Report Cards for Houses! Eugene's New Energy Checkup

Just like students get report cards at school, houses in Eugene, Oregon are now getting their very own grades! The city council decided that homeowners selling their houses must get an official Home Energy Score. This checkup rates how efficiently a house uses power on a simple 1 to 10 scale.

During a home energy checkup, a trained expert inspects the building from top to bottom. They check the insulation in the attic, look for drafty cracks around windows, and test heaters to see if heat is escaping. It is like giving a house a medical checkup, but instead of checking a heartbeat, they check how well it keeps cozy warm air inside!