Tools let renters test energy efficiency

Right now, the closest thing we have to mpg for the home is the Home Energy Score, or HES. Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, the HES rates a building’s efficiency against similar buildings in the same climate zone. The HES works on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. So far, about 30 states have begun pilot programs to implement the HES, according to Robinson. But while she describes the rate of implementation as "very rapid," it’s still up to each utility district to decide whether to adopt the HES.

"The great thing about the HES is that it’s easy to understand, so you know that a home that’s an 8 or 9 is better than a 5, and that you don’t want to buy or rent a place that’s a 2 because the energy costs will be higher," says Robinson. "But it won’t tell you what your power bill will be because that also depends on you."

By Michael Estrin

Full Story: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/frugal/tools-let-renters-test-energy-efficiency.aspx