🛠 Step 2: Use the Home Energy Score to Plan Your Retrofit
So you’ve entered data into the Home Energy Score Tool and received your first score. That’s a powerful first step. However, 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. Here are a few ways to get the most out of this tool.
🧩 Explore Phased Packages
Most homeowners won’t do everything at once — and they don’t have to.
Instead, they use 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 improves comfort and long term affordability — while staying on track toward their ultimate goal: a healthier, low-emissions home.
🔧 Packages To Try In The Home Energy Score
🏡 Package Level | Best For | Includes | Estimated Energy Savings | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
🔹 Basic Package Score 1 → 3 |
Older or leaky homes with low insulation | Air sealing, attic insulation (R‑49+), basic duct sealing, LED lighting | 10 – 20% | Low cost, quick return. Focus on stopping stack effect. Seal first, then insulate. |
🔹 Intermediate Package Score 3 → 7 |
Homes needing moderate improvements | Wall insulation, window upgrades, high-efficiency HVAC | 20 – 35% | Good for staged retrofits. Pair with partial electrification or renewable‑ready panels. |
🔹 Deep Retrofit Score 7 → 10 |
Homes that require major renovations | Full electrification, heat pump HVAC + water heater | 50% or more | Max impact. Often done during renovations or with incentive stacking (IRA, tax credits). |
🔧 Try Different Models Until You Reach 50% Energy Reduction.
For example, a St. Paul homeowner with a 1915, 3 bedroom two story home is using the tool to model changes that will boost their score from 1 to 9! 🚀Retrofit Stage | Home Energy Score | Annual Cost | Annual Energy Use | Key Assets |
---|---|---|---|---|
Before Retrofit | 1/10 | $3,037 | 253 MBtus | Leaky basement, poorly insulated walls & attic |
Basic Package | 3/10 | $2,848 | 226 MBtus | Attic insulation —to R-55, some air sealing |
Intermediate | 5/10 | $2,498 | 190 MBtus | Includes all basic steps plus rim joist sealing with spray foam |
Intermediate Package2 | 7/10 | $2,226 | 162 MBtus | Includes intermediate items listed above plus condensing boiler |
Advanced Package | 9/10 | $2,158 | 137 MBtus | Includes all intermediate steps plus adding an air-to-water electric heat pump |
🏡 Align Your Plan With What Matters To You
Before creating an upgrade package, it’s important to reflect on what matters most to you. Do you want lower bills, better indoor air quality, or a home ready for solar and EV charging? Your goals should guide which improvements to model and when to make them.
🎯 Priority | What It Means | Upgrades That Support It |
---|---|---|
🏠 Comfort | Even temperatures, no drafts, quieter systems | Air sealing, attic insulation, heat pumps, duct sealing |
💰 Affordability | Lower energy bills, protection from fuel price spikes | Efficiency upgrades, smart thermostats, LED lighting |
🌱 Climate | Cut carbon emissions, go all-electric | Heat pumps, induction stove, electric water heating, EV charger |
🔋 Resilience | Ready for outages or future solar + battery system | Panel upgrade, battery-ready wiring, efficient envelope |
👃 Health | Improved indoor air quality, reduced combustion indoors | ERVs/HRVs, heat pumps, ventilation upgrades |
🧩 Phased Investment | Coordinate upgrades with replacements or renovations | Modular planning, priority-by-need approach |
✍️ Quick Tip: Choose your top 2–3 priorities and use them to help decide which retrofit package fits best. A comfort-focused upgrade might look different than a carbon-reduction plan — and that’s the point. Your retrofit should reflect your goals.
🔁 INCLUDE A HEAT PUMP IN YOUR PLAN
HEAT PUMPS ARE THE HEART OF HOME ELECTRIFICATION
Heat pumps are the most cost-effective, all-in-one heating and cooling solution for most homes in the United States - even in cold climates. They're efficient, electric, and future-ready.
- ✅ Super-efficient – Move 2–5 times more heat than the electricity they consume
- ✅ Cold-climate ready – Work down to -10°F or even -20°F
- ✅ Dual-purpose – One system for both heating and cooling
- ✅ Carbon-cutting – Reduce emissions even in fossil-heavy grids
🔌 Electrify Your Whole Home And Really Boost Your Score
Use this interactive guide to plan your upgrades.
✅ Step 1: What Do You Use Now?
🔎 Need a bigger panel?
Signs you might need an upgrade:
- Main breaker under 100 amps
- Old or crowded fuse box
- Planning for EV charger, heat pump, or induction stove
✅ Step 2: Check Your Efficiency Readiness
🛠️ Pro Tip: Seal and insulate before installing heat pumps — it saves money and boosts comfort!
✅ Step 3: Rebate Lookup
💵 Tip: Stack rebates + tax credits + IRA incentives to save thousands. Some rebates cover electrical panels and insulation upgrades too!
✅ Step 4: Plan Your Upgrades
Note: The Home Energy Score does not currently include EV chargers in its modeling. However, we consider them a vital part of the move to an electrified home and encourage planning for EV readiness during energy retrofit projects.
📋 Smart Upgrade Sequence:
1. Air seal & insulate → 2. Upgrade panel → 3. Install efficient electric appliances and heating/cooling systems → 4. Add solar/batteries later.
🚫 Safety Tip:
If you remove a gas furnace or water heater, ensure the chimney vent is safely sealed or resized.
💬 Credit: This checklist was developed in collaboration with Tim Wulling, a founding member of Transition Town—ASAP (Saint Anthony Park, MN).
Next Steps: Using the Home Energy Score Tool
- ✅ Enter your data into the Home Energy Score Tool and generate an unofficial score
- ✅ Test different upgrade scenarios and see how your score changes
- ✅ Calculate cost, energy and carbon savings from potential improvements
❓ 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.
🚀 Learn about woking with contractors so you'll be ready to make changes to your home in step 3 >>.