Go for the Guarantee! Wouldn’t it be great to have the peace of mind in knowing what your annual heating/cooling costs would be? All Heritage Homes come standard with Energy Star Certification through an independent Home Energy Rating firm and a 3 year heating and cooling guarantee. Some home builders may build an Energy Star home but how many will put it in writing and guarantee it?Our building system not only guarantees your construction costs, but also gives you the true peace of mind in knowing that you will have low energy costs for the lifetime of your home.
Heat and cool our Nebraska, 1698 SF model home with 9’ high ceilings throughout and a full basement for as little as $442.00 per year- GUARANTEED, when it is built with an energy efficient heating system and insulated basement. The heating and cooling costs were calculated using Wayne, Nebraska utility rates and using our Energy Star construction standards. If you build at a different location, or build a different design, we will calculate your total energy costs using your location’s unit energy costs. 
We are so confident of our system that we will guarantee the cost for the first three years a homeowner owns the home.
Building a home extra tight with energy efficient techniques doesn’t really cost a lot more. Rather, it’s about managing all the details and engineering energy efficiency into the home. Foundation walls must be insulated to an R-18, and to achieve these calculated costs, you would want to use a 15.5 SEER electrical heat pump with a gas backup. Insulated ductwork is not required. The electric rate used for these calculations was 8 ½¢ per KWH and the gas rate was 90¢ per therm. In order to calculate the energy cost for your home we would need the proposed address, the size and design of the home, the direction the home faces, and the type of heating and cooling system proposed if different than 15.5 SEER heat pump with gas backup. Lights, appliances, and big screen TV’s are the biggest users of energy in a typical home ($678) and are expected to cost more than the heating and cooling. Taxes and service charges could be as much as $297 of the total bill, with water heating costs calculated to be $95.00 per year.
Q. What does a H.E.R.S. Index Certified Heritage Home mean to me?
A. It means that your home will be designed to the highest energy specifications and inspected at various times during the construction by an independent H.E.R.S. (Home Energy Rating System) for compliance to the H.E.R.S. Index.
Included in our H.E.R.S. Index certification process:
-Proper sizing of the heating and cooling system.
-An initial H.E.R.S. (Home Energy Rating System) assessment during the design phase at Heritage Homes.
-An on-site Energy Star inspection and blower door test to calculate a final H.E.R.S. rating for your home.
-A written 3-year, heating and cooling guarantee from Heritage Homes.
———————————————————————————
Q. Should I look for a higher or lower H.E.R.S. Score?
A. Just like your blood pressure, the lower the number the better. The Home Energy Rating System sets 100 as the mark for a standard new home using modern building practices. Each 1% decrease in HERS index corresponds to a 1% reduction in the energy consumption compared to the HERS reference Home (2006 IECC). Thus a home with a HERS index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient.
The HERS score takes into account several components of the home includinggeographical location, climate data, square footage of the home, volume of the home, number of floors above grade, foundation type, and insulation properties.
Additionally it looks at several specific components of the home includingwindow and door properties, ceiling insulation properties, mechanical equipment and sizing specifications, duct system performance, mechanical ventilation, and air change/infiltration rate.
———————————————————————————
Q. Are all home builders Energy Star Certified?
A. No. While all builders COULD incorporate Energy Star Certification into their building practices, very few take the time or the added construction steps to meet the guidelines.
———————————————————————————
Q. What kind of heating/cooling system is used to achieve these low energy costs?
A. HVAC systems are sold and serviced by a local source in order to provide you with the customer care you need. You choose the fuel type and style of system that best fits your needs and your lifestyle. Your Authorized Heritage Builder will then submit the information about the system you select to the HERS rater for sizing and an energy rating.
———————————————————————————
Q. Who will do the HERS inspection on my home?
A. Heritage Homes uses American Energy Advisors to perform the HERS INDEX Certification. They are an independent firm who specialized in HERS rating and Energy Star compliance.
———————————————————————————
Q. Is H.E.R.S. Index construction an optional feature?
A. No. H.E.R.S. Index certification and a 3-year heating/cooling guarantee are standard with all Heritage Homes. *Individual Home owners and Authorized Heritage Builders may elect not to participate in the Energy Star Program if they choose.
———————————————————————————
Q. Do I really get a three year heating and cooling guarantee on my Heritage Home?
A. YES! Each Heritage Home built in 2011 or later can receive a 3-year heating/cooling guarantee if they follow the complete Energy Star certification process.
———————————————————————————