Beauchemin Designs
Q: What is special about a HERS-rated home?
A: A HERS-rated home takes the guesswork out of performance. It’s not just labeled “efficient”—it’s measured and verified.
We’re evaluating how the entire home performs as a system—insulation, air sealing, windows, and mechanicals. In a climate like New England, where homes face extreme temperature swings and moisture challenges, that level of validation matters.
Q: Why should consumers ask for the HERS Index Score on homes they are shopping for?
A: Most buyers focus on what they can see. The HERS score tells you how the home is actually going to live.
It’s one of the only ways to compare comfort, efficiency, and long-term cost across homes that may look similar on the surface. Think of it as a performance rating—not a marketing claim.
Q: Why does your company choose to have its homes HERS-rated?
A: For us, HERS isn’t a checkbox—it’s part of the design process.
We use energy modeling early to guide decisions around the envelope and mechanical systems. The final score simply confirms that the home is performing the way it was designed to.
Q: Why should consumers expect energy-efficient homes?
A: At this point, energy efficiency should be the baseline—especially in New England.
What homeowners are really after is comfort, durability, and healthy indoor air. When a home is designed with building science in mind, energy efficiency comes with it.
Q: How do you market HERS-rated homes?
A: We don’t market HERS as a feature—we use it to explain performance.
Most clients aren’t asking for a HERS score upfront, but they care about comfort and long-term value. Once they understand what it represents, it becomes a clear differentiator.
Q: How do your customers feel about HERS-rated homes?
A: Most clients don’t fully appreciate performance until they experience it.
Once they do, it becomes one of the most important aspects of the home—consistent temperatures, better air quality, no drafts. The HERS score gives them a way to quantify something they can feel every day.
Q: What rating company do you work with on your HERS-rated homes?
A: We work closely with Energy Geeks, and that collaboration starts early in the design process.
It allows us to evaluate different assemblies and systems before anything gets built. That’s the difference between designing for performance and trying to fix it later—especially in a climate as demanding as New England.
