HERS Index Scoring Flashcards
7 cards from real HERS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 HERS Index Scoring flashcards as text
Which of the following best describes the impact of mechanical ventilation on the HERS Index score?
Answer: Mechanical ventilation adds energy use but may also allow credit for reduced assumed infiltration
Mechanical ventilation adds energy use to the model, but a tight, well-ventilated home can receive credit for reduced assumed infiltration, partially or fully offsetting that cost.
What is the approximate HERS Index score for a typical existing US home built before modern energy codes?
Answer: HERS 130
Existing homes built before modern energy codes typically score around HERS 130, indicating they use about 30% more energy than the HERS reference home.
Which RESNET standard document defines the rules and methodology for calculating the HERS Index?
Answer: RESNET/ICC 301
RESNET/ICC 301 (formerly RESNET MINHERS) is the standard that defines the methodology, reference home, and calculation rules for the HERS Index.
A rater discovers that the installed attic insulation is R-30 instead of the specified R-49. How does this affect the HERS score?
Answer: The HERS score will be higher (worse) because heat loss through the attic increases
Less insulation than specified increases heat transfer through the attic, raising heating and cooling energy loads and resulting in a higher (worse) HERS Index score.
For FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) qualification, what HERS Index score threshold is commonly used to demonstrate energy efficiency?
Answer: HERS 75 or below
FHA Energy Efficient Mortgages commonly require a HERS Index of 75 or below to demonstrate that the home is energy efficient enough to qualify for the program.
In the HERS Index system, how are on-site renewable energy systems such as solar PV treated in the score calculation?
Answer: They are credited after calculating the home's source energy use, reducing the final HERS score
Under RESNET/ICC 301, on-site renewable energy generation is credited after calculating the home's energy use, reducing the HERS Index score toward or below zero.
Which of the following scenarios would result in TWO homes with different HERS Index scores even if they have identical construction?
Answer: Both homes are identical in design but built in different climate zones
The HERS reference home is built to the same climate as the rated home, so identical construction in different climate zones will produce different HERS scores because heating and cooling loads differ.