Home Energy Score

🔧 Using the Home Energy Score To Slash Energy Use By 50%

The Home Energy Score doesn’t just rate a home — it can provide a roadmap, showing which upgrades will deliver the biggest energy and emissions reductions. It becomes the foundation for creating upgrade “packages” that make sense for your home.

📈 From Inefficient to Electrified: A Real Home's Journey

Let’s take one home as an example.

  • Before: This home scored a 2, with high energy use and heavy dependence on natural gas (over 1,600 therms per year).
  • After: Targeted upgrades, including envelope improvements and electrification, raised the score to a 9 — cutting energy use by nearly half and reducing gas use by 95%.
  • Despite using more electricity, overall costs went down by nearly $700 per year, thanks to the efficiency of the new systems and a much tighter building shell.

🏠 Real-World Example: A Path to Net-Zero in Saint Paul

This 2,400 sq. ft. two-story home in Saint Paul began its journey with a low Score and sky-high gas usage. But with thoughtful planning and incremental upgrades, it’s moved toward efficiency, comfort, and climate readiness — one step at a time.

Retrofit Stage Home Energy Score (Demo version) Annual Energy Cost Annual Energy Use Key Upgrades
Before Retrofit 2/10 $3,037 244 MBtus Leaky basement, uninsulated attic/walls, old gas boiler
Basic Package (Move-In) 3/10 $2,847 226 MBtus Attic insulation to R-55, basic air sealing
Intermediate Package 5/10 $2,498 190 MBtus Sealed rim joist, insulated basement walls
Deep Retrofit (Modeled) 9/10 $2,364 139 MBtus Air-to-water electric heat pump for heat & hot water (gas backup retained)

🟨 Does This Project Hit The Deep Retrofit Level?

  • ✅ Natural gas use: yes — it's nearly eliminated it
  • 🔁 Overall site energy: not quite 50%, but close
  • ⚠️ Electricity use increased: but that’s expected in electrification

🟢 Conclusion:

Yes — this project qualifies as a deep energy retrofit, particularly because it:

  • Cut fossil fuel dependence by over 90%
  • Reduced site energy use significantly
  • Prepared the home for full electrification in the near future

🧩 The Power of Phased Packages

The homeowner didn’t do everything at once — and they didn’t have to.

Instead, they used the Home Energy Score to map out upgrade packages based on timing, budget, and life events (like move-in or replacing a boiler). Each step improved comfort and affordability — while staying on track toward their ultimate goal: a low-emissions, low-cost, resilient home.

📌 Before Choosing the Best Upgrade Path for Your Home: Pre-weatherize

⚠️ Any plan needs to start with pre-weatherization to keep occupants and workers safe.

Address potential hazards before upgrading:

  • 🚨 Check for asbestos or lead paint
  • 🚨 Inspect for knob-and-tube wiring
  • 🚨 Test for radon and moisture problems
  • 🚨 Fix leaks and ventilation before sealing

Decide whether your home needs a pre-weaterization step, and then consider three common retrofit packages — from basic upgrades to full decarbonization.

🔧 Select A Package To Model In The Home Energy Score

🔹 A Basic Package

  • ✔ Low-cost, high-impact upgrades
  • ✔ Ideal for homes with little insulation or air leaks
  • Includes: Air sealing, attic insulation (R-49+), LED lighting

🔹 An Intermediate Package

  • ✔ Builds on the basic package
  • ✔ Ideal for homes needing moderate upgrades without major renovations
  • Includes: Window upgrades, wall insulation, high-efficiency HVAC
  • 📌 Follows ENERGY STAR Home Upgrade guidance

🔹 Deep Retrofit

  • ✔ Go all-in on energy efficiency + electrification and slash energy use 50% or more
  • ✔ Ideal for net-zero ready or renewable-powered homes
  • Includes: Full electrification, advanced insulation, solar, battery ready or installed

🔌 Electrify Your Home: Planning Checklist

Use this interactive guide to plan your upgrades and explore rebates for your home.

✅ Step 1: What Do You Use Now?

  • Gas furnace
  • Gas water heater
  • Gas stove or oven
  • Gas clothes dryer
  • Old or undersized electric panel

✅ Step 2: Check Your Efficiency Readiness

  • My home is air sealed and insulated
  • One or more systems are aging or failing

✅ Step 3: Rebate Lookup


✅ Step 4: Plan Your Upgrades

  • Upgrade electric panel
  • Seal and insulate attic/walls
  • Install heat pump water heater
  • Switch to induction stove
  • Install heat pump HVAC
  • Add EV charger or battery storage

✅ Step 5: Your Why

  • I want cleaner indoor air
  • I want to cut carbon emissions
  • I’m preparing for solar or time-of-use rates

💬 Credit: This checklist was developed in collaboration with Tim Wulling, a founding member of Transition Town—ASAP. Visit Electrify Everything MN for further reading.

❓ FAQ: Addressing Common Homeowner Concerns

❓ What if I can’t afford major upgrades right away?
💡 Start small! Air sealing and attic insulation offer the biggest savings for the lowest cost, and many upgrades qualify for rebates & incentives. But even if you're not ready to invest today, it still makes sense to make a plan—so when something breaks unexpectedly, you’re prepared to choose the green option from your plan, rather than defaulting to the status quo replacement that locks in inefficiency for another decade.

🏡 Take The Quiz

Test your knowledge! Select your answers and submit to see your results.

1. What does the Home Energy Score (HES) primarily measure?





2. Why is a blower door test important for improving your Home Energy Score?





3. What is typically the most cost-effective first step in improving your Home Energy Score?





4. If your water heater fails unexpectedly, why is having a Home Energy Score-based plan helpful?





5. How does the Home Energy Score support decarbonization efforts?





6. Which of the following improvements would likely have the biggest impact on increasing a Home Energy Score from 3 to 7?