A Home Energy Score Report provides:

• A score from one to 10 with 10 being the most efficient
• Estimated annual energy cost including a breakdown of the costs for each energy utility
• A list of priority energy saving measures to reduce energy use and cost
• Estimated carbon reduction, energy and cost savings if the measures are completed
• Carbon footprint — tons of carbon the home produces annually

• Provides information about the home’s energy use and cost
• Provides transparency about one of the most significant costs of home ownership
• Provides a standard method to compare energy efficiency and energy costs between homes
• Improves indoor health when ventilation or heating and cooling improvements are made
• Helps target energy efficiency incentives that are in alignment with community needs 
• Supports the City’s environmental and equity goals
• Provides documentation for federal lending programs that allow borrowers to finance energy efficiency improvements with their mortgage

Home sellers must obtain and disclose a HES and Report prior to listing the home for sale if the home is: 

• Located within the Hillsboro city boundary. To see if your home falls within city boundaries, check your address with our Hillsboro maps tool.  
• A detached single-dwelling unit on its own lot 
• An attached unit, such as a row house, duplex, condominium or a townhouse, whether or not the unit is on its own lot. Stacked units (including apartment buildings) are currently exempt. A complete list of program exemptions is available below.

Follow these steps to obtain and disclose a HES and Report:

1. Contact an authorized, licensed home energy assessor to schedule an appointment. Find a list of certified assessors on the Earth Advantage website.
2. Clear items that may block access to the attic and crawlspace before the appointment. When the Assessment and Report are complete, the Report will be available on the Green Building Registry.
3. Share the HES Report and the instructions below with all real estate brokers working on your behalf. The HES and a link to the full report must be included with all real estate listings including printed publications, on social media, the RMLS™ and other public listing sites such as Zillow, Trulia, etc.
   
   Instructions to attach the Home Energy Score Report
   
   *It is important your real estate agent follows the instructions to attach the HES Report in the RMLS™ or the information will not transfer to the public listing sites as required.
   
   In the MLS:
   
   1. Go to Back Office then Listing Load
   2. Locate the sales listing and then click the edit button
   3. Select the Green/Energy tab then select the 'Include' box
   4. Click the Load From Green Building Registry button
   5. You will receive a warning that it will overwrite previous data. Click OK.
   6. The HES will autofill into Type 1 with the Score, date, and a link to the PDF Report. Save to finish updating the listing.
   
   
4. Make copies of the HES Report available to interested home buyers when they visit the home regardless of whether the home is being sold through a real estate broker or by owner.

Cost

The average cost of a HES assessment is between $130 and $250, depending on the size of the home. We recommend contacting more than one assessment company to find the cost and scheduling options that best fit your needs. 

Financial Assistance

In partnership with Community Energy Project, the City of Hillsboro offers free HES assessments for Hillsboro residents with household incomes at 80% or below the Area Median Income. This applies to homeowners whether they are selling their home or not, and renters with written landlord approval.

The property must be a single-family residence (house, condominium, or townhome; stacked units such as apartment buildings are not currently eligible) and located within city limits. 
Check your address with our Hillsboro Maps tool.

To schedule a no-cost HES assessment:

1. Use the Area Median Income calculator to determine eligibility.
2. Get written approval from your landlord (if renting your home).
3. Schedule the assessment online or by calling 971-544-8723.

The following building types are currently exempt from the requirements of the HES Policy:

• Mobile homes
• Manufactured homes
• Multiple housing units that are vertically stacked, such as a two-story fourplex or an apartment building or condominium where there is another unit directly above or below the unit being sold. 
• Detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs)
• Single dwelling units used primarily for commercial purposes

Home sellers may qualify for an exemption from the HES Policy requirements if the seller submits documentation that the house will be sold or transferred through any of the following:

• Change of title pursuant to marriage or divorce
• Condemnation
• Court appointed receiver is in control of the covered building due to financial distress
• Deed-in-lieu of foreclosure sale
• Involuntary transfer of title resulting from default on an obligation secured by real property
• Other involuntary change of title affected by operation of law
• Pre-foreclosure sale in which seller has reached an agreement with the mortgage holder to sell the property for an amount less than the amount owed on the mortgage 
• Sale at public auction or acquisition by a public agency due to arrears for property taxes
• The covered building has been approved for participation in Oregon Property Tax Deferral for Disabled and Senior Citizens, or equivalent program as determined by the City Manager
• The senior mortgage on the covered building is subject to a notice of default
• Transfer of title pursuant to inheritance
• The responsible party is otherwise unable to meet the obligations of the policy as determined by the City Manager

Foreclosures and bank-owned home sales are not exempt and must obtain a HES and Report prior to listing the home for sale.

For a home to be exempt from HES policy requirements, the homeowner must:

1. Fill out the exemption application
2. Submit supporting documentation
3. Receive approval for an exemption from the City of Hillsboro

Please Note: Foreclosures and bank-owned home sales are not exempt and must receive a HES prior to listing the home for sale.

Step 1: Complete the Exemption Application

To start the application process, please choose an option below:

• Complete the online Exemption Application and submit supporting documentation.
• Download and complete the Exemption Application document and submit it with your supporting documentation by mail, email, or hand delivery.
• Email Sustainability@Hillsboro-Oregon.gov to request a mailed copy of the application. Please include:
  • First and Last Name
  • Mailing Address

Step 2: Submit Supporting Documentation

Applications for exemption will not be considered complete until required supporting documentation is received by the City of Hillsboro.

• Supporting documentation must be submitted by mail, email, or hand delivery.
• Detailed instructions for submitting documentation are included on the Exemption Application.

Submission of an Exemption Application and supporting documentation does not automatically exempt the home from HES requirements – you will be notified once a final determination is made.

How long does the HES Assessment take?

Depending on the size of the home, on average, an assessment will take one to two hours.

How long is the HES good for? 

HES are good for eight years, unless major upgrades or modifications are made to the home after the report is issued. In those instances, a new assessment and report is required before listing the home for sale. Typically, the cost for a follow up assessment is less than the original assessment since it simply verifies the measures that have been implemented.

Is financial assistance available to help cover the cost of the HES Assessment?

Yes! Homeowners who meet certain income requirements may be eligible for a free HES and Report. See the Cost and Financial Assistance section above.

Will the City require a certain score in order to sell a home? 

No. The City cannot require a home to meet a certain score before it can be sold.

My home is large. Will it get a low score, simply because of its size? 

While square footage may affect an energy score, larger homes can in fact still receive high scores. There are many other factors in addition to size that affect home energy performance, including age of the home, heating and cooling systems, insulation, windows, and other aspects. 

If my home scores low, will it make it harder to sell? 

Not necessarily. Energy performance is just one of many factors people consider when buying a home. The information from a score helps both seller and buyer understand the opportunities to improve energy efficiency and lower utility costs. It also allows potential buyers to understand how much monthly utility costs will be.

Is a home inspection different from a HES assessment? 

Yes. A home inspection is focused on condition, safety and functionality. For example, a home inspector may look at the furnace to determine how old it is, but they won’t assess the efficiency of the furnace or how it may affect the cost to operate. A home inspector can identify the existence of insulation but will not assess the age or quality of the insulation or how much hot or cold air may be escaping through the walls.

A trained and certified assessor will evaluate the home’s: 

• Air ducts
• Windows
• Insulation: walls, attic, and crawl space
• Mechanical systems: heating, cooling, and hot water
• Existing efficiency measures such as solar panels

Are homeowners required make any of the upgrades listed in the Home Energy Score Report? 

No. However, homeowners who choose to make energy efficiency upgrades may be eligible for incentives to help reduce the costs.

Why isn’t the HES assessment done at the time of sale instead of at the time of listing? 

Having the energy performance information available at the time of listing allows interested buyers to understand the home’s energy performance as part of their decision-making process. It also allows sellers and buyers to consider energy efficiency investments. 

Sellers of new and existing homes are required to obtain and disclose a HES and Report prior to listing the home for sale. This includes newly constructed homes, homes advertised for sale before construction is completed, and buildable plans.

Get a HES and Report

Contact an authorized HES assessor. The HES assessor will gather information about the home's envelope (foundation, insulation, walls, windows) as well as its heating, cooling, and hot water systems. We recommend contacting more than one assessor to find scheduling and pricing options that best meet your needs. 

Display a HES and Report

Share the Home Energy Score Report and the instructions below with all real estate agents working on your behalf. The Home Energy Score and a link to the full report must be included with all real estate listings including those in printed publications, on social media, homebuilder websites, the RMLS™ and other sites such as Zillow, Realtor.com, Craigslist, Trulia, etc.

Instructions to attach the Home Energy Score Report

In the MLS:

1. Go to Back Office then Listing Load
2. Locate the sales listing and then click the edit button
3. Select the Green/Energy tab then select the 'Include' box
4. Click the Load From Green Building Registry button
5. You will receive a warning that it will overwrite previous data. Click OK.
6. The Home Energy Score will autofill into Type 1 with the Score, date, and a link to the PDF Report. Save to finish updating the listing.

*Please note, it is important the real estate agent follows these instructions to attach the HES Report in the MLS otherwise the information will not transfer to public listing sites such as Zillow as required.

Copies of the Report also must be made available to interested home buyers when they visit the home or when they are reviewing the design plans during the construction or pre-construction phase.

HES Reports are valid for eight years and are available on the Green Building Registry®.

Two Pathways to Comply with New Construction HES Requirements

1. For new homes that will be listed for sale only at the completion of construction, the builder can obtain a HES via an on-site assessment. An authorized HES Assessor can complete the on-site assessment in about an hour.
   
   
2. For new homes listed being for sale during construction or prior to construction, a builder can obtain a Pre-Construction HES. The HES must be completed by an authorized HES assessor who has received training on creating Pre-Construction HES. These authorized HES assessors are identified on the list with an asterisk (* Indicates assessors also qualified to provide Pre-Construction Scores). They can produce HES Reports based on site plans and design specifications provided by the builder.
   
   The Pre-Construction HES does not require an on-site assessment. The HES Report will note that the score is “Preliminary.” For new houses (including duplexes, condominiums, and townhomes where the occupant will own the unit from foundation to roof) constructed in the same geographic area and with identical design documents and features, a HES and Report will be produced per site address. Most of the data points can be replicated from the original assessment allowing the assessor to easily produce a unique HES and Report for each address of the remaining identical homes.

Homes Built to Energy Trust of Oregon EPS™ Standards

Builders of high-performance homes through the Energy Trust of Oregon EPS™ program are also required to obtain and disclose a HES Report prior to listing the home for sale. If a builder’s EPS™ verifier is also an authorized HES assessor, Energy Trust makes the generation of the HES a quick step. Energy Trust developed a tool that connects the home’s EPS™ information with the HES system, ensuring the verifier does not need to reenter the data. If the builder’s EPS™ verifier is not an authorized HES assessor, they can become one by following the HES Roadmap. Or the builder can hire an already authorized HES assessor.

Homebuilder Resources

Learn more about Hillsboro's HES Program and how homebuilders can maintain compliance with the new requirements in this short 30-minute webinar presentation "HES for Homebuilders".

A home energy assessor is an individual who assigns residential buildings a home energy performance score using a scoring system adopted by the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE). Individuals providing this service must be certified by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) after completing ODOE approved training.

Become a Certified Home Energy Assessor

ODOE partnered with nonprofit Earth Advantage to implement the statewide HES Program. Follow these steps to become a certified HES Assessor.

Current Home Energy Assessors

Certified Home Energy assessors working in Hillsboro can now look up current and past building permits on the City's permit search portal. 

Real estate brokers can help their clients by:  

• Providing information about HES Program requirements
• Making potential buyers aware of the HES and Report
• Scheduling the HES assessment for the homeowner 
• Uploading the HES Report on the RMLS™. The Report can easily be added and made viewable to the public by following the instructions below.

In the RMLS™:

1. Go to Back Office then Listing Load
2. Locate the sales listing and then click the edit button
3. Select the Green/Energy tab
4. Click the Load From Green Building Registry button
5. You will receive a warning that it will overwrite previous data. Click OK.
6. The Home Energy Score will autofill into Type 1 with the Score, date, and a link to the PDF Report. Save to finish updating the listing.

Download the instructions (PDF) | Video Instructions.

Please note: It is important to follow these instructions otherwise the Report will not appear in the public sales listings as required.

Resources

Watch the real estate broker training video: City of Hillsboro HES Program – What Brokers Need to Know.

Find Sustainable Home Resources for Real Estate Professionals on the Earth Advantage website