EcoSmart Stud 
We have followed this Minneapolis build from delivery, framing, insulation, and thermal images at -10 degrees below zero. The blower door test and official HERS score now put an exclamation point on this build!
What is a HERS Score?
For those of you not familiar with a HERS score, think of it as the yellow Energy Star Sticker you see on kitchen appliances, water heaters, furnaces, AC systems, etc. The Energy Star Sticker shows the highest-energy-use appliance, the lowest-energy-use appliance, and where the appliance you are looking at falls between the two. In the HERS rating, a HERS 100 is a model home from 2006. A HERS 0 is a Net Zero Home. A HERS score can be higher than 100 (an older Home), and a HERS score can be negative, which means that the solar panel array produces more energy than the home consumes. Quite often, this is for charging electric car(s).
What does an ACH50 Score Mean?
HERS scores take into account the thermal envelope’s insulation: ceiling, walls, floors, windows, doors, foundation walls, and foundation slab. The ACH50 score is also part of the thermal envelope, as it determines the BTU heat loss due to air leakage. Air leakage can be a major driver in heating and cooling bills. Just like the HERS Score, the lower the number the better! The HERS score also considers the energy use of the HVAC System, the ERV/HRV (fresh air exchanger) unit, and duct leakage, if applicable.
What do the HERS Numbers Mean for Energy Savings?
For comparing a new home build, the 2006 home (HERS 100) is our reference point. For Zero Energy Ready, Net Zero Ready, or Passive Homes, we are looking for scores in the low 40s and any score in the 30s. That score means the home would use 57-70% less energy than the 2006 model home. As energy efficiency standards evolve, achieving a lower HERS score positions this home as a leader in energy performance, a strong selling point for future buyers.
Drum role, please!
The first officially rated EcoSmart® Stud pilot build official numbers are 1.08 ACH50 and a HERS 40!
A Zero Energy Ready Home HERS Score!
This home was not designed as a Zero Energy Ready or Net Zero Ready Home. It did hit the mark, though, which is impressive! A HERS 43 would be considered the starting point of a Zero Energy Ready or Net Zero Ready Home. At a 40 HERS rating and not following the Zero Energy Ready Home guidelines, this is again impressive! A couple of simple tweaks to the home would have brought the HERS rating down to the 30s.
ACH50 Rating Below Code and Zero Energy Ready Requirements
The 1.08 ACH50 (air exchanges per hour during the blower door test) is well below Minnesota’s 3.0 ACH50 Maximum. It’s below the anticipated 2.5 ACH50 maximum for the updated energy code coming in 2027/28. It’s also well below the 2.0 ACH50 maximum for the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home program. 
The Whole Point of the EcoSmart® Stud
This is the whole point of the EcoSmart® Stud. To give the average builder the ability to build a Zero Energy Ready, Net Zero Ready, or Net Zero Home at a price the average home buyer can afford. That is also a green product! This home is modeled to use 60% less energy than the 2006 HERS model home! That translates into about 45% less energy use than a home built to Minnesota’s current energy code! This home was not designed to be a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home, but it hit the needed HERS score to be considered one!
In fact, due to a local utility’s High Performance New Home Program, this house wouldn’t cost any more to build than a home built to the current Minnesota Energy Code. The EcoSmart® Stud reduces the cost of building the high-performance exterior wall needed for this low HERS score by 75-85%. Now, a rebate designed to help offset part of the cost can offset the total cost of building a better exterior wall!
Reach Out for more Information!
If you are a local builder in the Minnesota/Wisconsin area looking to build a better, more energy-efficient home for your customers, reach out to us; we can help. If you are looking to build a new home in the Minnesota/Wisconsin area and are looking for a builder to use EcoSmart® Studs, reach out we can help!