Energy Efficiency and Sustainability of Products – a perfect fit
Weyerhaeuser’s homebuilding companies are building homes that average 30 percent more energy efficiency than HERS reference home
As part of Weyerhaeuser’s Sustainability Roadmap, the company set a goal to educate customers about the sustainability aspects of its products. To help meet this goal, Weyerhaeuser’s homebuilding subsidiaries began using the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) established by the Residential Energy Services Network as a measure of home energy efficiency.
Weyerhaeuser’s homebuilding subsidiaries include Pardee Homes, Maracay Homes, Quadrant Homes, Trendmaker Homes, and Winchester Homes.
A home built to the specifications of the HERS reference home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) qualifies for a HERS index of 100, whereas a net zero energy home qualifies for a HERS index of zero. Lower HERS index ratings indicate high energy-efficiency. Each one-point decrease in the HERS index corresponds to a one percent reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS reference home. Thus, a home with a HERS index of 80 is 20 percent more energy efficient than the HERS reference home.
The 2012 average HERS score among the five Weyerhaeuser homebuilders was 70, indicating the homes are 30 percent more energy efficient than the HERS reference home.
Read more about green homebuilding in Weyerhaeuser’s online sustainability report.
