A home purchased and upgraded by Better Buildings Residential Network member the Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) made headlines as the first “Energy Fit” certified home listed on the Minnesota Multiple Listing Service for residential real estate. CEE upgraded the 1,774-square-foot house, built in 1952, with a high-efficiency furnace and water heater, attic insulation, and energy-efficient lighting to earn the program’s Energy Fit Homes certification.
CEE, in partnership with Neighborhood Energy Connection in St. Paul, Minnesota, created the Energy Fit Homes certification program in February 2014 specifically for older homes. An Energy Fit Homes assessor evaluates eligible homes for energy-efficient and performance requirements.
The home’s listing agent, Coldwell Banker Burnet’s Bruce Erickson, expects the designation to make houses in the Twin Cities more marketable.
“Many homebuyers consider the cost of heating and cooling when buying a new house, and this can impact the sale price of the home, as well as the time spent on the market,” Erickson said. “It can also allow sellers to get recognition [from home buyers] for improvements made to the home.”
Learn more about CEE’s Energy Fit Home program.