Parade of Homes Tour Features Energy Efficient Options

Minnesota is among the nation’s top leaders when it comes to energy efficient homes.  The Parade of Homes Fall Showcase features a home in Plymouth that scored well for energy efficiency.

There are a lot of things to love about 4,917-square-foot home at 5170 Zircon Ln. Constructed by Hanson Builders, the five-bedrooms, five-bath house features an open floor plan and ample dining space. The home is listed at $825,000.

“The heart of the house tends to be the kitchen,” said Dean Hanson, president of Hanson Builders. “So you kind of have everything that connects to the kitchen.”

But the best thing about this house are the details you can’t see. The builder took extra steps to insulate and caulk around pipes and walls.

“The windows are highly energy efficient. They are very tight,” said Hanson.

Homes Tested by Green Path

This home has been energy tested by Green Path, Minnesota’s leading energy and green building program for residential construction.

“On this year’s tour, 70 percent of the homes have been Green Path tested. That means they’ve got a HERS score,” explained Katie Elfstrom with the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. “They’ve been rated and tested for energy efficiency.”

What is a “HERS” score?

HERS stands for Home Energy Rating System. The U.S. Department of Energy determined that a typical resale home scores 130 on the HERS index, while a standard new home gets a rating of 100. The Plymouth house scored a 48. The lower the score, the more energy efficient.

Hanson Builders says it does an energy rating on every single home it builds.

“Everybody wants to have less burning of energy, which causes less footprints, carbon footprint on the earth,” said Hanson.

In the long run, the energy-efficient products saves people money. However, the upfront costs can be high.

“To implement the energy saving that are required in Minnesota, it costs tens and thousands of dollars,” Hanson said. “So, it isn’t like it’s free.”

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The Fall Parade of Homes is featuring a tour within a tour that highlights energy-efficient homes.  A list of homes on the Green Path tour: ParadeofHomes.org

Plymouth