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Home energy ratings offer the tantalizing promise of an effective vehicle for reducing the energy consumption of the residential sector. While the public clamor for these ratings isn't deafening yet, the ratings' ties to financial incentives, such as energy-efficient mortgages, are driving demand. From the United States to Canada to the member countries of the European Union, home energy rating systems are alive--thriving in some areas, while barely surviving in others. In this broad look at home energy rating systems (HERS) on two continents, we start on p. 12 with an overview of the HERS programs in the United States. On p. 17 we take on the question of whether variability in rating assessments by individuals affects the results. Then, on p. 19 we move north to examine the fledgling Canadian system. Finally, on p. 20 we move across the ocean to see how various European countries have met the home energy rating challenge.
 
 

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