Niblock Homes
Founded in 1979 by three brothers with a passion for quality and craftsmanship, Niblock Homes was built on the values of trust, integrity, and respect. What began as a commitment to building homes they were proud to put their name on has grown into a legacy of over 4,500 homes across the Charlotte region.
In this month’s feature, we talked with Vice President Operations and Marketing Karen Bumgarner about Niblock Homes’ commitment to building HERS® homes.
Q: What is special about a HERS-rated home?
A: Karen: A Niblock HERS-rated home is special because its energy efficiency is measured, verified, and scored, giving buyers confidence in lower costs, better comfort, and long-term value.
Q: Why should consumers ask for the HERS Index Score on homes they are shopping for?
A: Karen: Consumers should ask for the HERS Index score because it gives them clear, third-party–verified insight into a home’s real performance. Strong HERS scores often indicate better construction practices, tighter building envelopes, and properly installed systems—leading to fewer comfort and maintenance issues.
Q: Why did Niblock Homes choose to have this home HERS-rated?
A: Karen: Our HERS scores showcase the quality and care built into every home we deliver. A HERS rating reflects the performance details our homeowners may not see—but ultimately feel every day through comfort, efficiency, and lower energy costs.
Q: Why should consumers expect energy-efficient homes?
A: Karen: Consumers should expect energy-efficient homes because efficiency is no longer a luxury—it’s a basic standard of quality and responsible building. Building energy-efficient homes directly affects the daily comforts of our homebuyers.
Q: How many homes do you build with HERS per year?
A: Karen: Niblock Homes will build between 75-125 HERS-rated homes each year.
Q: How do you market HERS-rated homes?
A: Karen: Every home is unique and falls at a different point on the HERS “ruler.” Our target HERS rating is 65, and many of our homes exceed that goal—often achieving scores in the mid-50s. At closing, each homebuyer receives a HERS Certificate, verifying the independently tested energy performance of their home.
Q: How do your customers feel about HERS-rated homes?
A: Karen: Our homebuyers feel confident that the homes we are building have lasting construction quality, predictable ownership costs, and consistent comfort. Our HERS-rated homes are well-built, dependable, and thoughtfully engineered. The HERS rating reinforces our customers’ feelings that the home will perform consistently, deliver lasting comfort, and reflect the high quality they expect.
Q: What rating company do you work with on your HERS-rated homes?
A: Karen: We have a long-standing partnership with Performance Point, a company we trust to help us achieve our energy efficiency goals. They conduct two inspections on each home to collect detailed data, which is then entered into their Ecotrope software to generate a HERS score. This process ensures every home is independently evaluated and meets our high standards for energy performance.
