or basement)
• Foundation wall insulation level (if present)
• Optional: Enter a second foundation type if your home has more than one

Foundations are in direct contact with the ground, which stays cool for much of the year in northern climates. If these surfaces aren’t properly insulated or sealed, they act like radiators in reverse—pulling heat out of the home.

At the same time, the rim joist and floor assemblies are notorious for air leakage, and unsealed crawlspaces or slabs can draw moisture into the building. This section tells us how continuous—or broken—the control layers are at the bottom of the home.

• Thermal Barrier: Insulation under floors and along foundation walls slows heat loss into the ground.
• Air Barrier: Rim joists and floor penetrations are common leakage points that disrupt building pressure control.
• Moisture Barrier: Without vapor barriers, ground moisture can enter the structure and raise humidity or lead to mold and rot.

• Conduction: Heat moves from your warm indoor floors into the cooler ground, especially through slab edges or uninsulated basement walls.
• Air Leakage: Rim joists, plumbing chases, and duct pathways in crawlspaces are key zones for unsealed airflow.
• Moisture Movement: Capillary action can draw water upward from soil into the building without proper vapor barriers.

“An uninsulated basement is like living over a cold cave. You’re heating it whether you want to or not.”

• Seal rim joists and all visible penetrations before insulating
• Add rigid foam or spray foam insulation along basement or crawlspace walls
• Install R-19 or higher insulation under floors above vented crawlspaces
• If accessible, place a ground vapor barrier in crawlspaces to limit moisture

• Check for insulation batts, rigid foam, or spray foam along crawl/basement walls
• Use the R-value calculator in the tool to estimate based on insulation type and thickness
• Slab-on-grade homes typically have no insulation unless retrofitted
• If your home has both a slab and a basement, enter each separately as Foundation 1 and Foundation 2

For each exterior wall—or for all walls if they're built the same way—you’ll enter:

• Wall construction type (e.g., wood frame, masonry, structural insulated panels)
• Exterior wall finish (e.g., siding, stucco, brick, stone)
• Adjacent space type (e.g., outdoors, another unit, heated garage)
• Wall insulation level (select R-value or use insulation calculator)
• Whether all four sides of the home are built the same (Yes/No)

Walls are one of the largest parts of the thermal envelope—and one of the easiest to overlook once they're finished. A poorly insulated wall can lose more heat than an entire attic if it covers a large area or faces the wind. But walls are about more than just insulation—they form a critical part of your home's thermal, air, and moisture control layers.

• Thermal Barrier: Cavity and continuous insulation slow heat flow through wall assemblies.
• Air Barrier: Sealing around sheathing joints, windows, doors, and penetrations prevents drafts and pressure imbalances.
• Moisture Barrier: Cladding, housewrap, and flashing manage bulk water and vapor movement from the outside in.

"Your walls should be like a thermos—insulated and sealed on all sides, not just the front."

• Conduction: Heat flows through studs and wall cavities; insulation slows this process, but thermal bridging can still occur at framing.
• Air Leakage: Even small gaps in framing, sheathing, or trim can become major leak points—especially around windows, doors, and rim joists.
• Moisture Control: Wind-driven rain, humidity, and vapor pressure differences can force moisture into walls if flashing, siding, or housewraps are missing or poorly installed.

• Blow dense-pack cellulose or fiberglass into empty wall cavities (common in pre-1960 homes)
• Add rigid foam sheathing during re-siding projects to create continuous insulation and reduce thermal bridging
• Seal cracks and gaps around windows, door frames, utility penetrations, and baseboards
• Plan wall upgrades during major remodels when framing is exposed

• If insulation is unknown, check unfinished areas like garages or behind electrical outlets
• If wall construction isn’t clear, wood framing is standard in most homes built after 1940
• Use the built-in R-value calculator if you know insulation thickness or type
• Most homes can be entered as “same on all sides” unless wall type or finish varies dramatically

For each system—heating, cooling, and ductwork—you’ll enter:

• Type of heating system (furnace, boiler, heat pump, etc.)
• Fuel type and known efficiency (AFUE, COP, HSPF) or installation year
• Type of cooling system (central AC, minisplit, heat pump, etc.)
• Cooling efficiency (SEER, EER) or installation year
• Number of systems (e.g., one per floor or zone)
• Duct location (attic, crawlspace, interior walls, etc.)
• Whether ducts are insulated and/or sealed
• If a duct leakage test was done and results (if available)

Heating and cooling systems are major drivers of your home's energy use, comfort, and climate impact. Their performance depends not just on efficiency ratings but on how well they interact with the rest of the building system—especially the thermal and air barriers.

• Thermal Barrier: A high-efficiency furnace still wastes energy if it’s heating an uninsulated or leaky space.
• Air Barrier: Leaky ducts or uncontrolled airflow can undermine even the best equipment, making systems work harder and increasing energy waste.

“Mechanical systems don’t work in isolation. They respond to the building they’re in.”

• Oversizing: Systems that are too large cycle on and off more often, reducing efficiency and comfort. This is common when envelope upgrades are done without adjusting equipment.
• Distribution losses: Ducts in unconditioned spaces (like attics or crawlspaces) can lose 20–30% of heating or cooling energy, especially if unsealed or uninsulated.
• Air Leakage: Duct leaks create pressure imbalances that pull in outdoor air or push out conditioned air—bypassing the building’s air barrier.
• System type matters: Heat pumps can both heat and cool efficiently; electric resistance heat is easy to install but expensive to operate.

• Type of heating system (e.g., gas furnace, boiler, heat pump)
• Efficiency rating (AFUE, COP, HSPF) – or the year installed

• Central gas furnace: Common and uses natural gas. Look for AFUE rating on label.
• Electric resistance: (baseboards, electric furnace) are simple but expensive to operate.
• Heat pumps: Very efficient and provide both heating and cooling—great for electrification.
• Older systems: Units installed before 2000 are usually less efficient and may be good candidates for upgrade.

• Type of cooling system (central AC, minisplit, heat pump)
• Efficiency rating (SEER, EER) – or the year installed

• Minisplit systems are typically high-efficiency and good for zoned cooling.
• Older AC systems may have SEER ratings as low as 8 or 10—today's minimum is 13–14 depending on region.

• Number of duct zones/locations (e.g., attic, basement, crawlspace, interior)
• Whether ducts are insulated and/or sealed
• If a duct leakage test was done, enter the results if known

• Leaky ducts can waste 20–30% of your heating and cooling energy
• Ducts in unconditioned spaces = major thermal loss and often unmeasured air leakage
• Sealing and insulating ducts is one of the quickest ways to improve performance

In this section, you’ll record basic information about your home’s water heater:

• Is it a tank (storage) or tankless (instantaneous)?
• What fuel does it use? (electricity, gas, propane, etc.)
• Do you know its efficiency rating (EF or UEF) or just the year it was manufactured?

Water heating is the second-largest energy use in most homes, after space heating and cooling. A water heater that’s old or inefficient can drive up energy costs—especially in homes with large families or high hot water use.

This system also affects whole-house energy use indirectly by producing internal heat gains, especially in tight, well-insulated homes.

• Monthly bills: Newer units often cut water heating costs by 30% or more
• Carbon footprint: Efficient models or electric heat pump units can lower emissions
• Rebates & incentives: High-efficiency or electrified models may qualify for rebates under programs like the IRA

• Is it a storage tank or a tankless/instantaneous system?
• What fuel does it use? (natural gas, propane, electric, fuel oil)

• Tank systems: Store hot water continuously; can be less efficient, especially older models
• Tankless systems: Heat water only when needed; usually more efficient, but may require larger electric or gas supply
• Heat pump water heaters: Use ambient air to heat water; extremely efficient in moderate climates or basements

• Home Energy Score will ask for the EF (Energy Factor) or UEF (Uniform Energy Factor)
• If that’s not known, just enter the year it was manufactured

EF and UEF are efficiency ratings. The higher the number, the better. For example:

• EF of 0.60 = older gas tank model
• UEF of 0.92 = newer tankless unit
• UEF 2.5+ = high-efficiency heat pump water heater

• If your unit is more than 10–12 years old, it may be nearing the end of its life
• Replacing a gas or electric tank with a heat pump water heater can reduce energy use by up to 70%
• Look for a yellow Energy Guide label—it may show EF/UEF and estimated annual energy cost
• If you’re unsure, Home Energy Score will estimate based on age and type

If your home has a solar electric system (PV), we’ll ask for key system details to estimate how much energy it generates each year. These include:

• Year the system was installed
• Direction the panels face
• Roof slope or panel tilt
• System size — either in kilowatts (kW) or number of panels

Solar panels reduce your home’s grid electricity demand by generating power on-site. The Home Energy Score includes solar production in its total energy use estimate, which helps create a more accurate and fair score—especially for homes that have already made the investment.

This is the final layer in whole-house performance: once you’ve reduced energy use through insulation, air sealing, and efficient systems, solar can offset what's left—getting you closer to zero net energy.

• Year installed: Helps estimate panel age and degradation
• Panel orientation: South-facing panels usually provide the best year-round output
• Tilt/slope: Affects how much sunlight hits the panels across the seasons (flat, low, medium, steep)

• Total system capacity in kilowatts (kW)
• OR number of solar panels

If you don’t know the exact capacity, entering the number of panels will help the tool estimate it.

• Check your installation paperwork or utility bills — many list the system size (e.g., “6.2 kW PV system”)
• Use a quick estimate: # of panels × wattage per panel

Example: 20 panels × 300 watts = 6 kW system

Solar PV is part of your home’s energy balance. While it doesn’t affect the thermal or air barriers directly, it plays a key role in your home’s total energy profile—especially as mechanical systems shift from gas to electricity.

• Offsets electric loads from heating, cooling, and hot water
• Supports electrification by reducing grid dependence
• Enables resilience when paired with battery storage or demand-response systems